Frontline Voices: renewing the women, peace and security agenda

Despite nearly twenty-five years since the adoption of the UN Women, Peace and Security agenda, its promises remain largely unfulfilled. While governments and international bodies have expressed strong commitments, the realities on the ground reveal ongoing challenges in fully integrating women into peace and security processes. Across conflict zones all over the world, women suffer disproportionately from violence yet continue to face barriers to meaningful participation in decisions that affect their lives and communities. 

The third session of Friends of Europe’s Frontline Voices: women shaping peace and security series turned the attention towards  solutions and practical steps for the future. Building on insights from previous meetings that explored current obstacles and local experiences, the session brought together policymakers, defence officials, frontline practitioners and civil society leaders to develop clear, actionable recommendations. The focus was on restoring confidence in the WPS agenda by ensuring it responds effectively to women’s needs in today’s complex security environments. 

Through this collaborative online discussion, participants explored how to improve inclusion and accountability, as well as the impact of peacebuilding and defence efforts. The outcomes of this session will be integral to a comprehensive policy report that will be presented at a high-level launch event in Brussels later in 2025. 

Frontline Voices seeks to renew the WPS agenda, making it more relevant, practical and intersectional to face the challenges of the modern world. 

Related content:

• Activity | Frontline Voices
• Insight | The Women, Peace and Security agenda at 25: time to move beyond words
• Event | Frontline Voices: diagnosing the disconnect – The Women, Peace and Security agenda

This activity is supported by Department of National Defence, Canada via the Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) programme. 

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PHOTO CREDIT: Wikimedia Commons | United States National Guard