SECURITY FLAGSHIP

Women Transforming Global Security

The Elders Horizon 2045 Ploughshares

SECURITY FLAGSHIP

Women Transforming Global Security

The Elders • Horizon 2045 • Ploughshares

We partner with The Elders and Ploughshares to host Women Transforming Global Security. Biothreats, nuclear weapons, misaligned AI, and other threats now interact and compound faster than conventional governance systems have evolved to meet them. Closing that gap requires a kind of judgment rarely cultivated in elite security institutions, grounded in care, relationality, and accountability across generations. WTGS cultivates that judgment and directs it not at managing cascading risk, but at interventions that generate opportunity and lead to more resilient decisions.

We partner with The Elders and Ploughshares to host Women Transforming Global Security. Biothreats, nuclear weapons, misaligned AI, and other threats now interact and compound faster than conventional governance systems have evolved to meet them. Closing that gap requires a kind of judgment rarely cultivated in elite security institutions, grounded in care, relationality, and accountability across generations. WTGS cultivates that judgment and directs it not at managing cascading risk, but at interventions that generate opportunity and lead to more resilient decisions.

A New Approach

Women Transforming Global Security brings together senior women leaders and former heads of state to rethink how governments, multilateral institutions, and civil society define security. Together they are developing an Integrated Security Framework: a portfolio of decision support and governance tools for the conditions of this century.

WTGS treats nuclear danger, climate disruption, AI governance failures, pandemic vulnerability, and democratic erosion as interconnected. It develops the tools, frameworks, and research leaders need to act on those combined effects.

That work builds the trust, evidence, and shared vocabulary leaders need to treat these threats as interacting and mutually reinforcing, not isolated, and to act on that reality together.

50 STRONG

2026 FRAMEWORK LAUNCH

The Integrated Security Framework is on track for public launch at Reykjavik this November, with pilots to follow this year across governance reform, diplomacy, and crisis response, ahead of wider release.

2026 FRAMEWORK LAUNCH

Early conversations are underway to bring this work to global publics beyond elite leadership spaces, extending the Framework's reach.

50 STRONG

WTGS has grown from an initial cohort into a standing network of nearly 50 senior women leaders and champions.

Why Now

At Davos in January 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the rules-based international order hasn't experienced a transition. It has experienced a break. The Munich Security Conference's 2026 report, titled Under Destruction, documents the same shift at the institutional level: political forces across Western democracies now favor dismantling existing rules and institutions over reforming them.

Security since 1945 has largely been organized around adversarial competition between states. WTGS builds a different operating logic, centered on relationality, care, plurality, coherence, entanglement, accountability across time, and the wellbeing of human and planetary systems.

This shift matters because today's threats cross borders, sectors, institutions, and generations, and because a security paradigm built for one domain at a time, deterrence for one threat, regulation for another, cannot meet a reality where the threats themselves don’t stay separate.

The Elders are delighted to support the launch of Women Transforming Global Security.… We need a … sense of urgency and activism today as geopolitical tensions reach dangerous levels. Women’s perspectives are too often absent from these debates and need to be heard. This network can play a vital role in convening diverse voices, building trust and catalyzing action.

—Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, pictured above left with former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark at the Women Transforming Global Security launch.

The Elders are delighted to support the launch of Women Transforming Global Security.… We need a … sense of urgency and activism today as geopolitical tensions reach dangerous levels. Women’s perspectives are too often absent from these debates and need to be heard. This network can play a vital role in convening diverse voices, building trust and catalyzing action.

—Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, pictured above left with former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark at the Women Transforming Global Security launch.

Uniquely Qualified

WTGS brings together three complementary strengths. The Elders contribute moral authority and a global network of former heads of state. Horizon 2045 contributes the foresight and design methodology that turns cross-sector insight into working tools. Ploughshares Fund contributes decades of nuclear policy and grantmaking expertise.

WTGS was launched at the invitation of The Elders’ Mary Robinson and Helen Clark. Mary is the former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Helen is a three-time Prime Minister of New Zealand and former Administrator of the UNDP. The network they convened includes senior cross-sector leaders such as Anne-Marie Slaughter, Tirana Hassan of Doctors Without Borders US, and Audrey Tang, Taiwan's Minister of Digital Affairs, among two dozen others.

