The Evolution and Diffusion of Women, Peace and Security Agenda and the Global South

Aşkar Karakir I., Karacasulu Z. N.

International Women’s Studies Symposium (Manisa Celal Bayar University, Women and Family Research and Application Center), Manisa, Turkey, 12 - 13 May 2022, pp.23, (Summary Text)

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Summary Text
  • City: Manisa
  • Country: Turkey
  • Page Numbers: pp.23
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study seeks to examine the evolution and diffusion of norms concerning the role of women in peace and security. In 2000, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted its first resolution on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, Resolution 1325, to address the particular impact of armed conflict on women and the need to promote their rights for protection and participation in peace and security. Eight years after the UNSCR 1325, many other resolutions followed such as UNSCR 1820 (UNSC 2008), UNSCR 1888 (UNSC 2009a), UNSCR 1889 (UNSC 2009b), UNSCR 1960 (UNSC 2010), and UNSCR 2106 (UNSC 2013). The UNSC encouraged national-level implementation of UNSCR 1325 since 2004. National Action Plans (NAP) are the documents outlining domestic and/ or foreign course of policy of a country to meet the WPS objectives: women’s participation, protection from sexual violence, conflict prevention and post-conflict peace-building. So far, 98 UN member states adapted NAPs. Diffusion of WPS agenda has also been advanced at regional levels such as at the European Union and African Union. By considering the fact that most of the ongoing conflicts are taking place in the developing/under-developed parts of world, the study questions the extent to which the Global South countries have adopted/implemented NAPs and contributed to the evolution of the WPS agenda through their experiences. The first part of the study will explore contemporary scholarship on the WPS and the second part will analyze the extent of diffusion of WPS norms in the Global South and (potential) contributions by the Global South for an inclusive development of the agenda. It is argued that since it would be misleading to assume the Global South as a uniform entity consisting of only state actors, responses and contributions by the Global South to the WPS agenda offer mixed results.

Keywords: Women, Peace and Security (WPS), UNSCR 1325, norm diffusion, Global South, women’s empowerment