The UN Secretary-General's 2019 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) report underscores the fact that UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) places women’s participation at the centre of work for peace. Additionally, there are clear commitments by the United Nations and Member States to promote women’s rights and gender equality in conflict resolution. As stated by the Secretary-General, strengthening efforts to realize these decisions are part of moving toward 'impactful action rather than empty rhetoric’'(S/2019/800, 1). But how can we better assess whether commitments on women's rights and inclusion result in impactful actions?
Building on in-depth research and data collected by the Kroc Institute's Peace Accords Matrix Barometer Initiative in Colombia, this research brief argues that to achieve meaningful peacebuilding and actual long-term changes in gender equality, women's participation and explicit commitments to women's rights need to be sustained throughout the entire peace process. We need to continue efforts to expand the scope of the WPS agenda beyond the peace negotiation phase to include the peace accord implementation phase. We also need to become even more targeted in our actions to realize the desired objectives.
