Women, Peace and Security Digest: April 2025

Economic Empowerment 

Why we must rethink country debt to protect education and unlock long-term development (World Economic Forum)  

“In 2024 the 10 countries facing the worst barriers to girls' education spent on average four times more on debt servicing than on education, according to Malala Fund's analysis comparing girls' education indicators with debt data produced by Development Finance International. This isn’t just unjust. It’s unsustainable. Unless the international community changes course, it will undermine global progress on gender equality, development and economic resilience in the coming years.” 

Gender advocates to push for social protection and economic empowerment at G20 (United Nations)  

“With the conclusion of the sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69/Beijing+30) in March 2025, gender advocates are now setting their sights on their next major opportunity: the G20 Summit in South Africa in November 2025—the first time the summit will be hosted on the African continent. South Africa currently chairs the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) under whose auspices the country will help set agenda for the upcoming G20 summit.” 

Time for broader, bolder approach to tax justice for women (International Centre for Tax & Development)  

“For decades, the dominant framework for understanding gender in tax policy has been the distinction between explicit and implicit bias. This approach has helped uncover how tax systems can unfairly affect women, either through direct discrimination in law (explicit bias), or through seemingly neutral provisions that have unequal effects due to entrenched gender roles (implicit bias). While this framework has advanced the conversation, a recent policy brief by Caren Grown and Giulia Mascagni argues that we must now go beyond this framing to make meaningful progress.” 

Technology 

Can AI fix the gender gap in STEM? Here’s what the data says (World Economic Forum)  

“With AI professionals in high demand, employers might expect to draw on the broadest possible talent pool to accelerate their AI journey. Yet, as World Economic Forum research has highlighted, women’s share in the STEM workforce is only just over 28% – compared to more than 47% among non-STEM workers. What is more, women make up more than a third of STEM graduates but only just over 12% of STEM executives. A new white paper from the World Economic Forum and LinkedIn, Gender Parity in the Intelligent Age suggests that AI risks widening the STEM gender gap rather than reducing it, and explores strategies to reverse this trend.” 

Prevention By Design: A Roadmap for Tackling TFGBV at the Source (Council on Tech and Social Cohesion)  

“The internet offers connection and opportunity, but for many women and marginalized groups, it is also a space where Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) is pervasive. A 2024 report by Snapchat found that nearly one in four users across six countries—including Australia, India, and the U.S.—were victims of sextortion, a form of TFGBV. Globally, 38% of women report experiencing some form of online violence, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.” 

Recognizing the (un)Hidden Figures in AI (Brookings Institution)  

“In 2023, the New York Times published “Who’s Who Behind the Dawn of the Artificial Intelligence Movement,” pointing to many leaders of Big Tech companies, including Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Satya Nadella—among other men. Women were glaringly omitted from the list of leading voices in AI. Despite their historic and significant contributions, they remain largely invisible on mainstream platforms, with their achievements often downplayed—particularly their roles in shaping the science and altering the course of technology.”  

Climate 

How gender inequality and climate change are interconnected (UN Women)  

“The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our times. It threatens to reverse progress on human rights and sustainable development and worsens gender inequality – posing specific risks to the ways of life, livelihoods, health, safety and security for all women and girls around the world.” 

To feed a warming world, we must also serve up gender equality (Reuters)  

“This year will be pivotal for the sustainability of food and agriculture as countries submit their new climate strategies ahead of global talks at the United Nation’s COP30 meeting in Belem, Brazil, in November. Nearly all countries recognize that the agrifood sector must be both protected and transformed to adapt to climate challenges while continuing to feed billions. Yet, there is still a missing link to complete the chain for climate-resilient and food-secure futures: gender equality.” 

Interview: Gender equality is key to a just renewable energy future (UN Women)  

“Energy powers every aspect of our lives, and by 2050, up to 90 per cent of the world’s electricity could come from renewable sources. This shift could dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help us avoid the worst consequences of climate change. But one thing is clear: we can’t achieve this future without women. Currently, women make up just 32 per cent of the renewable energy workforce – a significant gap and a missed opportunity for climate action and a truly just energy transition.” 

General WPS 

Advancing Women, Peace and Security in the Caribbean Region Through OSF’s WPS National Action Plan Academy (Our Secure Future)  

“In advance of the official launch of Trinidad and Tobago’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) National Action Plan (NAP), Our Secure Future and UN Women, in collaboration with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, hosted a technical workshop from March 24-25, 2025 on WPS implementation strategies and monitoring frameworks. The high-level workshop brought together key government officials, civil society representatives, and international partners to finalize the operational framework for implementing Trinidad and Tobago’s first WPS NAP.”  

Women’s Power Index Shows Stalled Progress for Women’s Political Participation (Council on Foreign Relations)  

“The Women and Foreign Policy program’s most recent update of the “Women’s Power Index” ranks 193 United Nations (UN) member states on their progress toward gender parity in political participation. It analyzes the proportion of women who serve as heads of state or government, in cabinets, in national legislatures, as candidates for national legislatures, and in local government bodies, and visualizes the gender gap in political representation.” 

