WATCH | Queering peace and security: A call to reimagine inclusion

On June 18, 2025, a virtual panel brought together activists, scholars and peacebuilders to explore what it means to “queer” peace and security. 

Hosted by the Women, Peace and Security Network – Canada, WCAPS Canada, the Canadian Coalition for Youth, Peace and Security and Inter Pares, the event centred 2SLGBTQI+ voices and experiences in global peacebuilding conversations.

Panelists from diverse backgrounds shared insights on how queer and trans communities—especially racialized and Indigenous people, people living with disabilities and others with intersecting marginalized identities—are often excluded from mainstream peace and security frameworks, despite being at the forefront of justice movements. The conversation emphasized the need to move beyond tokenism and toward structural transformation.

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Video courtesy of WPSN-C

One panelist, Susana Peralta, a Colombian expert on queering peace and security, drew from her involvement in her country’s peace process.

“Security is not only the absence or the presence of armed men, but it's more about being able to be who you are freely without anyone violently being an obstacle for you,” said Susana, an Inter Pares partner. 

Each speaker brought a unique perspective to the shared thesis that peacebuilding must be inclusive, intersectional and rooted in lived realities. As anti-rights movements grow globally, queering peace and security is not just timely—it’s essential.

Learn more about the event and panelists on WPSN-C's website.

Learn more about our work with counterpart organizations in Colombia:

• Behind the scenes of LGBTQI+ Advocacy: A mental health conversation with Valentina Parra
• There can be no justice without truth
• Promoting trans-inclusion through art in Colombia