WTGS is championed by former heads of state and Nobel laureates. These include Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway; Hillary Rodham Clinton, former US Secretary of State; Nobel Peace Prize laureates Oleksandra Matviichuk and Beatrice Fihn; and Sigrid Kaag, UN Special Envoy to the Middle East Peace Process.

INAUGURAL MEMBERS

Heba Aly
Article 109

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini
International Civil Society
Action Network (ICAN)

Alexandra Bell
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Nahid Bhadelia
Boston University Center for
Emerging Infectious Disease

Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen
International Federation
of the Red Cross

Maria Butler
Nobel Women’s Initiative

PeiYao Chen
Global Fund for Women

INAUGURAL MEMBERS

Heba Aly
Article 109

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini
International Civil Society
Action Network (ICAN)

Alexandra Bell
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Nahid Bhadelia
Boston University Center for
Emerging Infectious Disease

Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen
International Federation
of the Red Cross

Maria Butler
Nobel Women’s Initiative

PeiYao Chen
Global Fund for Women

Kate Crawford
USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism

Roopa Dhatt
Stanford University

Kirsten Dunlop
Climate KIC

Marina Favaro
Anthropic

Maleeka Glover
Centers for Disease Control
& Prevention (CDC)

Melanie Greenberg
Humanity United

Tirana Hassan
Doctors Without Borders US

Laura Holgate
US Department of State (former)

Elissa Jobson
The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation

Chen Zak Kane
United Nations Institute
for Disarmament Research

Jane Kinninmont
United Nations Association UK

Alexa Koenig
UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center/Investigations Lab

Amy Larsen
Visa

Melissa Parke
International Campaign to
Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

Nicola Reindorp
Crisis Action

Joan Rohlfing
Triastron Technology Corporation

Anne-Marie Slaughter
London School of Economics School of Public Policy

Mallory Stewart
Council for Strategic Risks

Audrey Tang
Taiwan Ministry of Digital Affairs

Cat Tully
School of International Futures

Heather Williams
Center for Strategic &
International Studies (CSIS)

  • Heba Aly
    Article 109

    Sanam Naraghi Anderlini
    International Civil Society
    Action Network (ICAN)

    Alexandra Bell
    Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

    Nahid Bhadelia
    Boston University Center for
    Emerging Infectious Disease

    Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen
    International Federation
    of the Red Cross

    Maria Butler
    Nobel Women’s Initiative

    PeiYao Chen
    Global Fund for Women

    Kate Crawford
    USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism

    Roopa Dhatt
    Stanford University

    Kirsten Dunlop
    Climate KIC

    Marina Favaro
    Anthropic

    Maleeka Glover
    Centers for Disease Control
    & Prevention (CDC)

    Melanie Greenberg
    Humanity United

    Tirana Hassan
    Doctors Without Borders US

    Laura Holgate
    US Department of State (former)

    Elissa Jobson
    The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation

    Chen Zak Kane
    United Nations Institute
    for Disarmament Research

    Jane Kinninmont
    United Nations Association UK

    Alexa Koenig
    UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center/Investigations Lab

    Amy Larsen
    Visa

    Melissa Parke
    International Campaign to
    Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

    Nicola Reindorp
    Crisis Action

    Joan Rohlfing
    Triastron Technology Corporation

    Anne-Marie Slaughter
    London School of Economics School of Public Policy

    Mallory Stewart
    Council for Strategic Risks

    Audrey Tang
    Taiwan Ministry of Digital Affairs

    Cat Tully
    School of International Futures

    Heather Williams
    Center for Strategic &
    International Studies (CSIS)

Kate Crawford
USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism

Roopa Dhatt
Stanford University

Kirsten Dunlop
Climate KIC

Marina Favaro
Anthropic

Maleeka Glover
Centers for Disease Control
& Prevention (CDC)

Melanie Greenberg
Humanity United

Tirana Hassan
Doctors Without Borders US

Laura Holgate
US Department of State (former)

