UN advocacy for women in peace and security

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for urgent action to increase the effective participation of women in peacebuilding and community reconstruction. Speaking at Cairo University, Guterres noted a significant gap in representation, stating that women accounted for only 5% of negotiators in 57 peace processes last year and that fewer than one-fifth of global peace agreements included references to gender issues or sexual violence.

In response to these global challenges, Senegal’s Minister of the Armed Forces, Yankoba Diémé, addressed the United Nations to advocate for greater female representation in peacekeeping operations. He emphasized that mission effectiveness depends on equitable gender representation, aligning with the ‘Women, Peace and Security’ Agenda. Senegal aims to increase female military participation from 7.33% to 13% by 2026 through expanded recruitment, enhanced training, and improved access to operational roles.

Advocacy has continued as Guterres urged member states to move from promises to concrete actions regarding the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. Speaking before the Security Council, he 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. Additionally, none of the thirteen ceasefires reached in 2025 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, with high-risk areas including Myanmar, Sudan, and the occupied Palestinian territory.