Taking stock of women, peace and security policy ownership

This new DIIS report takes stock of the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda in Ethiopia, Kenya and Mali.

Examining whether the adoption and implementation of national action plans (NAPs) foster ownership of the global agenda, this report shows that WPS is embraced by a tight circle of actors. Additionally, the NAP implementation is challenged by unsustainable funding, lack of comprehensive data and monitoring and questionable political commitment. Regardless, the drafting and adoption of WPS NAPs link grassroots efforts to official government policy and thereby legitimise the work of different stakeholders. NAPs are used to monitor governments' engagement with the agenda, to mobilise funds and to debate gendered aspects of new and old security challenges - all of which advance the WPS agenda.

The study proposes that the relevance and ownership of national WPS policies could be enhanced through improved reporting tools for accountability, broad inclusion of civil society and engagement with both traditional and innovative local peacebuilding initiatives.

Cover illustration: Rasmus Fly Filbert.

Topics

Women, peace and security beyond resolutions

Experiences of implementing the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda in African countries indicate a need to focus on engaging civil society and grassroots actors as well as developing adequate reporting systems. Denmark’s candidacy for the non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2025-26 would benefit from a strong position on the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda both nationally and locally by all UN member states.

Experiences of women, peace and security in diverse African contexts

Online Zoom meeting

In this webinar, national and regional practitioners of the women, peace and security agenda exchange their experiences in advancing women’s role in peace governance and challenges for policy implementation in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali and beyond

Cover for Review of International Studies

Journal Article

2023

Pan-African gender governance: The politics of aspiration at the African Union

This article focuses on African Union "femocrats" as the key actors for AU’s aspirational gender agenda and argues for their importance as political brokers between AU member states, donors, UN agencies, and civil society organisations.

Cover for policy brief on gender and peace keeping Brazil

DIIS Policy Brief

2021

The UN should not accept member states’ using the women, peace and security agenda as gender-washing

Brazil endorses the Women, Peace and Security agenda for its 2022-23 term as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, which serves its international image well, while it fails to promote the agenda and women’s rights at home. The UN should not tolerate gender-washing but instead should require member states not only to adopt but also to implement National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security.

Cover for policy brief on gender and peace keeping

DIIS Policy Brief

2021

Inclusion is Not Enough to Achieve Gender and Racial Equality in Global Peace and Security

The last twenty years have brought about a significant increase in the awareness of war practices that harm women, including rape and sexual abuse. However, focusing on women alone is not sufficient if gendered and racialised power hierarchies in the civilian and military worlds are to be understood. Experiences from international peacekeeping since 2000 foreground the need for an intersectional lens to examine how systems of power, including gender, race, North-South axes, age, class and religion, co-exist and interact with each other.