Our work on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) advances permanent peace through advocacy for feminist solutions that prevent and respond to conflicts and crises, including through feminist root cause analysis, conflict prevention and the meaningful participation of women and civil society in peace and security.
Through our analysis, campaigning and advocacy, we challenge gendered power dynamics and aim to transform them through feminist movement-building. Our advocacy brings the perspectives and recommendations of WILPF members and partners from around the world into discussions on WPS at the global level.
In alignment with our antimilitarist feminist values, thematically we focus on issues that include civil society and women human rights defenders, nonviolent and feminist alternatives to traditional and militarised peace and security processes and prevention of violence.
More than twenty years ago, in October 2000, feminist activists and civil society, including WILPF, paved the way for the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The scope of UNSCR 1325 has since expanded with the adoption of nine subsequent resolutions. These have collectively become known as the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda.
Our collective vision of the WPS Agenda demanded recognition of the disproportionate impacts that conflict and crises have on women and of the important role women play in peace processes beyond their status as victims. In doing so, feminist activists also demanded that the international community shift how it approaches the question of what keeps people safe, requiring reprioritisation from militarised security to human security.
Yet despite many guides and frameworks to advance gender equality, ten WPS resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council and countless commitments by UN member states, we still live in a world where women are deeply and disproportionately impacted by rampant armed conflict and instability. Patriarchal systems, inequalities, militarisation, authoritarianism, repression and discriminatory structures continue to hinder women’s rights and participation.
It is time for real action.
Gendered perspectives and women’s voices — particularly from feminist civil society — are vital for shaping peace agreements that respond to the roots of conflict and violence and are equipped to build peaceful societies.
Together, through decisive and collaborative action, we can build a sustainable, harmonious and peaceful world where every individual thrives.
The United Nations Security Council, responsible for global peace and security, has adopted ten resolutions on Women, Peace and Security. We monitor and advocate for the implementation of the WPS Agenda in all country, regional and thematic matters on the Council, with a goal to advance transformative action.
We do this by providing recommendations to Council members and UN officials, facilitating briefings by WILPF members and partners to the Council on thematic and country issues and engaging with the Informal Experts Group on WPS. WILPF advocates at the Council both independently and through our coalition, the NGO Working Group on WPS, of which we are a founding and active member.
The WPS Agenda also holds significant implications for all other United Nations entities, encompassing commitments to gender equality, women’s rights, disarmament, peace and security and sustainable development. Because of this, we engage with actors across the UN system to shape and influence their implementation of WPS in line with WILPF’s vision and values.
We also amplify the voices of grassroots women peace activists, including from conflict-affected regions. This includes hosting delegations of WILPF members and partners to New York City to engage in advocacy with the UN system and connect with other key WPS stakeholders.
Our advocacy and monitoring efforts concerning the WPS Agenda in collaboration with key entities across the UN system extend to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW); Generation Equality, where we are a Catalytic Member of the Compact on WPS and Humanitarian Action; the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and other development processes; and the UN Secretariat.
Despite their vital contributions to driving change and advancing commitments to the WPS Agenda, the crucial work of women’s rights activists, peacebuilders and civil society organisations often goes unnoticed, underfunded and undervalued. In our work on the WPS Agenda, we centre civil society action and advocate for civil society to be supported and protected.
We advocate for the UN and member states to more systematically include civil society across all peace and security discussions.In this work, we consider participation to be a human right. We define participation as being full, equal, meaningful, effective and safe, where women are able to influence both the structure and outcomes of negotiations. We challenge tokenistic and superficial approaches to inclusion that fail to be grounded in human rights.
We also advocate for the UN, member states and the donor community to provide comprehensive political, technical and financial assistance to empower the active participation of civil society in peace processes and reconstruction efforts.
In conflict and post-conflict contexts, women’s organisations, advocates and women’s human rights defenders often face specific security threats designed to inhibit their work and their free expression. Protecting women’s groups and women’s human rights defenders is paramount to ensuring their meaningful participation in conflict resolution and political processes. We therefore do extensive advocacy with the UN system to ensure threats are taken seriously and perpetrators are held accountable.
The WPS Agenda calls attention to the gendered impacts of armed conflict on women and girls. However, gendered violations and women’s experiences during armed conflicts are inextricably linked with and rooted in preceding patriarchal structures, systems and norms. Therefore, WILPF uses feminist analysis to challenge the notion that women’s experiences of peace and security in peacetime and wartime are not deeply interconnected in a world marked by gender-based violence and rising militarisation.
Many actors interpret and implement the WPS Agenda in ways that strengthen military power and militarised institutions, such as by increasing militarisation and the availability of weapons in order to enhance security. We believe these approaches are counterproductive because militarisation itself is a leading cause of armed conflict and violence while the proliferation and accumulation of weapons directly contributes to gender-based violence in households and communities.
In our advocacy and recommendations on sexual violence in conflict and prevention, we emphasise how militarisation and the proliferation of weapons are drivers of violence. We call for military spending to be reduced, and emphasise the need for further connecting work on WPS, disarmament and demilitarisation.
Our WPS work is informed by intersectional gender analysis. We call for an intersectional implementation of WPS that seeks to dismantle all structures of oppression, including on the basis of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, age and other factors. This is critical for all people to live in true peace.
