2025 marked the 25th anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security (WPS). This resolution established one of the most prominent frameworks for promoting gender equality in global peacekeeping and security, known as the WPS agenda. But what does the WPS agenda mean in an ever-changing, increasingly militarised world order?
A PRIF blog series was launched based on this question to critically reflect on the WPS agenda – its successes, but also its limitations and possible future scenarios. This series of blogs has now been published as an e-book, summarising the thoughts, observations and reflections of twenty authors on the current status, challenges and possible future scenarios for WPS in an era of global anti-feminist backlash.
During a webinar, the authors and contributors of the project came together with over 50 participants from academia, civil society and politics to celebrate the publication of the e-book and the conclusion of the blog series. During the webinar, editors Clara Perras and Simone Wisotzki shared insights into the project's history and thanked the contributors for their valuable contributions, thoughts, and reflections on the WPS agenda.
In addition, Toni Haastrup – a feminist peace researcher and Professor of Global Politics at the University of Manchester – gave a keynote speech on the current status of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. She emphasised the need to recognise the agenda's achievements, as well as the efforts of those who have championed it, despite its shortcomings.
Madita Standke-Erdmann, who also contributed to the e-book, moderated the webinar and subsequent discussion with the authors and contributors.
About the book:
The eBook “25 Years of Women, Peace and Security: Promises, Backlash, and Feminist Reimagining” brings together contributions from the blog series, offering diverse perspectives and reflections on the achievments, challenges and future prospects of the WPS agenda. It examines the knowledge systems that have developed around WPS, ranging from postcolonial criticism to questions of institutionalisation. The book also addresses the backlash against the WPS agenda, considering how it can be reimagined to realise its transformative potential in an ever-changing world. The eBook is available to download for free (open access, accessible PDF).