Women, Peace and Security: Resolution 1325

Abstract

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 is an eighteen-point resolution that develops an agenda for women, peace and security. It calls for the prosecution of crimes against women, increased protection of women and girls during war, the appointment of more women to UN peacekeeping operations and field missions and an increase in women’s participation in decision-making processes at the regional, national and international level. Further, 1325 outlines actions to be taken by the Secretary General, the Security Council, UN departments and member states to ‘mainstream gender’ into peace and security policies and practices. NGOs initially drafted a version of the resolution as part of their advocacy efforts, working in close collaboration with a number of UN agencies and Missions to formulate clear, concrete recommendations that were also open to cultural differences and operational flexibility. The resolution was unanimously adopted by the Security Council on 31 October 2000.

SC 1325 is highly significant because it is the first time the Security Council has devoted an entire session to debating women’s experiences in conflict and post-conflict situations. As noted by Angela King, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Gender and the Advancement of Women, ‘It has taken the United Nations fifty-five years to have a full debate in the Security Council on ‘‘Women, Peace and Security’’’. Its passage is also a formidable testimony to the efforts and skills of the NGOs responsible for its existence. Indeed, it is the only Security Council resolution that has an anniversary celebrated by a growing constituency of practitioners and advocates.

Keywords: women, peace, security