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Women, peace and security

Advancing equality and building peace

Twenty-five years ago, the UN Security Council's landmark Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) recognized women's crucial role in peace and security. It called for their increased participation in decision-making at all levels and emphasized addressing their unique needs and vulnerabilities in conflict and post-conflict settings.

Women's meaningful participation in peace processes¡ªfrom negotiation and mediation to peacekeeping and reconstruction¡ªleads to more sustainable and inclusive peace. Research consistently shows that peace agreements are more durable when women are involved.

Their inclusion fosters greater trust and legitimacy in peacebuilding, ensuring that half the population's voices and experiences are heard. Ignoring women's contributions undermines peace and security efforts, perpetuates gender inequality, and reinforces harmful stereotypes.

Beyond negotiations, the WPS agenda recognizes women's diverse roles in conflict. They are not just victims but also agents of change, leading grassroots peacebuilding, supporting communities, and advocating for justice and human rights.

Supporting their leadership and empowerment is critical for building resilient societies and preventing future conflict. Addressing the disproportionate impact of violence on women and girls, including preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence, is essential for their safety and well-being.

State of women, peace and security

 

Meaningful participation

In 2023, women's participation in peace processes remained low. They comprised only 9.6 per cent of negotiators, 13.7 per cent of mediators and 26.6 per cent of signatories to peace and ceasefire agreements. Moreover, only 26 per cent of the agreements even mentioned women, girls or gender and none included women's groups as signatories. Full and equal participation of women in all aspects of peace and security, including decision-making at all levels, is essential. This includes their involvement in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding.

, pictured here in 2018, exemplifies this. As president of the Women's Peace Hut in Gao, Mali, she led 76 diverse women's groups in mediating with armed groups, preventing violent extremism and supporting survivors of sexual violence. Their work, supported by UN Women and the , had demonstrably increased women's representation in monitoring the peace agreement from 3 per cent to 31 per cent.

 

Rule of law and justice

The foundation of gender equality rests on effective and inclusive rule of law institutions, necessary for dismantling discriminatory laws, policies, and practices. Globally, women's representation in the judiciary has seen some improvement, rising from 34 per cent of judges and magistrates in 2010 to 43 per cent in 2021.

The 2018 photo featured here captures a female judge at Haiti's Court of First Instance where dedicated sessions were held to address a backlog of cases and the pre-trial detention of women. The , working with the Haitian justice system, supported the implementation of a gender-responsive approach to improve access to justice for all Haitians and fostered women's leadership within judicial and legal institutions. continue to be at the forefront of change, promoting local mediation and community-based violence reduction and working to prevent, respond to and eliminate sexual violence perpetrated by armed gangs.

 

Protection from violence

Protecting women and girls from all forms of violence, including conflict-related sexual violence prevalent in conflict zones, is crucial. Yet, in 2023, the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled and the UN recorded over 3,500 cases of conflict-related sexual violence, a 50 per cent increase from 2022. Sexual violence remains a brutal weapon of war, torture and terrorism.

Moreover, globally, 1 in 8 women aged 15 to 49 experiences intimate partner violence, rising to 1 in 7 in conflict-affected countries. Women human rights defenders continue to face targeted violence, with 46 per cent reporting kidnappings or violence against their staff in 2022. Marginalized groups like indigenous women face even greater risks. Maria Ba Caal, pictured here, survived rape and sexual slavery during Guatemala's 36-year civil war. Her landmark case (2011-2016) with other indigenous women led to convictions for crimes against humanity and reparations for survivors.

 

Prevention and peacebuilding

Preventing conflict, including addressing its root causes such as gender inequality and discrimination, is critical for lasting peace. Yet, backlash against women's rights¡ªincluding their right to education, social protection, healthcare and economic opportunities¡ªcontinues to escalate.

In 2024, over 100 million school-age girls were not in school, with over a quarter living in conflict zones. This photo shows 14-year-old Leen Nahal from Gaza, where nearly 90 percent of schools have been destroyed or damaged, leaving over half a million children without access to education. ¡°I feel as if I am losing my future, my education and my childhood,¡± she told UN Women. These stark realities underscore the urgent need for increased investment in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. In 2022, the UN Peacebuilding Fund invested nearly half of its funding to support gender equality in post-conflict situations but significantly greater investment is needed.

 

Relief and recovery

The threat to women and girls in conflict zones has escalated. In 2023, over 600 million lived within 50 kilometers of conflict zones, a staggering 50 per cent rise in just ten years. Tragically, the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled in 2023. Moreover, he number of girls affected by grave violations during armed conflict increased by 35 per cent.

In places like Ukraine, where this mother and child are pictured, the impact is devastating. UN Women estimates that more than 3,700 women and nearly 300 girls have been killed. Some 6.7 million women need humanitarian assistance, including over 1.8 million who are displaced by the three-year war. During such crises, it is imperative that humanitarian aid and recovery efforts prioritize women's unique needs and empower them to actively participate in rebuilding their communities.