UN Secretary-General urges action on women, peace, and security

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on member states to move from promises to concrete actions regarding the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. Speaking before the Security Council, Guterres highlighted a persistent gap between international commitments and reality, twenty-six years after the adoption of Resolution 1325.

Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, reported that fewer than 20% of peace agreements concluded in 2025 included mentions of women, girls, gender issues, or sexual violence. Furthermore, none of the thirteen ceasefires reached in that year contained substantial provisions regarding women or prohibitions on sexual violence.

The briefing noted that approximately 756 million women and girls currently live within 50 kilometers of an armed conflict. High-risk areas include Myanmar, Sudan, and the occupied Palestinian territory, where attacks on densely populated sectors increase the risk of violence and maternal mortality.