UN Women in India has adopted a multi-pronged approach to advance the goal of gender equality through interventions that support the formulation of gender policies and norms at par with global standards. Our Inter-governmental Processes (IGP) programme works with the Government of India in supporting an enabling environment necessary for the fulfillment of India’s international commitments to advance the goal of gender equality. Through the Generation Equality Forum (GEF) initiative, we provide a platform for dialogue and action on gender-based issues. Our support of global peacekeeping efforts has ensured that women play a decisive leadership role in UN humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts. UN Women has an important role in working across the UN in India, supporting and coordinating the UN system’s work in support of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda has long been recognised as essential to achieving sustainable peace and prosperity in the ASEAN region. ASEAN member states remain committed to gender equality and the full protection of women’s rights. They also remain steadfast in their aim to maintain regional peace, address shared security concerns and advance development and prosperity for all citizens. Member states consider the development of this Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security (RPA WPS) as a critical step to making progress on these commitments. The RPA WPS aims to mobilise the whole of ASEAN to advance implementation of the WPS agenda to promote sustainable peace and security for all citizens.

This facilitator’s handbook is designed for women peace activists and women leaders. Its purpose is to empower women leaders and women peace activists by giving them the necessary tools that will not only promote and increase their effective participation in the peace processes but equip them with the information and techniques to train other women peace activists.

This report on the proceedings of the global conference “Gender-inclusive peace processes: Strengthening women’s meaningful participation through constituency building” explores current challenges, best practices, and recommendations on how best to leverage the practice of constituency building to further gender-inclusive peace.

This paper outlines key issues of relevance to women’s political participation at the sub-national level in Nepal and Bangladesh and refers to important contributions that document these aspects of women’s political participation.

East and Southeast Asia Programme Country Briefs: China