National Action Plans

Photo: UN Women/Pornvit Visitoran

National Action Plans (NAPs) provide a valuable tool for states to implement their commitments to the Women, Peace and Security agenda and for civil society to hold them accountable. NAPs are a practical document that detail the actions a government is taking to meet its obligations under the eight UN Security Council Women, Peace and Security resolutions, and other internationally agreed resolutions to ensure these commitments are translated into concrete policies and programmes.

NAPs provide an opportunity for national stakeholders to identify priorities, determine responsibilities, allocate resources, and initiate strategic actions within a defined time frame to deliver policies and programmes that respond to the needs and priorities of conflict-affected women.

As of August 2022, 100 countries have adopted NAPs including 11 in the Asia-Pacific region, with several currently in development.

The following countries in Asia and the Pacific have formulated NAPs:

Afghanistan (2015-2022 | Phase I: 2015-2018, Phase II: 2019-2022)
Australia (2012-2018) and 2nd NAP (2021-2031)
Bangladesh (2019-2022)
Indonesia (2014-2019)
Japan (2015-2018) and 2nd NAP (2019-2022)
Nepal (2011/12 – 2015/16)
New Zealand (2015-2019)
The Philippines (2010-2016) and 2nd NAP (2017-2022)
Republic of Korea (2014-2017), 2nd NAP (2018-2020) and 3rd NAP (2021-2023)
Solomon Islands (2017-2021)
Timor-Leste (2016-2021)

In addition, there is a Pacific Regional Action Plan (2012-2015), which has finalized its term. Furthermore, ASEAN is currently developing a Regional Plan of Action.

What is in a NAP? Sample provisions

The priorities and actions identified within the NAPs-WPS framework commonly integrate the four pillars of the WPS agenda. These four pillars encompass women’s participation at all levels of decision-making in the peace and security sphere, incorporation of a gender perspective into conflict prevention initiatives, protection of the rights of women and girls, and ensuring that gender considerations are integrated into relief and recovery efforts. Within these pillars, context specific provisions addressing the following areas:

Conflict Prevention
Peace Negotiations and Peace Agreements
Constitutional and Electoral Reform
Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) of Combatants
Humanitarian Response: Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
Peacekeeping Operations
Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence
Post-Conflict Rehabilitation, and Truth and Reconciliation
Security Sector Reform
Gender Balance: Women in Decision-Making

UN Women’s Role

UN Women applauds the efforts of those countries that have adopted NAPs-WPS and has provided technical and financial support in the formulation and/or implementation of NAPs across the Asia-Pacific region; including a recently organized the Asia-Pacific Regional Symposium on National Action Plans on Women, Peace, and Security.

Afghanistan (2015-2022)

UN Women together with the Government of Finland has provided financial and technical support to support the implementation of the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA) on UNSC 1325 working alongside the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. UN Women continues to collaborate with government agencies and Afghan civil society to successfully implement NAP on WPS.

Nepal (2011-2016)

UN Women provided technical support in drafting the NAP, and supported the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction to increase awareness about the UN Security Council resolutions, improve the capacity of government personnel, train women leaders and advocate for women's participation after the armed conflict ended. The National Action Plan was developed through a collaborative process with UN Women, the government, political parties, civil society organizations and international development partners.

Timor-Leste

Under the leadership of the Ministry of Interior and with the pivotal UN Women support, Timor-Leste recently approved a National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. With the support of the Japanese Government, UN Women Timor-Leste launched a new four-year project that supports the implementation of the NAP on UNSC Resolution 1325, and will specifically contribute to its monitoring.