On 31 October 2000, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325), a landmark decision for the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. The resolution put women at the forefront of peacemaking efforts, reaffirming the importance of women’s contribution to all aspects of the resolution of armed conflicts – from protection against sexual violence to increased participation in peace processes. In the 20 years that followed, women have continued to push for more inclusive approaches and fought for their right to be at the table. Nevertheless, a lot remains to be done.


This short piece of reflection points to some of the lessons learned over the last two decades and proposes areas in which the WPS agenda still needs to be updated, focusing principally on questions concerning the representation of women in peace processes, post-conflict development and international security.