ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the historical journey of UN Women from its foundation to its current incarnation. It examines the changing landscape of the women's movement within the UN system and how some pivotal moments and key players worked towards the evolution of the organization to its current form. Highlighting some of the challenges, including the discriminatory laws and barriers which continue to impede women's economic empowerment and often hit the poorest and most marginalized the hardest, the chapter seeks to craft a narrative of the obstacles which confront the full implementation of UN Women's work toward realizing their fundamental and immoveable goal of gender equality for all. It also explores the vital role women play at the peace table, the importance of Security Council Resolution 1325 in advancing the women, peace, and security agenda, and the need to ensure women's inclusion in peacekeeping missions and peace building efforts.
