New york: The UN Women has called on countries to take stronger measures to ensure women’s active participation in peace negotiations and conflict resolution efforts around the world. Harriette Williams Bright, the WPS-HA Compact Lead at UN Women, emphasized the persistent underrepresentation of women in high-level peace processes despite longstanding global commitments to equality.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Bright highlighted that there is a significant challenge in achieving gender parity in peace negotiations. She pointed out that in 2024, women accounted for only seven percent of negotiators and twenty percent of signatories, indicating the need for substantial progress. In her video message, Bright reiterated that this call aligns with the core principle of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, which advocates for equal participation of women and men in peace and security matters as stipulated in the UN Charter.
The resolution, she explained, is fundamentally about equal rights for both genders, and women’s comprehensive involvement is essential for creating inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable societies. Since the adoption of Resolution 1325, it has been implemented through 115 national action plans and numerous local initiatives designed to strengthen women’s roles in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Bright further emphasized that the women, peace, and security agenda extends beyond policy frameworks, having tangible real-life impacts. “It’s about having a safe place to live. It’s about being at the table to shape what is going to happen in your community. It’s about economic security,” Bright stated. She argued that investing in women peace builders equates to investing in long-term peace.
She also highlighted the success of gender parity initiatives in peace support operations, noting that women’s inclusion fosters community engagement and cultural sensitivity in mission areas. Bright concluded by asserting that when women are meaningfully, fully, and safely involved in peace processes, the outcomes tend to be more durable, as Women’s Peace and Security (WPS) principles are actively applied.