UNSC Resolution 1325

Why in News?

Recently, at the United Nations headquarters in New York on October 6, 2025, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous urged member states to turn the 25th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security into a turning point rather than a commemoration.

What is UNSC resolution 1325?

• Adopted on – The Security Council adopted the resolution 1325 on women and peace and security on 31 October 2000.
• Purpose – The resolution reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction.
• Participation and gender perspective – It stresses the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.
• It urges all actors to increase the participation of women and incorporate gender perspectives in all United Nations peace and security efforts.
• Ending gender based violence – It also calls on all parties to conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict.
• Functional mandates – The resolution provides a number of important operational mandates, with implications for Member States and the entities of the United Nations system.
• 25th Anniversary – The year 2025 marks the 25^th anniversary of the adoption of the reolution.
• It is a ground-breaking resolution that was spearheaded by women leaders and organizations.

What were the common issues faced by women?

• Marginalization – Women remain predominantly in the periphery of formal peace processes, even in instances where they have been signatories to peace agreements, such as in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
• Undermining gender equality – The world was witnessing rising military spending and renewed pushback against gender equality and multilateralism, undermining the foundations of peace and security.
• Today, 676 million women and girls live within reach of deadly conflict, the highest number since the 1990s.
• Weak progress –The progress has been uneven, marked by “bold commitments followed too often by weak implementation and chronic under-investment.
• Referring to ongoing wars and crises, she cited the plight of women in Gaza, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Haiti.
• Numerous challenges – There is a stark global trends that are worsening conditions for women and girls
  • Shrinking education opportunities
  • Collapsing health systems
  • Reduced humanitarian funding.
• For instance, Short-sighted funding cuts, are already depriving Afghan girls of schooling and limiting life-saving care for survivors of sexual violence in Sudan, Mali, Somalia, Haiti and elsewhere.

What are the impressive role played by women?

• Peacebuilding – Despite deepening crises, women continue to lead peacebuilding efforts around the world and at regional, national and community level.
• Under women’s leadership local conflicts in Abyei and the Central African Republic are being mediated.
• Leadership – Significant political leadership had taken place in in Haiti, Chad and Syria and gender-responsive budgeting is taking place in Ukraine.
• Conflict resolution – Women leaders across diverse networks and organizations continue to lead conflict resolution.
•  Political participation – They conduct political advocacy to realize their full participation in peace and political processes.

What are the things need to be done?

• Investment – There is a need for “significant investment” in women-led organisations on the frontlines of conflict.
• Cultural changes – The normalisation of misogyny which is currently poisoning our politics and fuelling conflict must be ended.
• Addressing various challenges – In the coming years, the women, and peace and security agenda must expand to address emerging threats.
• These threats include online gender-based violence, and must have a clear accountability measures for states and institutions that fail to act.
• A welcoming move – Bahous welcomed what she described as “positive responses” to United States President Donald Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
• She called for a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis alike, where all women and girls live with dignity, security and opportunity.
• 5 calls to action – Bahous highlighted the calls to action
  • Ensure affirmative action for women’s participation in peace processes and leadership roles.
  • Measure progress by women’s direct involvement in peace and security decisions and their access to justice and reparations.
  • End all forms of violence against women and girls, including technology-facilitated abuse.
  • End impunity for crimes against women and uphold international law.
  • Embed the women, peace and security agenda among young people to sustain it for the future.

What lies ahead?

• Resolution 1325 was a landmark promise but remains only partially fulfilled.
• When women lead, peace follows and it is high tme to deliver the promise which was made 25 years ago.

Reference

1. Down to Earth| Women Leads Peace Follows
2. United Nations.org| UNSC 1325