The Role of Women in Global Security

The Role of Women in Global Security

Valerie Norville –

United States Institute of Peace www.usip.org

Building lasting peace and • security requires women’s participation. Half of the world’s population

cannot make a whole peace.

• Ten years after the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1325 on increasing

women’s participation in matters of global security, the numbers of women participating in

peace settlements remain marginal.

• While improvements have been made, women remain underrepresented in public office, at

the negotiating table, and in peacekeeping missions.

• The needs and perspectives of women are often overlooked in postconflict disarmament,

demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), as well as in security sector reform, rehabilitation

of justice, and the rule of law.

• Many conflicts have been marked by widespread sexual and gender-based violence, which

often continues in the aftermath of war and is typically accompanied by impunity for the

perpetrators.

• A continuing lack of physical security and the existence of significant legal constraints in

postconflict societies hamper women’s integration into economic life and leadership.

• Best practices for increasing women’s participation include deployment of gender-balanced

peacekeeping units, a whole-of-government approach to security sector and judicial reform,

and more intentional solicitation of the input of women at the community level on priorities

for national budgets and international programs.

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