Women, peace and security

We work to ensure women’s priorities are central to peace and security decisions at all levels. To achieve this goal, we address social, cultural and political barriers and protection risks that limit women’s full participation in achieving and sustaining peace.

Women around the world play a critical role in preventing conflict, building peace and helping countries recover during crises, often putting their own lives at risk. Despite this, women largely remain at the periphery of formal peace processes and decision-making.

Our priority is to change the status quo by putting women’s priorities and rights at the heart of peace and political processes and to achieve gender equality in peacekeeping operations. We work with partners, including civil society and communities, to address social, cultural and political barriers and protection risks that limit the full participation of women.

The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) is at the forefront of advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. We are mandated by the UN Security Council to implement WPS Resolutions, which recognize the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women and girls and acknowledge the contributions they make to conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Further, the Security Council highlights the importance of the equal and full participation of women as active agents in peace and security and addresses the impact of sexual violence in conflicts.

Our work is guided by the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping Initiative (2018), and his Call to Action “Women Transforming Peace and Security” (2020), which reaffirm that women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes, political solutions and peace operations, as well as gender-responsive efforts, are essential for effective peacekeeping.

In Action for Peacekeeping’s implementation strategy, the A4P+ plan (2021-2023), WPS cuts across all priority areas as a catalyst for progress and mandate implementation. DPO has committed to transformative actions in the Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact and our work is further guided by policies emphasizing gender-responsive peacekeeping.

Our approach

All multidimensional UN peacekeeping missions have Gender Advisers who ensure that a gender perspective is integrated across all operations.

They work to make sure that the voices, needs and priorities of women and girls are fully included to promote political participation, increase protection from sexual and gender-based violence, and support women peacekeepers. Gender Advisers and focal points across Missions provide strategic advice and technical guidance s, assist in monitoring progress to strengthen accountability and performance on WPS, ensure gender-responsive conflict analysis and data, and build partnerships with women’s civil society organizations.

Stories from the field

Read some examples of how peacekeepers are working to empower women and implement Security Council Resolution 1325.

Major Ahlem Douzi of Tunisia wins United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers

Women Police reflect on their deployment to UN peacekeeping operations

Colonel Léa Yangongo: Inspiring women to join and thrive in the military in the Central African Republic

Call for action to strengthen women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding issued at 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial

African women on the frontline of peacekeeping

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