An overview of the women, peace and security agenda: historical perspectives and current debates

The Chapter “An Overview of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda: Historical Perspectives and Current Debates” aims at introducing the major goals and implementation process behind the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda established by the United Nations. Through an analysis of the legal framework adopted since the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, our research outlines multiple strategies – both at the global, national, and local levels – that have been designed to guarantee women’s full involvement in peace processes and eradicate violence against women and girls in conflict and post-conflict contexts. This chapter further outlines the state of the Women, Peace and Security agenda twenty years after its implementation, including the limits encountered in the process of implementation. Despite the existing framework aligned with the protection and promotion of women’s rights, our analysis identifies major challenges to the effective implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the full integration of women and grassroots actors in peace processes. Women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by diverse forms of violence in armed conflicts, often justified by the predominance of discriminatory ideologies and socio-cultural norms. Moreover, it appears essential to acknowledge the plurality of roles that women play in conflict and post-conflict processes, both as survivors, perpetrators and peacebuilders, highlighting the need to fully include them at the peace table. Overall, we argue that the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda is hindered by the weak political will of leaders to put in practice the normative framework through adequate financing as well as the lack of support given to civil society groups working towards women, peace and security issues. In order to overcome the current challenges hampering the full realisation of the agenda, this Chapter envisions possible approaches that would guarantee women’s active engagement in building inclusive peace while contributing towards the implementation of the United Nations ‘Sustainable Development Goals’, specifically SDG 5 ‘Gender Equality’; SDG 10 ‘Reduced Inequalities’; SDG 16 ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions’, and SDG 17 ‘Partnerships for the Goals’.