Myanmar Earthquake 2025: What it means for women and girls (UN Women)  

“On 28 March 2025, Myanmar was struck by two powerful earthquakes, a 7.7 magnitude quake near Mandalay and Sagaing, followed by a 6.4 magnitude quake further south. With over 2,800 people killed, 4,600 injured, and millions displaced, the humanitarian crisis is deepening. Women and girls, already vulnerable due to ongoing conflict and economic instability, face heightened risks and unique challenges in the aftermath.” 

How women leaders envision Turkey navigating today’s complicated geopolitical environment (Atlantic Council)  

“As Turkey navigates a shifting global order, economic transformations, and regional conflicts, considering diverse perspectives from informed, visionary leaders—including women—will be crucial.” 

Women are the Catalysts for Change in Lebanon (Wilson Center)  

“Lebanon has come a long way since a woman was first elected to its parliament. In 1963, Myrna Boustani took over her late father’s seat in an uncontested election, yet her tenure was short-lived. Fast forward to 2025, five women have just been appointed to serve in government under the new Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. These women leaders come from diverse political, geographical and professional backgrounds. This promises new change, as this government is presenting itself as a new beginning for youth and women. However, reaching this record has been slow and not without its challenges...” 

For lasting peace in Sudan, women must lead peace efforts (UN Women)  

“Sudanese women were at the forefront of the 2018–2019 revolution, dominating protests and mobilizing communities to push for change. Despite their central role, they were later sidelined in the political processes that followed. They were once again silenced when diplomatic efforts started in response to the current conflict, which is about to enter its third year. The Jeddah negotiations, mediated in May 2023, did not include a single woman.” 

Inside the crisis you don’t see: How war impacts women’s mental health (UN Women)  

“The number of women and girls caught in conflict is rapidly rising. In the last year alone, the proportion of women killed in armed conflict doubled, making up 40 per cent of all civilian deaths. Today, over 600 million women and girls live in conflict-affected areas, a 50 per cent increase since 2017. But while the bombs and bullets make headlines, for millions of women and girls, the trauma of war, displacement, and repression is taking a devastating toll on their mental health.” 

CSW69 Tackles the Future of Women’s Rights (LA Weekly) 

“The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) stands as the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of the rights and empowerment of women. The 69th CSW session this past March – which acknowledged 30 years since the passing of the Beijing Declaration, a watershed moment to measure achievements and chart new directions, and the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda as enshrined in United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 – carried a special weight. This anniversary arrived during a challenging period when women’s rights face mounting threats, including rising violence against women.” 

Press briefing by UN Women on the collapse of a Gaza ceasefire and its devastating impact on women and girls (UN Women)  

“The end of the tenuous ceasefire in Gaza is having disastrous consequences for women and girls. From 18 to 25 March—in just those 8 days, 830 people have been killed—174 women, 322 children, with 1,787 more injured.” 

Ensuring a Gender-Inclusive Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome is Crucial for Ukraine’s Future (Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security) 

“Over three years since Russia’s full-scale war of aggression on Ukraine, women, girls, and marginalized communities continue to be disproportionately impacted, facing elevated levels of poverty, displacement, and gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence. Women and girls represent the majority of the 14.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. At the same time, women have been at the forefront of the war response, providing essential services, taking on non-traditional roles, assuming more family caregiving responsibilities, and serving in the armed forces both in combatant and non-combatant roles. As recovery strategies are developed and post-war scenarios are considered, women will be critical to ensuring progress and their needs, contributions, and leadership must be central to rebuilding efforts.” 

Opportunities

Research Fellow: WPS Index (Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security)  

“The Research Fellow will lead our WPS Index and support our growing research portfolio. Reporting to the Director of Research, the Research Fellow will be responsible for conducting rigorous quantitative and qualitative research analysis for a variety of GIWPS research outputs. Additionally, the Fellow will play a leading role in disseminating research results, engaging with the press, and representing GIWPS at high-level speaking engagements at multilateral, policy, and academic institutions.” 

Hillary Rodham Clinton Research Fellow (Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security)  

“The Hillary Rodham Clinton Research Fellowship is a one-year program that provides unique opportunities to a recent PhD or master’s level graduate to conduct rigorous, policy-oriented research in the field of Women, Peace and Security (WPS).” 

LSE Fellowship in Gender, Policy and Inequalities (London School of Economics and Political Science)  

“We are looking to recruit an LSE Fellow to teach primarily on our MSc programme in Gender, Policy and Inequalities and to contribute to our core courses in gender theories and feminist epistemologies and methodologies. An LSE Fellow post presents an excellent starting point for an academic to gain teaching experience while developing their research career.” 

Senior Analyst, Prospect Development (Global Fund for Women)  

“The Senior Analyst of Prospect Development plays a critical role in advancing Global Fund for Women’s mission by leading prospect research and qualifying processes and moves management strategies that grow revenue and strengthen our funding base. This position is the go-to resource for all prospect research efforts in support of our individual philanthropy team, while also supporting our organization-wide fundraising strategy.”