Women, Peace and Security at the UN Security Council

As the body responsible for maintenance of international peace and security, the United Nations Security Council has an obligation to implement and fulfill its own commitments. The Council has adopted ten resolutions on Women, Peace and Security: SCR 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2008), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), 2122 (2013), 2242 (2015), 2467 (2019), and 2493 (2019), as well as a resolution on women and peacekeeping. The global implementation of these resolutions is reviewed annually in Open Debates and at milestone dates such as the 20th anniversary. And now, the Security Council must internalise the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in its daily work on all country and thematic issues.

In recent years, a number of working methods have been developed – often through the leadership of Elected Members of the Security Council working with women civil society – to innovate and move forward accountability on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. The normalisation of civil society briefers to the Security Council on geographic agenda items, the creation of the Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace and Security and the Women, Peace and Security Focal Point Network are all opportunities to accelerate action.

Yet it is commonly recognised that the Security Council still has far to go to live up to its mandate and engage in effective action.

WILPF and NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security monitor and analyse Women, Peace and Security language all Security Council action on thematic issues and, where appropriate, on country-specific issues.