Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding

His Excellency, Mr. Eivind S. Homme, Ambassador Royal Norwegian Embassy sharing Norway's contribution and perspectives on Peace Keeping. Photo: UN Women

United Nations Security Council resolution 1325, and the seven subsequent resolutions and other international commitments, promote women’s participation in peace processes as a key step towards ensuring gender-sensitive conflict resolution. These resolutions oblige Member States to take active steps to increase the participation of women in all decision making processes pertaining to prevention, management and resolution of conflict, at the national, regional and international level. During the formation of peace agreements and their implementation, States should ensure an inclusive process that engages with local women’s peace initiatives^[1].

The Global Study on the Implementation of Resolution 1325 presents evidence that women’s involvement in peace processes has had a positive impact on moving forward processes when talks have faltered or been stalled. Furthermore, it found that women’s involvement in peace processes increases the probability that a peace agreement reached will be sustainable. The study found that women’s involvement increases the probability of a peace agreement lasting at least two years by 20 per cent and the probability of it lasting fifteen years by 35 per cent. While there has been some improvement in the number of women participating in formal peace processes globally, only nine per cent of negotiators in the 31 major peace processes conducted between 1992 and 2011 were women.

UN Women’s Role

UN Women supports women’s participation in conflict resolution and peace processes through technical support and empowering local women peacebuilders and women’s groups as well as supporting the development and implementation of national action plans.

UN Women works to put women at the center of peacebuilding, and at the negotiation table. UN Women has worked together with governments and civil society to support the peace process in the Philippines, the inclusion and participation of women in peacebuilding in Myanmar, in conflict prevention in Afghanistan. UN Women sees women as agents of change and as the foundation of lasting peace, and supports nations and women at the local level to achieve sustainable peace.