Women, Peace and Security Research Digest: August 2025

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WPS in the US 

Why Is America Abandoning One of Its Smartest Tools for Peace? (Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security) 

“For years, the United States leveraged the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) approach across government, including in the international development programs implemented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In 2017, Congress even passed the WPS Act with bipartisan support, recognizing the key role played by women and girls. It was signed by President Donald Trump and championed by multiple members of his current Cabinet. The law made the U.S. the first country in the world to enshrine women’s leadership and protection in conflict prevention, resolution, and recovery into law.” 

New Report Shows Historic Representation for Black Women (Center for American Women and Politics)  

“Black women in U.S. politics have made historic progress in the previous decade, according to a new report published by the Higher Heights Leadership Fund in partnership with the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University. Despite ongoing structural inequalities, the findings show that Black women are breaking records in political representation across state legislatures. In 2024, Black women congressional nominees also ran successful campaigns in 63 percent of their races, surpassing rates for men and women across race and ethnicity.” 

State Department slashes its annual reports on human rights (NPR) 

“The U.S. Department of State’s human rights reports released this Tuesday omitted several references to human rights violations specifically concerning women and minorities. Included in the changes is the erasure of a separate section on women’s rights, as well as anything referencing diversity, equity, and inclusion, sexual violence, and violence against minorities and LGBT people.”  

Peace at what cost? The global retreat from aid and the betrayal of women in conflict (Missing Perspectives) 

“For years, research has shown that gender equality is crucial for lasting peace. Yet, as the U.S. slashes its foreign aid, many women, who should be at the centre of rebuilding societies, are left unsupported. The very people who could end and prevent violence and restore stability are losing access to care and fleeing renewed violence.” 

Defense & Security 

The case for women peacekeepers from those who serve (The Lowy Institute)  

“New field research reveals how female peacekeepers improve mission effectiveness despite persistent barriers. Progress on increasing women’s deployment to peace missions is mixed, and far from linear. Women’s participation in peacekeeping is growing, but the growth is slow, and numbers remain low.” 

India to empower women peacekeepers in UN, boost gender parity and leadership (The Tribune) 

“In the backdrop of India being among the largest contributor of troops for United Nations (UN) Peace Keeping Operations across the globe, the country is working towards greater participation of women in peacekeeping operations as well as advancing gender parity and fostering inclusive leadership. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently unveiled a two‑week long course, UNWMOC 2025, in New Delhi for women officers from 15 countries.” 

The young American female soldiers of TikTok (The Economist) 

“As recently as 2023, 13% of active-duty women experienced gender discrimination compared with 1.4% of active-duty men, according to the Department of Defence. Some of these women turned to TikTok – a platform which offered recognition when they were overlooked and support when they were isolated.” 

Economic Empowerment 

Closing Gaps, Opening Opportunities: The G20’s Progress on Women’s Economic Empowerment—and What Comes Next (Center for Global Development) 

“In 2014, G20 leaders made a historic commitment in Brisbane, Australia, to reduce the labor force participation gap between men and women by 25 percent by 2025, in an effort to bring 100 million additional women into the workforce, increase global growth, and reduce poverty and inequality. However, 2025 marks the end of the Brisbane goal, and only nine G20 countries have met the 25 percent reduction goal, though the overall objective of bringing 100 million more women into the workforce has been achieved.” 

Laws, Data, and Empowerment: Insights from UNDP’s Women’s Empowerment Index and World Bank’s Women Business and Law Index (World Bank) 

“When it comes to improving economic outcomes for women and women’s empowerment, effective action requires reliable data. Yet, data capturing the full scope of women’s lives is often scarce, making it hard to identify what holds women—and entire economies and societies—back. The UNDP’s human development indices and the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) Index help address this challenge. They highlight how women’s capabilities to make choices in life have been limited and reveal how laws and policies impact women’s opportunities and economic outcomes.”  

From local to global economies: why women hold the key to economic security (Fast Company) 

“Women represent half the world's population, yet their economic potential remains grossly underutilized. The numbers tell a staggering story: unlocking women's economic participation could boost global GDP by $172 trillion in human capital wealth, with estimates suggesting gains of 20 to 35 percent to the world economy. This represents not just an opportunity, but an economic imperative that countries can no longer afford to ignore.”  

