By the Women Peacemakers Program
During the annual UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace & Security (WPS), taking place Tuesday 28 October, all eyes will be on the 15th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in 2015. The recently started Global Study, led by UN Women, and the High-Level Review on UNSCR 1325 planned for 2015 has everybody discussing the progress of 15 years into UNSCR 1325 implementation – the obstacles, successes, lessons learned and ways forward. The Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) will be joining the discussions this week, aiming at providing input and insights gathered from the WPP network over the years.
The Women, Peace and Security agenda now comprises of 7 resolutions covering various aspects of women’s agency in peacebuilding, the first being UNSCR 1325, adopted in 2000, and the last two, 2106 and 2122, adopted just last year. Much progress in terms of awareness of women’s important roles in peacebuilding and the impact of war on women’s lives has been achieved. However, from the WPP Global Consultation on Gender and Militarism (July 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa link) we have learned that UNSCR 1325 encompasses a wide spectrum of issues that have been at the margin up till now: from reducing military expenditure and focusing on conflict prevention to working to a sustainable and gender-sensitive peace. WPP strongly believes that the WPS agenda is not only about adding women to the existing peace and security paradigm; it is about transforming the way we “see and do” peace and security from a holistic gender perspective. We therefore heartily welcome the remark of UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who stated "From reducing military expenditure to conflict prevention to fostering a culture of peace to ending occupation, we must remember that for women, peace and security is not about simply adding women to the existing peace and security paradigm. It is about a vision of a more equitable, peaceful and prosperous world" (Read her full speech).
In addition, reviewing the WPS agenda does not stand on its own. 2015 will be the culmination of multiple UN policy processes and reviews such as the agreement on the post 2015 development framework and the 20-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action. Amplifying the voices of women in all these processes is important to ensure inclusive policies, holistic analysis and gender-sensitive agendas for the future. WPP is committed to connecting these policy processes in order to achieve a transformative agenda as set by the Beijing Platform for Action, re-connecting it to the mainstream discussions for the advancement of sustainable peacebuilding.
During the upcoming UNSCR 1325 week in New York, WPP will specifically zoom in on the situation of the WPS agenda in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The events of the last 4 years, including the recent dynamics in the region, have made the implementation of the WPS agenda in the region more urgent than ever. Since the WPP MENA consultation of last May, the peace and security situation has changed considerably, with severe consequences for women peace activists in regards to their personal security, as well as for the possibility to do their work. However, despite the violence and setbacks, women continue calling for more just and peaceful societies. As such, the way women activists are using and shaping UNSCR 1325 within this context provides important insights and inputs for the Global Review of UNSCR 1325 and the post 2015 development agenda.
The stories and courage of women peace activists in the region resulted in WPP’s decision to organize the panel discussion “Amplifying the Voices of Women in the MENA Region” during the UNSCR 1325 week in New York. This discussion will take place on October 30 at the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands at the UN and is organized together with the Women Empowerment Organization (Iraq), ABAAD - Resource Center for Gender Equality (Lebanon), Women's International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF) (Switzerland/ USA), and the Post 2015 Women's Coalition (USA).
With two WPP staff members present in New York this week, we will keep you informed about the meetings and events, including the UN Security Council Open Debate and the Panel Discussion. Stay up-to-date via our on Facebook & twitter. WPP is looking forward to connecting, networking and providing input and insights during the upcoming UNSCR 1325 week, and all the other advocacy weeks that will follow in 2015!
11 Dec '17 This month WPP staff interviewed Arbia Jebali and Sarah Chamekh from Free Sight Association in Tunisia about the work their organization does, how civil society space has changed over the years, which challenges they are facing now, and how civil society in Tunisia is organizing itself to overcome those challenges.
7 Nov '17 In this article, WPP staff interviewed Doron Joles of XminY Fund, an activist organization that supports social movements, action groups and changemakers fighting for a fair, democratic, sustainable and accepting world. He discusses the unique way they have chosen to hand out funds, and the challenges that go along with funding small activist organizations in the current global climate.
25 Oct '17 This Friday, the UNSCR 1325 Open Debate will take place once again, seventeen years since the adoption of landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. In this article WPP staff reflects on the progress made for a truly transformative feminist peace agenda until now.
