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20th Anniversary of UNSCR 1325

2020 marks the 20th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution (SCR) 1325, the pioneering resolution which for the first time recognized that women and gender issues are central to the peace and security agenda. SCR 1325 was the first of now ten resolutions on the Security Council's Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.

Secretary-General António Guterres has affirmed that the WPS agenda is "a top priority" for the UN system. DPPA has been at the forefront of efforts to increase the participation of women in conflict prevention and peacemaking.

At the 20th Anniversary of UNSCR 1325, DPPA aims to use this milestone to increase WPS ambition and delivery. Our main priority is to open the doors to women’s meaningful participation in all our peacemaking work.

Recognizing that success is measured by impact on the ground, DPPA is supporting multi-track efforts that increase the involvement of women everywhere, integrate gender equality, and shape strategies based on the priorities of women’s rights constituencies.

DPPA is working with Special Envoys and Special Representatives of the Secretary-General to design and support strategies for inclusive peace processes. In line with paragraph 120 (h) of the 2019 Report of the Secretary-General on Women, Peace and Security, and with paragraph 9 of Security Council resolution 2493 (2019), the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs has begun organizing high-level strategy meetings to develop context-specific approaches for women’s participation in all UN-supported processes. Following an initial such exercise on Yemen, preparations are under way in a number of other contexts including with the UN Representative to the Geneva International Discussions (UNRGID).

From Colombia to Syria, the Department is exploring new pathways for participation through digital inclusion strategies and virtual consultations and engagement. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, DPPA is working to ensure that meaningful participation remains a central priority while remaining flexible and responsive to changing contexts. DPPA also continues to provide core support for inclusive peacemaking through technical support, political leadership, and outreach, including through publications and events.

As we prepare for the next decade of peacemaking, DPPA is committed to inclusive peacemaking that puts the meaningful participation of women at the center of all peacemaking, peacebuilding and conflict prevention efforts.