Technology 

Wired for harm: how tech-facilitated abuse silences women and undermines peace (Australian Strategic Policy Institute)  

“As we mark the anniversary of landmark United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325—the founding document of the Women, Peace and Security agenda—and look to what’s next, we must accept that the digital online environment is inextricably shaping the dynamics, sentiment and politics of almost all offline interactions. We must also confront the reality that women are in the direct line of digital fire when they advocate for greater protections for women, children and the vulnerable—because they are women.”  

How Data Helps Sierra Leone Prevent Gender-Based Violence (The Carter Center) 

“The Rainbo SGBV Data Dashboard displays up-to-date case information in an interactive, user-friendly format. Rather than waiting for annual reports, government agencies and service providers can analyze the data in real time and turn that analysis into action. It shows decision-makers where incidents are occurring, which interventions are working, and what vulnerable groups need the most help.” 

The Administration’s AI Policy Should Prioritize Safety for Women and Girls (Council on Foreign Relations)  

“In the recently published AI Action Plan, the White House outlines a series of directives to federal agencies aimed at ensuring America “wins” the artificial intelligence (AI) race. Notably absent from the plan and the three executive orders that accompany it is a recognition of the societal harms posed by the rapidly developing technology, including a concrete plan to address the disproportionate impacts on women and children targeted by deepfakes.” 

Climate 

Peacekeeping in the Climate Crisis: A WPS Agenda for Resilience and Relevance (WIIS Italy) 

“The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, born from UN Security Council Resolution 1325, offers a critical framework for rethinking the role of peace operations in climate-stressed, conflict-prone areas. If peacekeepers are to support sustainable peace, they must move beyond stabilisation to include gender-responsive climate adaptation, especially in communities where women are frontline responders managing land, water, and displacement.” 

Gender-Based Violence on the Rise As Climate Crisis Intensifies (Earth.Org)  

“Climate change is fueling gender-based violence around the world, according to a new issue brief by the UN Spotlight Initiative. As rising temperatures put pressure on natural and human systems, women and girls in affected regions find themselves in increasingly precarious positions, at the mercy of increasing forms of violence.”  

Why Women, Peace and Security Plans in the Mediterranean Must Confront Climate Risks (CGIAR) 

“Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) National Action Plans are a powerful but underused tool for tackling the interconnected challenges of gender, climate, and conflict. Across the Mediterranean region, these plans often fail to address how climate change is deepening gendered vulnerabilities, and that omission is a missed opportunity.”  

Vision 2030: Climate adaptation for improvements in women’s sexual, reproductive, maternal and menopausal health outcomes (Economist Impact)  

“Climate change is exacerbating gender-related health inequities, by having a disproportionately greater impact on the health of women compared with men. Climate change can particularly impact women’s sexual, reproductive, maternal and menopausal health, as well as increase risks of gender-based violence, mental health issues, and unemployment.”  

General WPS 

Powering Profit Through Women’s Participation: Inclusive Energy in Fragile Regions (Our Secure Future) 

“With efficient energy technologies at the forefront of private sector investment, this analysis examines why decentralized energy initiatives - especially those that meaningfully involve women - benefit not only investors, but also communities in fragile regions.” 

Women’s Power Index: Charting Progress From the Past Twenty-Five Years (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’ records on gender parity in political participation. This digital interactive tracks five indicators: 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; calculates an overall gender parity score, and visualizes key features of the gender gap in political representation.”  

Tanzania Launches its First National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (UN Women) 

“The United Republic of Tanzania, in collaboration with UN Women and national stakeholders, officially launched its first National Action Plan (TNAP) on Women, Peace and Security on 19 August 2025 . . . it prioritizes five pillars: participation, protection, prevention, relief and recovery, and coordination.” 

Iraqi women’s party seeks to contest elections through empowerment (Rudaw) 

“Ahead of Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections in November, women politicians and political activists have launched the Arab country’s first women’s political party. After two years of waiting for official licensing approval, the al-Mawadda Women’s Party has issued a platform that seeks to unite women across Iraq and increase their political participation.” 

