WPS Lecture Series: Women, Peace and Security - A Critical Component of the Post-2015 Development Agenda

On 31 July 2014, the PeaceWomen Programme, in co-operation with the Mission of Liechtenstein and the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination/Princeton University, hosted a panel discussion as part of our Women, Peace and Security Lecture Series, on the important relationship between the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the post-2015 development agenda. This lecture featured keynote speaker Amina J. Mohammed, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning. Abigail Ruane, PeaceWomen Manager, Ambassador Christian Wenaweser of Liechtenstein and Ambassador Greta Gunnarsdottir of Iceland were also a part of the panel discussion.

Mohammed spoke of the important measures that were taken in drafting the Zero Draft and what must be done thereafter. As she cleverly stated, “We now have the ingredients, can we bake a cake?” The proposed Sustainable Development Goals have successfully guided the focus not only on extreme poverty, but an integrated agenda for social inclusion, economic transformation and protection of our environment.

As suggested by Mohammed, the goal now is to find the means of implementation for such an agenda and to unlock existing resources rather than make commitments on top of commitments. She also spoke of the critical role civil society had in the process and should continue to have down the road. In addition, civil society needs to be given access to the country level in order to successfully deliver messages that were made on the ground. Mohammed also touched upon the necessity of creating inclusive societies as it is the excluded members that tend to be the perpetrators of crimes against women and girls.

Abigail Ruane from the PeaceWomen Programme, addressed the need for the inclusion of disarmament and demilitarization in the agenda as they can greatly assist in the eradication of poverty. In addition to disarmament, strong accountability measures need to be present during the post-2015 agenda as it is always difficult to accurately track the implementation of targets and goals.

As discussions move forward it will be critical for civil society to continue to be present and for Member States to keep Women, Peace and Security elements in the post-2015 agenda.

Watch the video of the event here.