Women Are Peacebuilders
On October 31, 2000, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed SCR Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. This historic resolution called on countries that are members of the UN to acknowledge the distinct impact of armed conflict on women and to recognize women’s vital role in conflict resolution, peacekeeping and peace-building. Women have a unique perspective and specific set of concerns during conflict—as disarmament processes begin and reconciliation unfolds. The resolution galvanized the international community, UN agencies, member states and nongovernmental organizations alike to pay increased attention to women’s and girls’ needs during conflict and postconflict periods, as well as to their contributions in stabilizing communities and fostering reconciliation.
Since 2000, 32 countries have created National Action Plans detailing their strategies for implementing SCR 1325. The United States is expected to release its plan before the end of 2011. As a member of the U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, the Women's Refugee Commission contributed to an expert statement on why a U.S. plan is so important and how it could be most effective.
Momentously, in October 2011, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to three women peace activists—President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, peace activist Leymah Gbowee, also of Liberia, and pro-democracy campaigner Tawakul Karman of Yemen. The Nobel Committee’s announcement directly linked the work of these activists to SCR 1325 .
In addition to this specific work on the women, peace and security agenda, in 2009, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile, to head UN Women, the UN's new entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women. By bringing together and expanding on the work of four distinct UN agencies that supported women’s development, the UN signalled its intention to more seriously pursue equal rights and protection for women, as well as to support their empowerment.
