A record 676 million women lived within 50 kilometres of deadly conflict last year, the highest figure since the 1990s, according to the United Nations. This alarming statistic was one of the central findings of the UN Secretary-General’s annual Women, Peace and Security (WPS) report released on Monday.
The report paints a stark picture of escalating global instability and the growing vulnerability of women and girls in conflict zones. It emphasizes that while women continue to act as powerful agents of peace, they remain systematically excluded from formal decision-making and underrepresented in peace negotiations.
Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, remarked, “Women and girls are being killed in record numbers, shut out of peace tables, and left unprotected as wars multiply. Women do not need more promises, they need power, protection, and equal participation.”
25 Years of Women, Peace, and Security
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, which originated with UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000. Adopted at the turn of the century, the resolution recognized the critical role of women in preventing conflict, achieving peace, and rebuilding societies torn by war.
Over the past quarter century, evidence has consistently shown that peace agreements involving women are more likely to succeed and endure. From Colombia and Liberia to the Philippines, women’s participation has resulted in more inclusive negotiations and sustainable reconciliation. Yet, despite this well-documented impact, women continue to face structural barriers, limited access to power, and declining financial support.
Underrepresentation in Peace Processes
The new report highlights ongoing global shortfalls in women’s participation in formal peace and mediation efforts. Between 2020 and 2024, women made up only seven percent of negotiators in peace processes worldwide—a figure far below the targets set by the United Nations.
Even more concerning, nearly nine out of every ten negotiation tracks included no female negotiators at all. Women fared only slightly better in mediation roles, occupying around 14 percent of positions, though two-thirds of all mediation efforts still lacked women’s involvement entirely.
In contrast, grassroots women’s groups remain actively engaged in informal peacebuilding, often at great personal risk. In war-torn countries such as Yemen, women negotiators have successfully leveraged tribal and community norms to secure access to water, food, and humanitarian aid for civilians. Despite such achievements, these efforts often go unrecognized and underfunded.
“Gains Are Fragile and Going in Reverse”
Speaking at the UN Security Council’s annual debate on the WPS agenda earlier this month, Secretary-General António Guterres warned that progress on women’s peace participation, once heralded as transformative, now faces severe setbacks.
While acknowledging positive changes over the past 25 years, he noted the worrying trend of “gains going in reverse” as conflict intensity and authoritarianism rise globally. The erosion of women’s rights in wartime contexts mirrors broader regressions in global gender equality, threatening previously hard-won protections.
Violence and Funding Gaps Exacerbate the Crisis
The latest report documents alarming increases in civilian casualties, with women and children facing drastically heightened risks. According to UN Women Deputy Executive Director Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, civilian deaths among women and children have quadrupled compared to the previous two-year period. Incidents of sexual violence in conflict settings have also risen sharply, even as accountability mechanisms remain weak or nonexistent.
Despite the worsening situation, many women-led civil society organizations operating in conflict zones are scaling down or closing due to severe funding shortages. “These numbers tell a story, one of unfulfilled promises,” Gumbonzvanda declared, stressing that under-resourced women’s organizations are being forced to retreat just when their voices are most needed.
The Financial Reality of Peace Work
Since last year’s WPS report, funding for gender equality initiatives and peacebuilding programs has declined globally, even as conflict expands to new regions. This lack of investment threatens the survival of local women’s groups working to prevent violence, mediate community disputes, and support survivors of trauma.
The report calls for urgent financial commitments to sustain women-led efforts and ensure that funding translates into concrete action. Without direct and consistent financial support, progress toward inclusive peacebuilding will remain symbolic, not structural.
Call for Binding Targets and Accountability
Sarah Hendriks, Director of the UN Women Policy Division, emphasized the need for enforceable quotas and accountability mechanisms. She warned that without firm global commitments, two decades of progress on women’s rights could soon be reversed.
The report’s policy recommendations include:
Setting binding participation targets for women in all peace negotiations and mediation processes.
Strengthening accountability measures for gender-based violence and conflict-related crimes.
Ensuring sustainable funding for grassroots organizations and protection initiatives.
Promoting women’s leadership in political transitions and post-conflict reconstruction.
These measures, the authors argue, are essential not only for gender justice but also for the durability of peace itself.
Evidence and Impact
The cumulative research supporting the WPS agenda remains compelling. When women lead peace efforts, settlements tend to be broader in scope, prioritize community welfare, and hold up better over time. Women negotiators consistently advocate for social inclusion, education, healthcare, and governance reforms, addressing root causes of conflict rather than temporary ceasefires.
As evidence mounts, policymakers are urged to close the gap between international pledges and pragmatic implementation. The findings affirm what decades of experience have already shown—peace that excludes women is peace that cannot last.
The Path Forward
The UN’s 2025 report makes a resounding appeal to both member states and international donors: honor the promise of Resolution 1325 by translating commitments into actionable change. Empowering women in conflict zones requires structural transformation—allocating resources, enforcing participation standards, and ensuring safety for those who risk their lives to broker peace.
As Hendriks concluded, “When women lead and when their organizations are resourced, peace is more possible, recovery is faster, and societies are stronger.”
The 25-year milestone of the Women, Peace and Security agenda is both a reminder of progress and a warning of backsliding. Without immediate and sustained action, the world risks erasing decades of advancement in women’s rights, equality, and peacebuilding.
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