Nicola Reindorp
Crisis Action

Joan Rohlfing
Triastron Technology Corporation

Anne-Marie Slaughter
London School of Economics School of Public Policy

Mallory Stewart
Council for Strategic Risks

Audrey Tang
Taiwan Ministry of Digital Affairs

Cat Tully
School of International Futures

Heather Williams
Center for Strategic &
International Studies (CSIS)

Elissa Jobson
The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation

Chen Zak Kane
United Nations Institute
for Disarmament Research

Jane Kinninmont
United Nations Association UK

Alexa Koenig
UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center/Investigations Lab

Amy Larsen
Visa

Melissa Parke
International Campaign to
Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

INAUGURAL MEMBERS

Heba Aly
Article 109

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini
International Civil Society
Action Network (ICAN)

Alexandra Bell
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Nahid Bhadelia
Boston University Center for
Emerging Infectious Disease

Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen
International Federation
of the Red Cross

Maria Butler
Nobel Women’s Initiative

PeiYao Chen
Global Fund for Women

INAUGURAL MEMBERS

Heba Aly
Article 109

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini
International Civil Society
Action Network (ICAN)

Alexandra Bell
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Nahid Bhadelia
Boston University Center for
Emerging Infectious Disease

Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen
International Federation
of the Red Cross

Maria Butler
Nobel Women’s Initiative

PeiYao Chen
Global Fund for Women

Kate Crawford
USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism

Roopa Dhatt
Stanford University

Kirsten Dunlop
Climate KIC

Marina Favaro
Anthropic

Maleeka Glover
Centers for Disease Control
& Prevention (CDC)

Melanie Greenberg
Humanity United

Tirana Hassan
Doctors Without Borders US

Laura Holgate
US Department of State (former)

Elissa Jobson
The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation

Chen Zak Kane
United Nations Institute
for Disarmament Research

Jane Kinninmont
United Nations Association UK

Alexa Koenig
UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center/Investigations Lab

Amy Larsen
Visa

Melissa Parke
International Campaign to
Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

Nicola Reindorp
Crisis Action

Joan Rohlfing
Triastron Technology Corporation

Anne-Marie Slaughter
London School of Economics School of Public Policy

Mallory Stewart
Council for Strategic Risks

Audrey Tang
Taiwan Ministry of Digital Affairs

Cat Tully
School of International Futures

Heather Williams
Center for Strategic &
International Studies (CSIS)

Kate Crawford
USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism

Roopa Dhatt
Stanford University

Kirsten Dunlop
Climate KIC

Marina Favaro
Anthropic

Maleeka Glover
Centers for Disease Control
& Prevention (CDC)

Melanie Greenberg
Humanity United

Tirana Hassan
Doctors Without Borders US

Laura Holgate
US Department of State (former)

Nicola Reindorp
Crisis Action

Joan Rohlfing
Triastron Technology Corporation

Anne-Marie Slaughter
London School of Economics School of Public Policy

Mallory Stewart
Council for Strategic Risks

Audrey Tang
Taiwan Ministry of Digital Affairs

Cat Tully
School of International Futures

Heather Williams
Center for Strategic &
International Studies (CSIS)

Elissa Jobson
The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation

Chen Zak Kane
United Nations Institute
for Disarmament Research

Jane Kinninmont
United Nations Association UK

Alexa Koenig
UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center/Investigations Lab

Amy Larsen
Visa

Melissa Parke
International Campaign to
Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

With Your Help, We Will

Launch Pilots in 2027: Deploy the pilot programs.

Foster Leadership: Build a leadership track and mentorship for emerging women leaders in global security.

Increase Our Reach: Expand the conversation about security's future from elite leadership spaces to global publics.

Ensure Adoption: Support the goal of having at least three influential partners actively using the framework by 2028.

Program Initiative

The Integrated Security Framework

The Integrated Security Framework is WTGS's cornerstone: a portfolio of decision support and governance tools, including protocols and heuristics for seeing how choices in one domain compound risk or create opportunity in the others.

The Framework launches publicly at Reykjavik in 2026, with pilots to test the portfolio in 2027. It is designed for use by governments, multilateral institutions, funders, and communities.

Fund this work
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