The United Nations Security Council will hold an Open Debate to mark the 12th anniversary of the UN Security Council resolution 1325, with a focus on “the Role of Women’s Civil Society Organizations in Contributing to the Prevention and Resolution of Armed Conflict and Peacebuilding.” The debate (date to be announced) will be webcast live from 10:00 a.m. (New York time).

The Open Debate marks an opportunity to reflect on the progress  made and to accelerate action on the implementation of the Security Council’s historic resolution 1325 (2000) and related commitments and guiding documents on women and peace and security, one of UN Women’s priority areas of work. The ground-breaking Security Council Resolution 1325, which was passed in the year 2000, is the first to link women’s experiences of conflict to the international peace and security agenda, focusing attention on the disproportionate impact of conflict on women, and calling for women’s engagement in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. It recognized the under-valued and under-utilized contributions women make to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and securing peace. It also stressed the importance of women’s equal and full participation as active agents in peace and security.

Twelve years on, changes in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding are clear. The protection of women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence is recognized as a priority challenge. Women’s peace coalitions have grown in strength. Transitional justice mechanisms are increasingly responding to war crimes against women with specific arrangements to protect women witnesses. Post-conflict needs assessments, post-conflict planning processes and financing frameworks have in some cases acknowledged the need to put women’s participation and concerns at the center of recovery. While these changes have been critical, much more remains to be done.

UN Women’s efforts

In collaboration with partners, UN Women is currently supporting implementation of women, peace and security commitments in at least 37 countries. This includes support for strengthening women’s peace coalitions and to help prepare them for engagement in peace processes; work with peacekeepers to help detect and prevent conflict-related sexual violence; support to build justice and security institutions that protect women and girls from violence and discrimination; and initiatives to promote public services that respond to women’s needs, ensure women’s access to economic opportunities, and build women’s engagement in public decision-making at national and local levels.

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