24 Years After UNSCR 1325: Women, War, and Insecurity 

As members of the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL), we commemorate the 24^th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) with a heavy heart. For over two decades, we have dedicated ourselves to advancing peace and security. Yet today the world is plagued by escalating militarism and wars that once started, go on forever. 

We felt deep frustration as the 24^th annual WPS Week was commemorated at the UN, celebrating women’s leadership in peace, while many UN member states aid, abet, and perpetrate the wars on Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, and beyond. Pervasive violence continues to spread beyond conflict zones, with women and girls often bearing the brunt of multiple intersecting crises. The return of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has emboldened extremists and authoritarians alike, and ushered in a new era of gender persecution, setting a dangerous precedent for the rest of the world. 

As women peacebuilders, and members of the WPS community, we have been at the forefront of efforts to mitigate conflict in our own countries, while valuing the multilateral system and its nonviolent conflict resolution mechanisms.   

But we are tired of the hypocrisy of states which claim to champion peace but profit from the sale of arms used in countless atrocities. We are tired of the double standards that enable powerful governments to obfuscate international laws and shred our norms and means of equal coexistence, as peoples and states. We are tired of the empty promises of peace, justice, and inclusion.  

We urge global leaders, the UN, and Member States to acknowledge the failure of “business as usual”. We need a paradigm shift where peace is the goal and the strategy. Violence is not inevitable. It is a choice and tactic. True leadership for peace and equal coexistence requires the courage to talk, not to shoot. This is not idealism. It is the hard work that peacebuilders do every day, often risking their own lives. 

One year ago, as the genocide in Gaza was intensifying, we reminded the world that violence begets more violence, extremism begets more extremism, but innocent people pay the highest price. After a year of inaction, we once again urgently call for an immediate ceasefire to protect civilians, allow the flow of aid, and facilitate the release of hostages and prisoners. We insist that international law be respected, and occupation ended, without which justice cannot be realized. 

True peace and security for Palestinians, Israelis and the wider region, will not come through the barrel of a gun. The only lasting viable solutions will come through radical inclusive dialogue in parallel within Palestinian society and within Israeli society rooted in respect, dignity, pluralism, and fundamental recognition of equal and shared humanity of all.

It is not easy to speak so frankly. Many may disagree with our stance. We value partnering with governments and multilateral institutions in working for peace. However, to hold true to feminist principles and the WPS agenda’s essence, we must practice what we preach: to dialogue in respect and reciprocity, not to silence or marginalize; to acknowledge the trauma and pain of people on all sides, without erasing histories or falling into false equivalencies; and to accept our responsibility towards future generations. The powerful and privileged have even greater responsibility.   

The violence we are witnessing today is perpetrated by human beings and is not inevitable. It can be stopped. It must be stopped. 

Every day could be the start of a different future, one free of violence and oppression, anchored in peace and human dignity for all. 

From the members of the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership, including: 

Addu Women’s Association
Maldives

Afghan Solidarity Coalition
Afghanistan

Afghan Women’s Network
Afghanistan

Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development
Nigeria

AMAN Indonesia
Indonesia

Asociación de Justicia, Derechos Humanos y Género (Justice, Human Rights and Gender Civil Association)
Mexico

Canada’s Feminist Forum for Afghanistan
Canada

Coast Education Centre (COEC)
Kenya

Coalition for Action on 1325 (CoACT 1325)
Uganda

Corporación Conciudadanía
Colombia

Empatiku
Indonesia

Gender Equality Network
Myanmar

Hope Advocates Africa (HADA)
Cameroon

International Civil Society Action Network

Kitgum Women Peace Initiative (KIWEPI)
Uganda

Libyan Women’s Forum
Libya

Neem Foundation
Nigeria

Nisa Ul Haqq fi Bangsamoro (Women for Justice Bangsamoro)
Philippines

PAIMAN Alumni Trust
Pakistan

Peace Track Initiative
Yemen

Reach Out Cameroon
Cameroon

Union de l’Acion Feminine (UAF)
Morocco

Women and Children Legal Research Foundation (WCLRF)
Afghanistan

Women Education and Development Organisation of Liberia (WEDOL)
Liberia

Women for Justice Foundation (WFJ)
Canada

Women’s Center for Guidance and Legal Awareness (WCGLA)
Egypt

Women Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC)
Palestine

Women Relief Aid
South Sudan

Youth Leadership Development Foundation
Yemen

Young Leaders Entrepreneurs
Tunisia

Individuals in the WASL network:

Ahlem Nasraoui
Founder – Young Leaders Entrepreneurs, Tunisia

Bernedette Muthien
Research Fellow – Office of International Affairs, University of Free State, South Africa

Cerue Konah Garlo
Women’s Rights Consultant, Cameroon

Fatima Akilu
Founder – Neem Foundation, Nigeria

Gloria Amparo Alzate Castaño
Director – Corporación Conciudadanía, Colombia

Guissou Jahangiri
Executive Director – OPEN ASIA | Armanshahr Foundation, Afghanistan

Halima Mohamed
Executive Director – Coast Education Center (COEC), Kenya

Hamsatu Allamin
Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, Nigeria

Kawther Al Kholy
Director – Women for Justice Foundation, Canada

Dr. Khedija Arfaoui
Human Rights Defender and Peacebuilder, Tunisia

Dr. Mariyam Shakeela
Chairperson – Addu Women’s Association, Maldives

Dr. Neelam Raina
Afghan Solidarity Coalition

Robinah Rubimbwa
Founder and National Coordinator – Coalition for Action on 1325, Uganda

Shafqat Mehmood
Co-Founder and Chairperson – PAIMAN Alumni Trust, Pakistan

Shahrazad Magrabi
Founder – Libyan Women’s Forum, Libya

Zarqa Yaftali
Director – Women and Children Legal Research Foundation (WCLRF), Afghanistan

External signatories:

Organizations:

Afghan Women Peace and Freedom Organization (AWPFO)
Afghanistan

APAW Organization

Ariana Legal Association (A.L.A)

Canada’s Feminist Forum for Afghanistan
Canada

Democracy Today
Armenia

Economic Justice Network
Sierra Leone

ECOWAS Women Network for Regional Development and Economic Integration

Justice for all Organization (JFAO)
Afghanistan

Nasia Women Cooperative
Ghana

New Educational and Capacity Development Organization
Afghanistan

Sathsethai
Nepal

Syrian Women Committee
Syria

Women Advocacy Coalition
Myanmar

Women Mediator’s Network
Ghana

Zanzibar Peace, Truth and Transparency Association
Zanzibar

Individuals:

Ahmadullah
Afghan Women’s Peace and Freedom Organization

Amanda Dale
Human Rights Research and Education Centre Fellow, University of Ottawa, Canada

Barbara A. J. Sangare
Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth

Deborah Warren-Smith
UN Women

Deston Tanner
Climate Reality

Gladys Mbuya
International Federation of Women Lawyers, Cameroon

Joan Tyler
MD, Canada

Joseph Lapinski
PTW

Lima Anwari
Human rights advocate

Mohamed Malcolm Bangura
Pace University, New York

Momina Yari
Afghanistan Organization for Development of Human Rights

Nang Om Kham
Myanmar Women Peace and Security

Patricia Callahan

Roshan Mashal
AWNI

Shinkai Karokhail

Taiba Sulaimani
AWCJ

Tamina
AWPFO

Yvonne Bih Muma
Cameroon Women’s Peace Movement / Convention

Zarifa Ghafari
Former Mayor, author and human rights activist