ABSTRACT
As the last chapter demonstrated, women have been engaged in peacebuilding activities long before the “women, peace, and security” (WPS) network formally materialized and the Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (SCR 1325) (Anderlini 2000; Meintjes et al. 2002). Nonetheless, women’s roles in peacebuilding were officially mobilized and acknowledged at the global level with the passage of this resolution, generally speaking.1 Although gender issues had been discussed within various global forums prior to this time, particularly in the context of broader development and socio-economic concerns, it was not until
2000 that the UN recognized the need to address gender issues in conflict prevention, management, and reconstruction mechanisms. SCR 1325 reaffirms the “important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and peacebuilding and stress[es] the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security” (emphasis added). The resolution also maintains that “effective institutional arrangements to guarantee their protection and full participation in the peace process can significantly contribute to the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security.” Thus, in keeping within the parameters of the security framework, the resolution emphasizes the vital contribution women can make to peacebuilding and argues that their inclusion is an important dimension of making such processes successful and sustainable.2
