General

Portugal is encouraged by several very positive developments with regard to the women and peace and security agenda, such as the fact that the issue is a consistent feature in Security Council resolutions and peacekeeping mandates, as well as the fact that gender- sensitive reporting is now understood as a fundamental element for a thorough understanding of the gender dimensions of conflict and that reinforced efforts are necessary to shape adequate responses at the local and international levels.

However, since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), the peace and security context and the nature of conflict have evolved — at times dramatically — characterized by entrenched cycles of conflict and fragility, daily violations of human rights and humanitarian law, growing humanitarian crises, mass-scale displacement of persons and refugees, and new threats, such as increasing violent extremism and terrorism, which disproportionately affect women and girls.