UN Member States convened for their annual open debate on the women, peace, and security agenda, ahead of the 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), which recognized the central role of women’s leadership in achieving just and lasting peace. Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that while the resolution inspired numerous follow-up initiatives, tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls affected by conflict have often fallen short. He highlighted that despite progress, including over 100 countries adopting national action plans on women, peace, and security, these gains remain fragile and, alarmingly, are in reverse due to rising armed conflicts, increased military spending, and escalating violence against women and girls.
Guterres drew attention to the growing threats faced by women in conflict zones, noting that last year approximately 676 million women lived within 50 kilometres of deadly conflicts, the highest in decades. Sexual violence surged, with a 35 percent increase in incidents against girls, who in some areas comprised nearly half of all victims. Women in public life, including politicians, journalists, and human rights defenders, are increasingly targeted with harassment and violence. He highlighted Afghanistan, where women and girls are being systematically erased from public life, and cited ongoing threats in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Haiti, Myanmar, and other regions. Local women-led organizations, despite being critical lifelines for communities in crisis, face severe resource shortages, with nearly half at risk of shutting down within six months.
The Secretary-General called on UN Member States to accelerate their commitments under the women, peace, and security agenda, in line with the Pact for the Future adopted the previous year. He stressed the need to increase funding for women’s organizations in conflict-affected areas, ensure women’s meaningful participation in decision-making processes, and hold perpetrators of gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, accountable.
Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, underscored that the 25th anniversary of resolution 1325 must go beyond commemoration, urging the international community to refocus, recommit, and deliver measurable progress over the next 25 years. She highlighted the importance of earmarked funding, robust quotas, and accountability mechanisms that make failures visible. The discussion also referenced the ongoing war in Gaza, noting emerging opportunities for positive engagement and emphasizing that women and girls in conflict zones deserve tangible protection, support, and empowerment rather than symbolic recognition alone.
