Women In International Security: Shaping the Future
Shaping the future requires us to look back into the past to identify successes, achievements, and shortcomings. In the particular case of the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR 1325), it also requires us to examine key actors, what they brought to the table, the methods they used, and who they partnered with. This way, it is easier to incorporate the “missing links” (i.e., sidelined actors) moving forward, including by using modern technology which was not available 25 years ago.
For global NGOs especially, it is essential to incorporate women’s experiences and indigenous knowledge from the so-called “third world” in peace and security efforts at the community and national levels. It is also important to note that women’s participation in peace and security is for the benefit of all citizens–young and old, and the usually marginalized. These experiences constitute women, peace, and security (WPS) in all nations leading to our global world.
This is also how the “Framers of UNSCR 1325” worked. The process was not top-down, but bottom-up, starting from the rural women who have been involved in peace maintenance and conflict resolution since time immemorial, long before the founding of the UN and contemporary global institutions. This bottom-up process led to the mobilization for peace and security at global levels–providing unity of purpose in the world–and this momentum from lower levels propelled the initiative that led to a successful and unanimous vote for UNSCR 1325.
However, the downturn and loss of momentum around UNSCR 1325 occurred at national and international levels, where actors did not “pick up the ball” sufficiently. Africa did try by implementing a 50/50 gender balance in the highest decision-making structure of the African Union (AU). This was followed by the institutionalization of FEMWISE, a group of women mediators within the Peace and Security Commission of the AU. Overall, countries, regional institutions, and the UN relaxed after the unanimous vote. There was no significant follow-up to ensure the implementation of what was agreed upon: the involvement of women in all peace processes.
Looking forward, WIIS and the overall WPS community must pick-up where we left off. We must ensure implementation of what was agreed upon, while adding and addressing what has happened in the last 25 years and whatever can be predicted into the future.
About the Author:
Dr. Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika is the former Ambassador of the Republic of Zambia to the US. Her distinguished career includes appointments as the Ambassador and Special Envoy to the Zambian President and a Member of the Zambian Parliament. Dr. Lewanika was among five women to brief members of the UNSC on the groundbreaking Resolution 1325. She has also held senior leadership positions at UNICEF and was the president of the Federation of African Women’s Peace Networks (FERFAP). She remains a champion of peace and the rights of women and children.
Image Courtesy of the Zambia Foreign Ministry’s X Account.