The history of cfd

The cfd began with a Christian wish to help. It was started by Gertrud Kurz who helped Jewish refugees from Germany after the Nazis came to power there. After the Second World War this developed into cfd. As a recognized relief and peace organisation, cfd was active in helping refugees, supporting projects in conflict areas and campaigning politically against racism, colonialization and militarism.

In the early 1980’s, in connection with its anti-military activities, women in cfd began to ask why peacemaking activities were being divided into private and public areas and they also saw that there was structural violence in the relationship between men and women. They developed a feminist criticism of military, political and religious power structures, took part in the development of feminist theologies and joined women’s and peace networks.In 1981 the Women’s Center for Peace was established to give a structure to cfd’s feminist ideas and policies. In 1997 a meeting of cfd members accepted its first feminist policy program.