Women, peace and security

Women have voice and power to be agents of change–to be Peace Women! The Women, Peace and Security Agenda has transformative potential. It is a tool for moving from conflict and violence to peace, from exclusive to democratic decision-making, and from gender inequality to gender justice. Women’s agency, voice, and capacities, and a real gender perspective are critical to local dialogues, better policies and more equitable peace deals.

The Women, Peace and Security Agenda is now recognised internationally, but there are still challenges. To realise its transformative potential, it is time to move from commitments to accomplishments. Governments, the United Nations, civil society, the private sector, and other actors must implement commitments across all thematic areas. Ensuring a gender perspective and women’s participation, protection, and rights is critical, including in prevention and disarmament, protection in displacement settings, peacekeeping, policy-making, and reconstruction. Action is critical now to build a sustainable and peaceful world for all of us.
Women are excluded from decision-making. Gender inequalities are ignored, neglected, or forgotten in policymaking and solutions to peacemaking. Implementation lags behind words and rhetoric. Too much is spent on arms and military security, and too little on gender equality. Sexual and gender-based violence is endemic and rape in war is perpetrated with impunity. Women may often be victimised, yet, women also have voice and power to be agents of change – to be Peace Women!

The Women, Peace and Security Agenda gives us the tools to change our worlds.