Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP) was launched in 1999 as an initiative of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to build a culture of coexistence and nonviolence in South Asia that is gender-sensitive and inclusive. A not-for-profit, non-sectarian, non-denominational organisation, the Foundation was established with the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to The Dalai Lama.
At a time when the discourse on Gender, Peace and Security in South Asia was nascent and largely absent from policy and academic frameworks, WISCOMP formally introduced and nurtured this field through sustained engagement, research and practice. WISCOMP was established to facilitate a central role for women in influencing public policies and peace processes by creating enabling spaces for women's informed articulation on issues of democracy, representation, foreign policy, and peacebuilding.
For over two decades, WISCOMP has built its research–praxis around peacebuilding through an intersectional lens, working with women and youth to address overt, structural and cultural violence. Its work encompasses facilitating dialogue groups, cross-border, cross-regional, and intra-national dialogues, capacity-building workshops, trauma-healing initiatives, mentorship programmes, advocacy, and knowledge-sharing platforms in regions affected by protracted conflict.
WISCOMP’s sustained efforts to facilitate cross-border dialogue among youth leaders in South Asia have woven together a resilient network of over 400 peace animators across the region, transcending physical and mental cartographies. WISCOMP’s network of senior, mid-career, and young scholars and practitioners spans the academic, non-profit, media, law, and government sectors. Over 350 publications (in-house and commissioned) stand testimony to the richness of this vast network.
Contact Persons
Dr Meenakshi Gopinath
Founder Director, WISCOMP
Dr Meenakshi Gopinath is the Founder and Director of Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP). She is Chair of the Board of Governors of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and Principal Emerita of Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, where she served as Principal for 26 years (1988–2014).She has served on advisory bodies of the Planning Commission of India and the University Grants Commission, and was the first woman nominated to India’s National Security Advisory Board.Dr Gopinath is actively engaged in multi-track peace initiatives and people-to-people dialogues in South Asia. She has served on the boards of national and international institutions, including the United Nations Peace University (Costa Rica), Nonviolent Peaceforce (Geneva), and the Asian University for Women (Bangladesh).She has written and lectured widely on conflict transformation, peacebuilding, women’s leadership, international relations, and education for peace, and has developed curricula across universities, colleges, and schools.Her awards include the Padma Shri, Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi Award, Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence in Education, an Honorary Doctorate from La Trobe University, the Distinguished Alumna Award (LSR), and the Nirbhaya Puraskar (2017).
Akashleena Chakrabarti
Senior Program Manager, WISCOMP
Akashleena Chakrabarti is Senior Program Manager at Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP), leading programs on youth and dialogue, conflict transformation, and peacebuilding. She has curated a virtual Book Cafe series, facilitating interactive dialogue spaces for young scholars, academicians, and grassroots practitioners.She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Diploma in Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, as well as a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Delhi.Her research interests lie at the intersection of conflict transformation, digital peacebuilding, and strategic communication.
