Women, Peace and Security: Defining and Addressing Complex Security Challenges of the 21st Century

In 2000, when the Security Council adopted resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), it was a diverse and geographically-representative coalition of Member States such as Bangladesh, Namibia, Canada and Jamaica, with a strong global constituency of women's civil society organisations who first tabled the resolution in the Security Council. The resolution was the first Security Council resolution to link women to the peace and security agenda, looking at the impact of war on women and their contribution to conflict resolution and sustainable peace. This innovative course follows the four pillars introduced in the WPS agenda through UNSC1325 and explores- the role of women in conflict prevention, their participation in peacebuilding, protection of women’s rights during and after conflict, and specific needs during repatriation, resettlement, rehabilitation, reintegration and post-conflict reconstruction. It explores the key arguments regarding gender, security and human rights that have preoccupied scholars, policymakers and practitioners; and how debates about inclusion, equality, and identity matter today.