When Women Lead, Peace Follows: The Transformative Power of Supporting Women’s Political Participation in South Sudan (International Civil Society Action Network) 

“In South Sudan, a nation where peace has long remained fragile and democratic progress uncertain, women are stepping forward to shape the future of their country...during a period of ongoing instability and political uncertainty, the National Transformational Leadership Institute (NTLI), is enabling women to assert their role in decision-making in preparation for South Sudan’s 2026 elections. NTLI is demonstrating why investing in women-led peacebuilding is strategically essential.”  

The UN Has Declared a Gender Crisis in Sudan as Conflict Escalates (Marie Claire) 

“As conflict rages across Sudan, the United Nations has declared a gender crisis, warning that women and girls are suffering the most. With widespread reports of sexual violence, forced displacement, and collapsing healthcare systems, the situation has become a humanitarian emergency with lasting consequences.” 

Maryam Bukar Hassan's debut as Global Advocate for Peace (UN) 

“Peace is not found, it is built. Brick by brutal brick, with hands that once knew how to fight but now choose to hold instead,” said Nigerian poet and peace activist Maryam Bukar Hassan, also known as “Alhanislam”, at her debut as the UN’s newest Global Advocate for Peace on 27 July at New York’s SummerStage music festival.”  

The Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the Implementation of the Triple Nexus (Global Policy)  

“There is consensus on the relevance of moving towards greater convergence between the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and the implementation of the Triple Nexus approach. The two agendas have been implemented separately until now: the WPS Agenda in the political sphere and the HDP [Humanitarian, Development and Peace] approach in the spheres of development cooperation and humanitarian action. However, greater convergence could strengthen both agendas and enable joint efforts to achieve substantial progress.” 

Upcoming and Past Notable Events 

July 30, 2025 - Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH) in UN Peace Operations (International Peace Institute) 

“IPI’s Women, Peace and Security program, in partnership with the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations (led by Global Affairs Canada), the United Nations Office of the Special Coordinator on Improving the UN Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and the Gender and Security Sector Lab, cohosted a virtual policy forum on July 30th on “Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH) in UN Peace Operations.” 

August 19, 2025 - UN Security Council: Thematic Debate on Women and Peace and Security (UN) 

Discussion of the Secretary‑General’s report on conflict‑related sexual violence. 

September 16, 2025 - Book Talk with Co-Authors Joyce Kaufman and Kristen Williams (Women in International Security)  

On September 16th at 11am ET, WIIS’ Dr. Karin Johnston will speak with Joyce Kaufman and Kristen Williams, co-authors of the newly released book, Gender, Race, and Power: Examining IR through an Intersectional Lens. 

September 23, 2025 - 2025 Women In Defense National Conference (Women in Defense National Conference) - Women In Defense invites you to the 2025 National Conference — an essential event for leaders, innovators, and change-makers in the defense community. This year’s theme, “Winning Tomorrow: Unlocking Mission Success Through Innovation and Efficiency,” emphasizes the importance of collaboration, modernization, and agility in shaping the future of national security. The event brings together professionals and leaders across government, military, industry, and academia to share insights, foster partnerships, and elevate forward-thinking strategies in defense. 

October 31, 2025 - 25th anniversary of UNSCR 1325 (WILPF)  

This October marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of UNSCR 1325, the first resolution on Women, Peace and Security, in the UN Security Council. UNSCR 1325 has been followed by nine other resolutions on this topic. Coinciding with the anniversary, the UN Security Council will hold an annual debate and events throughout the second half of the month of October. The Secretary-General will also release a report on the WPS agenda’s implementation. WILPF will be actively engaged in advocacy, campaigning, and research to mark the anniversary and call for bold and radical action for peace as part of our WPS work. 

Opportunities  

Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship Program (Scoville Peace Fellowship) 

“The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship Program invites recent college and graduate school alumni to apply for full-time, six-to-nine month fellowships in Washington, DC. Outstanding individuals will be selected to work with nonprofit, public-interest organizations addressing peace and security issues. Applications are especially encouraged from candidates with a strong interest in these issues who have prior experience with public-interest activism or advocacy.”