Background
Nearly 15 years ago, the groundbreaking UN Security Council Resolution
(UNSCR) 1325, the first women, peace and security (WPS) resolution,
called on all member states and the United Nations (UN) system to ensure
women’s full participation in all conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and
post-conflict reconstruction processes and to protect the rights of women
in the context of armed conflict. UNSCR 1325 was the direct result of a
strategic global advocacy campaign involving women peacebuilders in
conflict zones worldwide.
Since UNSCR 1325 was adopted, there have been remarkable achievements;
however, there remains a big deficit in implementation at the national
and local levels, particularly in communities directly affected by
violent conflicts. The UN Security Council has stressed that women’s
perspectives will continue to be underrepresented in conflict prevention,
resolution, protection and peacebuilding without a significant shift in
how the resolution is implemented. As we approach the 15th anniversary of
UNSCR 1325, we face an important opportunity to review how the context of
peace and security and international response to conflict has changed
since 1325 was adopted, and what new issues need to be taken into
consideration to increase the impact of UNSCR 1325 and subsequent
resolutions on women, peace and security within the UN system moving
forward.
In preparation for the 15th anniversary of UNSCR 1325, in 2015, the UN
Security Council will convene a High-level Review to evaluate
progress at the global, regional and national levels in implementing
UNSCR 1325. In preparation for this review, the UN Secretary General (SG)
is commissioning a Global Study, which will highlight “good
practice examples, gaps and challenges, as well as emerging trends and
priorities for action on UNSCR 1325 implementation.” Results from
the study will be included in the SG’s annual report to the Security
Council on Women and Peace and Security in 2015.
The promise of UNSCR 1325 cannot be realized without the full
participation of civil society activists. In the post-2015 period, it is
essential that the UN system (all relevant agencies), bilateral donors,
and governments recognize the expertise and commitment that CSOs bring to
this agenda and engage them as equal partners.
In this light, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), in
partnership with the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (NGO WG on WPS)
and Cordaid is conducting this survey among CSOs from around the
world to solicit their views on the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in the
past, and recommendations for the future.
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