Nearly 20 years after Resolution 1325 was adopted, today the UN passed a resolution calling for the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The agenda, referring to Resolution 1325, was first adopted in October of 2000 and addressed the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women, and acknowledges the role of women in conflict prevention and peacekeeping. The resolution was key in emphasizing the importance of women’s equal and full participation in peace and security.
The latest resolution stresses the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda and calls for action from the council, one year ahead of its 20th anniversary next year.
Resolution 1325 was unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council, which requires the Security Council, member states, UN entities, the Secretary-General, and parties to the conflict for the implementation of the resolution. Unfortunately, the resolution has not been implemented yet by parties to the conflict.
Resolution 1325, as well as its following resolutions, have been the result of decades of activism from feminists, civil society and advocacy organizations to urge the international organizations and member states to recognize the impact of conflict on women, as well as the important role that women play in achieving sustainable and lasting peace.
The United States passed its Women Peace and Security Act in 2017, followed by a strategy to implement the Act. The Act, similarly to resolution 1325, requires the full and meaningful participation of women in all aspects of conflict resolution and peacemaking. As the U.S. engages in negotiations with the Taliban, it is critical to emphasize on the law that women must participate meaningfully in creating a lasting peace in Afghanistan.
