A twenty year review of women, peace and security: UNSRC (1325) 2000 challenges and prospects for African women

Abstract

The dawn of the millennium came with a great recognition towards gender equality and the inclusion of women in all societal spheres. In light of ensuring the inclusivity of women worldwide, civil society activism and the political will generated within the Security Council, lead to the development of UNSCR 1325 which was unanimously adopted on the 31st of October 2000. This landmark resolution urges UN Member States to ensure increased representation of women at all decision making levels in national, regional and international institutions, and mechanisms for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict. The purpose of this review article is to assess the implementation of UNSRC (1325) in Africa since its implementation 20 years ago. The article provides a brief overview of the aims of UNSCR 1325 thereafter a discussion of the review at the 15-year mark is found, followed by highlights of the progress since then and lastly the challenges are examined so as to decipher the reasons we keep encountering the stumbling blocks towards women's participation in peace and security.