ABSTRACT
Security Council Resolution (SCR) 1325 has had some notable successes, particularly in terms of procedural shifts within the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations as discussed in the previous chapter. But as the resolution’s eighth anniversary events, speeches, and meetings held in October 2008 demonstrated, Security Council member states continue to lack political will and a genuine internalized commitment toward its implementation and full realization on the ground.1 One does not have to go far to find instances where the rhetoric falls short of reality, where procedures have not produced desired outcomes. Given how recent cases, such as the US-led invasion in Iraq or the deficient UN peacekeeping option in Darfur, have challenged the SC’s legitimacy and authority, these inconsistencies and inadequacies in holding member states accountable to SCR 1325 are not surprising (Glennon 2003).
