UNSCR 1325

UN Security Council Resolution 1325
 on Women, Peace and Security

UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325), adopted on October 31st 2000, is a landmark resolution because it is the first time that the Security Council focused its attention on women as agents in their own right in situations of conflict and transition from conflict. Traditionally, the UN Security Council only dealt with women peripherally, as ‘victims’ or as a ‘vulnerable group’. The resolution is significant not only for recognising the disproportionate and gender-specific impact of conflict on women (e.g. through wartime sexual violence) but also for highlighting the undervalued role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction. Specifically, it calls for the ‘increased representation of women at all decision-making levels…in the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict’ and requires all participants in the negotiation and implementation of peace agreements to ‘adopt a gender perspective’.

• To read UNSCR 1325, click here.

Since the adoption of UNSCR 1325, the Security Council has adopted three further resolutions that further enhance efforts to safeguard women’s human rights in conflict affected situations. UN SCR 1820 and 1888 establish a strong link between sexual violence and sustainable peace and security. SCR 1889 pays particular attention to women’s exclusion from peacebuilding planning and the consequent lack of prioritization or adequate funding for responding to women’s needs, including their safety and access to services. SCR 1889 also commits the Security Council to developing an agreed set of global indicators to track and monitor the implementation of SCR 1325.

• To view the UN Peacekeeping website, click here.
   
• To read a 10-year impact study on UNSCR, click here.
  

Ireland and UNSCR 1325

Ireland has taken a leadership role in the international arena to date to promote the resolution and has co-sponsored Security Council Resolutions 1820, 1888 and 1889 and is a member of the ‘Group of Friends of UNSCR 1325’ in New York. The Irish government has undertaken to produce a National Action Plan for the implementation of UN SCR 1325. This represents an opportunity to produce an exemplary and path breaking National Action Plan that could make a real difference to women’s lives and the positive transformation of conflict-affected societies, while also strengthening Ireland’s reputation as a global advocate of UNSCR 1325.

In 2010, 1325-Ireland, a group of leading women’s human rights, development, and humanitarian organisations, including Banúlacht, Trócaire, Amnesty International, Akidwa and the NWCI, launched a best practice guide entitled UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security: Towards an Effective and Inclusive Irish National Action Plan. The main purpose of the Guide is to signpost the eight essential steps to achieving an effective and inclusive National Action Plan.

The guide is endorsed by: Action Aid, Akidwa, Amnesty International Irish Section, Banúlacht, Centre for International Studies (DCU), Childfund Ireland, Christian Aid, Concern, Global Women’s Studies Programme (NUI Galway), National Women’s Council of Ireland, Plan Ireland, Trócaire, World Vision Ireland.

• Click here to download the guide.

National Action Plans

The PeaceWomen Project of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) promotes the role of women in preventing conflict, and the equal and full participation of women in all efforts to create and maintain international peace and security. Peacewomen has prepared an overview of implementation of UNSCR 1325 at national level.

To date, 25 countries have approved national action plans (NAPs) and numerous others are currently in the drafting phase. The whole process of developing a plan is also one of awareness raising and capacity-building in order to overcome gaps and challenges to the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

The Austrian National Action Plan on Implementing UNSCR 1325 was released on 8 August 2007.

The Belgian National Action Plan on the implementation of UNSCR 1325 was launched on 8 May 2009.

The Bosnian-Herzegovinian National Action Plan for the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 was launched in July 2010.

The Canadian Action Plan for the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security was launched in October 2010.

The Chilian National Action Plan for the Implementation of the UNSCR 1325 was launched on 3 August 2009.

The Cote D'Ivoire National Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 was launched in January 2007.

Denmark Action Plan for the  implementation of UNSCR 1325 was adopted in June 2005, and revised in 2008.

The DRC National Action Plan for the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 was launched in June 2010.

The Dutch National Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 was released in December 2007.

The Estonian Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 was released in November 2010.

Finland launched its National Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 on 19 September 2008.

France National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 Women,Peace & Security was launched in November 2010.

The Icelandic government launched its National Plan of Action for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 on 8 March 2008.

The Liberia National Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 was launched on 8 March 2009.

The Nepalese National Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR was launched in October 2010.

The Norwegian Government Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR was released in March 2006.

The Philippine National Action Plan for the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 & 1820 was launched in March 2010.

The Portuguese National Action Plan for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 was released in August 2009.

The Rwandan National Action Plan for the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 was launched in May 2010.

The Sierra Leone National Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 was launched in March 2010.

The Spanish National Action Plan for the Implementation of the UNSCR 1325 was released in November 2007.

The Swedish National Action Plan to implement UNSCR 1325 was adopted in October 2006, and revised in 2009.

The Swiss National Action Plan for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 was launched in February 2007, and revised in October 2010.

The Uganda Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 & 1820 and the Goma Declaration was released in December 2008.

The United Kingdom National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 Women,Peace & Security was launched in November 2010.