Women, peace and security
All peacebuilding efforts shall be conducted on an equal footing, and the needs and rights of women in conflicts must always be taken into account.
This principle was established by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 1325, which was adopted unanimously in October 2000. Several resolutions on women, peace and security have since followed Resolution 1325, and together they form the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda.
The Agenda reaffirms the vital role that women play in both preventing and resolving conflicts and emphasises the importance of ensuring that women are involved in and participate on an equal basis with men in efforts to create and sustain peace. It also states that conflict-related sexual violence must be prevented, and that all international peacebuilding efforts must incorporate a gender equality perspective. In addition, it underlines the importance of preventive work in relation to conflicts.
What we do
Follow-up of Sweden’s National Action Plan for Resolution 1325
The Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) is Sweden’s expert agency for the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. Each year, we compile an overview of the work carried out by Swedish authorities to fulfil Sweden’s National Action Plan for the 1325 Agenda.
Training for Managers and Leaders in Peace and Security
FBA provides training and advisory services within the framework of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. An important part of our work is the educational initiative Gender-responsive Leadership.
The training is aimed at managers within organisations such as the EU, the UN, ECOWAS, the OSCE and the African Union, and strengthens them in their vital role of promoting gender-equal peace, security and development efforts.
Research
FBA conducts and supports international research on women, peace and security.Between 2023 and 2026, we are running our own research project focusing on the intersection of gender, climate change and conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
1325 at the Grassroots: Women’s Responses Facing Climate Insecurity (2023–2026)
Secondments
FBA deploys civilian personnel working on women, peace and security within international peace operations in which Sweden participates.
The 1325 Scholarship in Memory of Zaida Catalán
In 2020, FBA was commissioned by the Government of Sweden to establish a scholarship aimed at increasing awareness of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The scholarship is awarded to young individuals engaged in peace and security work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Palestine, Afghanistan and Ukraine.
The 1325 Scholarship for Women, Peace and Security in Memory of Zaida Catalán