Over 100 countries around the world have adopted National Action Plans (NAPs) on Women, Peace and Security, which are intended to guide efforts to implement the WPS Agenda within their unique country context. But many of these NAPs have no budget, limited coordination and oversight mechanisms and fail to target the primary issues identified by feminist peacebuilders. Through the wealth of expertise in our global membership base, we are working to turn these commitments into tangible change that makes a difference in women’s lives.
For many years, WILPF has maintained an online resource providing analysis of each country’s National Action Plan. This contains comprehensive coverage of past and current NAPs in order to facilitate accountability for member state commitments. On the website, people can also read some examples of WILPF Sections’ work on national-level WPS initiatives. In some countries, WILPF members have been among the primary actors who advocated for, drafted, implemented and/or monitored and evaluated NAPs.
In addition to this monitoring work, we bring together WILPF members and partners to discuss their experiences working on NAPs and other WPS initiatives at the regional, national and local levels. Through research, knowledge exchange, resourcing and analysis, WILPF is contributing to policymaking that aims to address the root causes of violence.
We engage in conflict prevention efforts and advocate for peaceful resolutions to conflicts, with a focus on addressing gender-specific impacts and ensuring women’s voices are heard.
We work to promote gender equality and empower women in conflict-affected regions, ensuring their full, equal, meaningful, effective and safe participation in peace processes and decision-making.
We work to ensure that gender and human rights are incorporated across peace and security discussions and processes.
We advocate for the holistic implementation of the WPS Agenda, grounded in human rights, nonviolence and antimilitarist feminism.
Please feel free to contact us using the below details if you have questions or suggestions about our work.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) committed to holding “free, fair, credible, inclusive, transparent, peaceful” elections, with parity between men and women in national institutions. However, obstacles like election postponements and marginalization of women’s issues hinder democratic reform and human rights promotion.
Women’s political participation has worsened, with a 5% decrease in female voter registration. The electoral law raises concerns, limiting small parties and independent candidates and lacking support for gender parity. Women face obstacles when running independently or being forced into political parties without consent.
Civil society space is shrinking, and human rights defenders face risks, including violence and reprisals. Women human rights defenders and activists are disproportionately affected, leading to increased sexual and gender-based violence. Survivors receive inadequate assistance, and women’s groups are excluded from critical discussions.
Supporting women’s political participation and addressing risks to women human rights defenders are vital for a democratic transition and sustainable peace in the DRC.
We must challenge cultures of injustice and inequality by delivering justice for crimes against women in conflict and post-conflict settings. During the Bosnian conflict, thousands of women and girls suffered brutal sexual violence, yet many are still waiting for justice.
While there have been some advancements in recognizing sexual violence as a crime, challenges persist. More prosecutions and reparations are needed to end impunity and prioritize addressing sexual violence.
WILPF’s analysis emphasizes a two-track approach to post-conflict reconstruction: providing gender-sensitive reparations for civilians and ensuring strong social institutions and an economy for peace that guarantees women’s rights. Inadequate response in Bosnia has led to substantial challenges in addressing gender inequality and conflict. We must act to bring lasting change and justice for women affected by conflict.
Resolving the Libyan conflict presents numerous challenges, especially for women. The Government of National Accord (GNA) was appointed in 2015 to address the conflict, but it only led to increased competition for power and more violence. Gender-based violence, international military involvement, and gender stereotypes further complicate the situation, leaving
Despite these challenges, Libyan women are playing a crucial role in driving positive change. They are uniting with people of all ages and backgrounds to strengthen reconstruction efforts, even amidst personal risks. Civil society groups have insightful analyses of the ground reality and can develop practical strategies to overcome Libya’s obstacles. The international community’s support must empower the Libyan people, including women and youth, in peace-building efforts.
UNSC Resolution 2376 calls for a gender perspective in UNSMIL’s mandate and urges women’s participation in the democratic transition and reconciliation efforts. Integrating gender analysis and Women, Peace and Security provisions into the implementation of UNSMIL’s Action Plan is vital for sustainable and feminist peace in Libya. Fulfilling these commitments holds the potential to ensure women’s meaningful participation and foster a peaceful future in Libya.
Post-conflict peace-making demands inclusivity and the amplification of women’s voices and rights. Nepal sets a remarkable example of such opportunities in post-conflict settings. When formulating their National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security in 2011, Nepal demonstrated a strong commitment to involving civil society organizations (CSOs).
Following the Nepalese civil war (1996-2006) that claimed over 16,000 lives and displaced 150,000, women’s organizations played a pivotal role in shaping the NAP. They led Steering Committees, established Action Groups to strategize and unite civil society, and incorporated insights from 52 districts.
The development process of Nepal’s NAP was exceptionally consultative, encompassing 52 district-level consultations, 10 regional consultations, and separate special sessions with women and girls directly affected by the conflict. These gatherings engaged over 3,000 participants, generating more than 1,500 action points grouped under the NAP’s five pillars. These points addressed crucial aspects such as participation, access to justice, reparations, and women’s rights, which had previously been overlooked.
To ensure effective implementation and monitoring of this National Plan, continued engagement with women civil society remains paramount.
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Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.
Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.
Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.
In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region.
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WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.
Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.
Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.
WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.
In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.
In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.