Peace and Security Archives

Although the Dominican Republic has been a member of the United Nations since 1945, the country is making its debut on the Security Council this month — starting big, as the president in the rotating seat. It is the country’s first strike out of two presidencies as an elected member with a two-year term, representing … Read more

Sweden’s Priorities in the Security Council: Being Prepared, Including for the World Cup

July 31, 2018July 5, 2018 by Stéphanie Fillion

Welcome to our new column, Security Council Presidency, providing insight into the United Nations Security Council member sitting in the rotating seat of the president every month, starting in July with Sweden and its ambassador, Olof Skoog. The column is meant to be an informative capsule of not only the country’s ambassador but also the … Read more

TOPIC: WOMEN

In Colombia, Female Ex-Combatants Still Face Risk of Stigmatization

March 22, 2018March 13, 2018 by Adriana Erthal Abdenur

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and the resulting agenda on women, peace and security has called for more inclusive peace processes, stressing that women’s specific needs and experiences should be taken into account during and after peace negotiations. Yet the role of female ex-combatants in peace processes remains understudied and somewhat neglected in policy … Read more

In London, a New Academic Center Focuses on Sexual Violence in Conflict

March 20, 2016March 8, 2016 by Rhona Scullion

LONDON — The Center for Women, Peace and Security, based at the London School of Economics in Britain, is a year old. The first of its kind in Europe, the center aims to shed light on the prevalence of violence against women during conflict through academic research and forums. The concept of the center was … Read more

WORLDVIEWS

As the UN Celebrates Empowerment of Women, a New Survey Shows Major Frustrations

October 21, 2015October 14, 2015 by Danielle Goldberg and Mavic Cabrera-Balleza

Fifteen years ago, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on women, peace and security, a landmark international law that demands women’s participation in decision-making on international peace and security. Though seldom recognized, the fundamental roots of this resolution, known as 1325, came from women’s actual experiences in armed conflict and their struggles … Read more

WORLDVIEWS

Columbia University Adds New Gender Focus to Its International Affairs School

May 17, 2014December 17, 2013 by Yasmine Ergas

Gender is at the center of international agendas, not at their periphery. Today, plans in Sochi for the forthcoming Olympics — the emblem of international cooperation — are riven by disputes over Russia’s policies toward lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender persons. Peacemakers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo must address the needs of more than 2.5 million displaced … Read more

Ban Ki-moon Backs Emergency Steps for Women Raped in Conflict

May 13, 2013April 19, 2013 by Barbara Crossette

With the issues of emergency contraception — the “morning after” pill — and abortion still topics of tremendous controversy among United Nations members, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended that both should be offered as part of an international response to the rape of women in conflict situations. Writing in his first report on the subject … Read more

Australian Academics Want Women’s Voices Heard at the Security Council

January 3, 2015April 2, 2013 by Lorraine Boissoneault

A new network of women academics from Australia and New Zealand is keeping a close eye on Australia’s new two-year term as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council. The academics have organized a collective to track how well the UN’s most powerful body and Australia itself adhere to the landmark Women, Peace … Read more

GOINGS-ON

US Envoy for Global Women’s Issues Leaves for Georgetown

December 8, 2014February 22, 2013 by PassBlue

Melanne Verveer, most recently the United States ambassador at large for global women’s issues, is the new executive director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, which officially opened Feb. 21. Verveer had been appointed to the government post, the first of its kind for the country, by President Obama when it was … Read more

Dominican Republic’s Priority in the UN Security Council: Climate Change