Timeline to 2020:
The Women, Peace and Security Agenda (UNSC 1325 & others)
Key website: Global norms and standards: peace and security (UN Women)
Background:
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security (WPS) on 31 October 2000. The resolution reaffirms and emphasizes the contributions women make to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and conflict resolution. As such, it urges actors to incorporate gender perspectives in all UN peace and security efforts and calls on parties of conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence. In October 2010, the UN Secretary General (UNSG) proposed a 2011-2020 strategic framework to guide the UN’s implementation of the resolution.
The significance of UNSCR 1325 lies in the fact that it was the first time the Security Council addressed the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women. Since its adoption, the Council has met every year, typically in October, for an open debate on the implementation of the resolution. The debates are informed by the UNSG’s annual report on women, peace and security and frequently result in an outcome document to further the WPS agenda. Since the adoption of resolution 1325, the Council has adopted twelve resolutions, which together frame the women, peace and security agenda.
Key Decision Points (2015 – Present):
On 13 October 2015, the Security Council held a high-level review on women, peace and security to mark the 15th anniversary of UNSCR 1325. The review assessed progress at the global, regional, and national levels, addressed emerging obstacles, and renewed government commitment to the WPS agenda. To inform this discussion, the UNSG commissioned an independent Global Study on the resolution’s implementation, pursuant to resolution 2122 (2013). Consequentially, the UN Security Council reaffirmed its commitment to UNSCR 1325 by adopting resolution 2242, which aims to improve implementation of the WPS agenda and double the number of women involved in peacekeeping missions by 2020.
By 2016, 60 countries had drafted National Action Plans to increase women’s participation in peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and post-conflict reconstruction. In advance of the 2017 annual Security Council debate on the WPS agenda, the Women, Peace and Security Index was launched. The index is to be updated every two years and will track progress ahead of the 2019 HLPF and the 20th anniversary of resolution 1325 (October 2020).
In October 2018, the Council will convene its annual debate on the the implementation of resolution 1325 to discuss the six recommendations set forth by the Secretary-General’s 2017 report.
Related Meetings:
- 27 March 2017, New York, Arria Formula Meeting on Increasing the Participation of Women in Global Conflict Prevention and Mediation: Towards the Creation of a Mediterranean Women Mediator’s Network
- 9 November 2017, Geneva, Sustaining Peace and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda: Strengthening Synergies for Action
- 9-10 April 2018, Berlin, Annual capital-level Women, Peace and Security Focal Points Network (WPS-FPN) meeting
- October 2018, New York, Annual UN Security Council open debate on women, peace and security
Additional Links & Resources:
[Core Document] Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, 31 October 2000
Past Anniversary: Tenth Anniversary of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, 12 October 2010
UNSCR 2000-2015 Timeline (UN Women)
UN Secretary-General’s Reports on WPS:
Annual Reports on WPS
- September 2015, S/2015/716
- September 2016, S/2016/822
- October 2017, S/2017/861
Annual Reports on conflict-related sexual violence
- March 2015, S/2015/203
- April 2016, S/2016/361
- April 2017, S/2017/249
- March 2018, S/2018/250
Recent Resolutions:
- 13 October 2015, S/RES/2242
- 20 December 2016, S/RES/2331
- 11 March 2016, S/RES/2272
For a complete list of UNSC Women, Peace and Security Resolutions, click here.
Outcomes of Past Anniversaries:
Outcome of 10-year anniversary (October 2010):
UN Strategic Results Framework on Women, Peace and Security: 2011 – 2020
Outcome of 15-year anniversary (October 2015):
Global Study on the Implementation of Resolution 1325
Other Resources:
2002 study submitted by the Secretary-General pursuant to UNSC 1325
- Prepared within the framework of the Inter-agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security and coordinated by the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women
Women, peace and security: Preventing war and sustaining peace (UN Women)
Global norms and standards: Peace and security (UN Women)