Negotiations at the UN: The Case of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security

Abstract

Less than two decades ago women’s rights issues hardly featured in the peace and security deliberations of the UN Security Council. Today, however, ‘Women, Peace and Security’ (WPS) has become a formal item on the Council’s agenda. This chapter explores the actors involved in making this discursive shift happen. It highlights the pivotal role of women and women’s civil society organisations (CSOs) in drafting and negotiating the texts of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325) and subsequent resolutions, as well as their implementation mechanisms. The chapter argues that women’s entry into international peace and security has not only sparked changes in the discourse on peace and security but also diplomatic practices within the UN, and beyond.