REPORT: Women, Peace and Security: What's in a number?

If women, peace and security is part of your working life or institution's accountability then the numbers 1325, 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106 and 2117 are really important and meaningful to you. But let's be honest – most people have no idea what's behind these numbers and why they matter at all.

Resolutions and action in the last 100 days
In one week's time the UN Security Council will hold its annual Open Debate on Resolution 1325. The world's leaders will speak to their nation's commitment and actions in regard to women, peace and security, or UNSCR 1325: WPS as it is often abbreviated.

ACTION

Australia – what can we do?

One year on from the introduction of Australia's National Action Plan, our international opportunities are apparent. As a nation, we can:

1.Maintain Australia's emphasis on WPS staying at the forefront of the UNSC agenda both during Australia's Presidency and in all relevant deliberations throughout the period of Australia's seat on the Security Council and identify an ongoing advisory group of civil society representatives whose core business is WPS

2.Sustain funding to international development agencies whose core business is women's safety and security linked to conflict prevention and resolution, peace building, transitional justice and women's rights

3.Sustain the government commitment to the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development Initiative to accelerate women's leadership in peace and security policy and planning in our region

4.Continue to collaborate in and support the implementation of Pacific Regional Action Plan through civil society networks and political, diplomatic and official channels

5.Continue to improve embedding the WPS agenda in the Australian government's approach to human resource management for defence, AFP and deployed personnel

6.Resource evidence gathering, information exchange and dialogue with wider networks such as the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict or the WPS Academic Collective

7.Contribute to shaping how peace and security are defined and prosecuted in the Proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Post- 2015 Development Agenda and through other regional or national plans and policy development for Women's Empowerment, Gender Equality, Peace and Security in countries such as Bougainville, Burma or Fiji.

What you can do

As an individual, you can:

1.Write to your political representative now to let them know that funding for women, peace and security must be a vital part of Australia's foreign aid and security budgets

2.Promote and transfer knowledge to your networks about agencies like IWDA, whose work priortises safety and security for women and girls. Follow IWDA on Facebook and Twitter.

3.Track the monitoring of the UN system in relation to WPS at www.peacewomen.org and share this information to increase public support and momentum

4.Donate your time, money or expertise to strengthen international dialogue between civil society organisations, government and the UN as we work towards the post 2015 Development Goals.

5.Watch the following video by Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF International) and share it to champion a wider definition of security:And keep an eye out on IWDA's website for a report titled “Pacific Peacewomen's Perspective on the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security” to be launched ahead of the 13th anniversary of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (October 31st) which will highlight women, peace and security narratives from Fiji, Solomon Islands, Bougainville and Tonga and link these to the key pillars of the action plan.

To read the full document, click here.