The “Women, Peace and Security” (WPS) Agenda is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. However, it is meeting with increasing rejection in many countries. Dr. Thania Paffenholz gave a talk on “The Women, Peace and Security Agenda caught up in an international hostile environment, and internal deficiencies – what’s next?”. The researchers of the cross-cutting research area“Gender, Diversity and Conflict” at PRIF had invited the renowned political scientist.
Thania Paffenholz is the former director of Inclusive Peace, retired Professor at the Graduate School of International and Development Studies in Geneva and conducted her PHD at PRIF. She has long-term experience in the practical peace mediation and peacebuilding processes. She also directed the study on the 15th anniversary of the WPS Agenda for UN Women. As the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, there is renewed impetus for reflection. Thania Paffenholz provided first-hand evidence returning from a WPS focal point meeting conducted by Japan and Norway in Oslo.
The WPS Agenda is increasingly challenged by a situation of state’s unfriendliness and hostility against issues of gender equality and diversity. The anti-feminist backlash also affects the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. After 25 years of existence, the WPS agenda lacks certain deficits such as the inclusion of relevant issues, e. g. LGBTIQ+rights, men/masculinities related to armed conflicts or climate change challenges. Moreover, states often only concentrate on the participation and protection pillar when implementing the WPS agenda, leaving the prevention pillar out of sight.
Thania Paffenholz gave insights into relevant conditions for successful peacebuilding processes, such as changes of power structures, the systematic and fair inclusion of civil society, and also of feminist activists. Solidarity among activists of the Global South could be a venue to also counter anti-feminist backlash and to realize gender equality norms.