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Strengthening peace processes, implementing women’s rights: Study into Germany’s commitment to women, peace and security
How do partners perceive Germany’s commitment? That is the subject of a study conducted by Gender Associations, © Federal Foreign Office
As far as Germany is concerned, its commitment to the UN’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda is a central priority. But how do our international partners perceive Germany’s commitment? Gender Associations surveyed partners in Colombia, Mali, Afghanistan and Ukraine to find out.
20 years of UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Study into Germany’s commitment
Implementing the United Nations Security Council’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, initiated with Resolution 1325, is a key priority for Germany. Late October sees the 20th anniversary of Resolution 1325. The Federal Foreign Office has taken this opportunity to reflect on Germany’s commitment in this area.
It therefore commissioned a study from the Gender Associations consultancy, which asked around 100 representatives of regional and international organisations, civil society, the research community and governments of partner countries how they regard Germany’s commitment to women, peace and security. The principal focus was on four countries: Afghanistan, Colombia, Mali and Ukraine.
Significant increase in commitment in the field of women, peace and security
Those surveyed regarded Germany as a relative newcomer on the WPS stage and greatly valued the strong increase in commitment seen since 2018. Initiatives like support for the African Women Leaders Network or the launch of the German-Latin American Women’s Network UNIDAS, but also Germany’s activities as a non‑permanent member of the UN Security Council, have been recognised internationally. Particularly now, in the context of the global pushback against women’s rights, not least in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, it was felt that Germany should take a more active role in advocating and coordinating WPS efforts.
Recommendations to feed into Action Plan
The study’s recommendations will feed into the third Federal Government Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which is to be published in March next year. The aim is to anchor WPS even more firmly into Germany’s peace and security policy work and thus to strengthen peace and security processes.
Lasting peace more likely if women are involved
Peace processes are supposed to lead to lasting peace. They are also supposed to enable a restructuring of society that eliminates the causes of conflicts and makes it possible for people in conflict regions to live in peace, dignity and prosperity. If women from civil society are involved in peace processes, the agreements reached are more apt to take account of the needs of the whole population and contain more provisions from which women and men benefit equally. If women sit at the negotiating table, in other words, lasting peace is more likely.