2020 is an important year of anniversaries for setting in place bold agendas for women’s rights and gender equality – 25 years since the Fourth World Conference in Beijing (1995) and 20 years since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on women, peace and security (WPS) in 2000. The WPS agenda is anchored in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action with strategic actions outlined under “Women and armed conflict” and with specific reference to women in crisis situations and young women.

 

Women’s civil society organisations, activists and human rights defenders played a critical role in building the Beijing Platform for Action and in continuing work to realise change for women’s rights. Civil society, particularly women’s groups – including the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) – advocated for the creation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000 and continue to play a significant role in implementing the holistic aims of the WPS Agenda.

 

What do we learn when we look back to women’s civil society actions in 1995 and 2000, that moves us to look forward to implementation of the WPS agenda in 2020 and the future?

 

Speaker: Felicity Ruby. Moderator: Dr Ludmilla Kwitko

Session aired: 29 September 2020.