Women, Peace and Security

  • In January, the Security Council will hold an open debate entitled “Protecting Participation: Addressing Violence Targeting Women in Peace and Security Processes”. One of the signature events of Norway’s presidency, the meeting will be convened at ministerial level and chaired by the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anniken Huitfeldt. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and one or more civil society representatives are expected to brief. No outcome is expected.

  • The women, peace and security (WPS) agenda was inaugurated in 2000 with the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325. Trepidation marked the agenda’s 20th anniversary last year, with difficult Council dynamics characterising engagement on this issue in 2019-2020. Against this backdrop, the “presidency trio” initiative on WPS led by Ireland, Kenya and Mexico during their consecutive presidencies (September, October and November) may be understood as an initial attempt to find a way forward for the agenda at the Council.

  • On Monday (15 November), Security Council members will hold an Arria-formula meeting via videoconference (VTC) on “Closing the Protection Gap for Widows in Conflict and Post-Conflict Settings”. The meeting is being organised by Niger, the AU and the EU as...

  • Tomorrow (10 November), the Security Council will convene for its annual briefing with the heads of police components of UN peace operations. The expected briefers are Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) Police...

  • November 2021

    UN Peacekeeping

    Monthly Forecast

    In November, the Security Council will hold its annual briefing with the heads of police components of UN peace operations. The Mexican presidency intends to focus this annual briefing on women, peace and security (WPS) issues as part of the WPS presidency trio of Ireland, Kenya and Mexico in September, October and November, respectively. Under Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) Police Commissioner Violet Lusala, and UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) Police Commissioner Patricia Boughani are expected to brief.

  • 20 October 2021

    Women, Peace and Security: Annual Open Debate

    What's in Blue

    Tomorrow morning (21 October), the Security Council will hold its annual open debate on women, peace and security. The meeting will be held at ministerial level and will be chaired by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo. Secretary-General...

  • October 2021

    Women, Peace and Security

    Monthly Forecast

    In October, the Security Council is scheduled to hold its annual open debate on women, peace and security. 

  • This afternoon (28 September), the Security Council will convene for a briefing on Somalia which will focus on women, peace and security. Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed will brief on her 12 September visit to Somalia to promote increased women’s...

  • Tomorrow (28 July), Security Council members will hold a virtual Arria-formula meeting on “preventing terrorism and violent extremism through tackling gender stereotypes, masculinities, and structural gender inequality”. The meeting is being organised by Mexico in cooperation with Estonia, Norway, the...

  • Tomorrow afternoon (2 June), Security Council members will hold an Arria-formula meeting on “strengthening an integrated approach to peace and security in the Sahel through a gendered lens”. The Group of Friends of Women of the Sahel will be launched...

  • Tomorrow morning (14 April), the Security Council will hold its annual open debate on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in an open videoconference (VTC) format. The expected briefers are the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten; Nobel Peace...

  • April 2021

    Women, Peace and Security

    Monthly Forecast

    In April, the Security Council is scheduled to hold its annual open debate on conflict-related sexual violence. The Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, is expected to brief. Representatives of civil society are also likely to participate. No formal outcome is anticipated.

  • On Monday afternoon (8 March), International Women’s Day, Council members will convene virtually for an Arria-formula meeting entitled: “Call to Lead by Example: Ensuring the Full, Equal and Meaningful Participation of Women in UN-led Peace Processes”. The meeting is co-hosted...

  • This afternoon (30 October), the Security Council president (Russia) is expected to announce the result of the voting on a draft resolution on women, peace and security, initiated by Russia. The negotiations appear to have been difficult and it is...

  • 28 October 2020

    Women, Peace and Security: Annual Open Debate

    What's in Blue

    Tomorrow morning (29 October), Security Council members will hold the annual open debate on women, peace and security via videoconference. The title of this year’s debate is “Women and Peace and Security: Twentieth Anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000)...