Policy Briefing: The women, peace and security agenda – Implementation matters

Policy Briefing on the Third National Action Plan of the German government

20 years ago, after continuous pressure by international civil society, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted ground-breaking Resolution 1325, “Women, Peace and Security”. Nine follow-up resolutions expanded the pillars of the Women Peace and Security Agenda: participation of women in peacebuilding, protection of women and girls in armed conflict, prevention of armed conflicts as well as gender-equitable help, reconstruction, and reintegration.

The German government is currently implementing Resolution 1325 in the context of the Second National Action Plan. The Women, Peace and Security Agenda is also a focal point of its current non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council. The German government has made some significant progress especially during the current legislative term under the leadership of Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas. And yet, Germany still has fundamental issues with its national and international implementation. The political will to implement the Agenda as consistently as, for example, demonstrated by Sweden’s feminist foreign policy, is still lacking.

German civil society has compiled this policy paper as a contribution to the development of the Third National Action Plan. Based on the four pillars of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, it illustrates the obligations of the German government and the current state of implementation. Furthermore, it contains recommendations for action.

Signed by:

Amica e.V., Care Deutschland e.V., Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy, Deutscher Frauenrat e.V., Deutscher Frauenring e.V., Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung, Frauennetzwerk für Frieden e.V., Gunda-Werner-Institut, Internationale Frauenliga für Frieden und Freiheit, International Rescue Committee, medica mondiale e.V., OWEN e.V., The Canaan Project, UN Women, Nationales Komitee Deutschland e.V.