On October 30, 2025, Our Secure Future (OSF) marked the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) with leaders and experts at the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA).
The celebration event, WPS @25: Designing NATO Capabilities for Inclusive Security, hosted by NCIA in the Hague, convened WPS experts, technologists, and policymakers to reflect on a quarter century of progress on the WPS Agenda and chart the path forward for women’s leadership in innovation in security and defense.
Sahana Dharmapuri, Vice President, OSF and Moira Whelan, Fellow, OSF participated in a panel discussion which explored how WPS principles can be integrated into technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence alongside Capt. Lennie Roux Le Jallé, Gender Advisor, NATO Allied Command Transformation; Stella Letschert, Policy Advisor Data and AI, Dutch Ministry of Defence; and Helen Hale, MARCOM Deputy Gender Advisor, NATO Allied Maritime Command. The conversation was moderated by Diana De Vivo, Women, Peace, and Security Team Lead, NATO Office of the Secretary General. Irene Fellin, Secretary General’s Special Representative, Women, Peace, and Security; and Sandra Oosterveer, Chief People Officer gave the Keynote Addresses. Finally, Virginie Viscardy, Principal Officer, Chief Technology Office, NCIA; and Rebecca Dahl, Digital Event Planner, NATO Digital Workplace Centre, NCIA provided welcome remarks.
Together, the panelists and speakers examined how applying a WPS lens to the emerging technologies that are reshaping peace and security can make those technologies more ethical and effective. The discussion also touched on gender-sensitive data collection, the impact of AI bias on decision-making, and strategies to ensure that innovation in defense and security serves the needs of all people.
Reflecting on OSF’s ongoing commitment to advancing the WPS agenda, Ms. Dharmapuri emphasized that “The integration of a gender perspective, we know from decades of work, increases operation effectiveness… [and] integrating WPS principles into technology and AI isn’t just about inclusion. It’s about creating smarter, more sustainable security solutions.”
Top photo: Panelists at the WPS @25: Designing NATO Capabilities for Inclusive Security event, hosted by NCIA in the Hague. Photo credit: NATO Communications and Information Agency
Bottom photo: OSF Vice President Sahana Dharmapuri speaking at WPS @25: Designing NATO Capabilities for Inclusive Security. Photo credit: NATO Communications and Information Agency