The 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will take place virtually from March 15 to 26. The priority theme of this year’s session is on “women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.”
Below are a number of thematic publications from IPI and the Global Observatory that look at women’s participation and the future of the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda through critical, expert analysis.
Despite two decades of policy development and commitments to supporting women and girls affected by armed conflict, women’s participation in all levels of decision making lags due to structural barriers, lack of access to political arenas, and even threats to women who attempt to participate in these processes. Read more about how to address these through IPI’s WPS program.
To view the calendar of #CSW65 virtual side events, click here>>
Why a gender perspective is essential to sustainable peace and policymaking

• How to Do a Gender Analysis: Practical Guidance for the UN Community, by Phoebe Donnelly
• The SDGs and Prevention for Sustaining Peace: Exploring the Transformative Potential of the Goal on Gender Equality, by Delphine Mechoulan, Youssef Mahmoud, Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, and Jimena Leiva Roesch
• Incorporating Gender into UN Senior Leadership Training, by Lesley Connolly and Sarah Taylor
• In Peace and in War Gender Equality Is Everyone’s Battle, by Adam Lupel and Sarah Taylor
Women’s leadership and contextual examples of the importance of women’s roles in peace processes

• The Importance of Inclusion and Human Rights to Building Sustainable Peace, by Sarah Taylor
• On International Women’s Day, A Closer Look at the Missing Voices of Women in Afghan Peace Talks, by Masooma Rahmaty
• Investing in Inclusion: Women, Peace, and Development in Africa, by Andrea Ó Súilleabháin
• War, Peace, and Women in South Sudan: Q&A with Betty Ogwaro, by Jill Stoddard
• Five Frequently Asked Questions on the Inclusion of Women in Peace Processes, by Sarah Taylor
• Reimagining Peacemaking: Women’s Roles in Peace Processes, by Marie O’Reilly, Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, and Thania Paffenholz
• Conflict, Peacebuilding, and Perspectives in Colombia: Q&A with Charo Mina-Rojas, by Sarah Taylor
• Women’s Leadership for Peace: Towards a Model of Multi-Track Leadership, by Catherine Turner
• Women’s Struggle for Citizenship: Civil Society and Constitution Making after the Arab Uprisings, by José Vericat
The impact of the pandemic on peacebuilding and women’s economic situations

• Peacebuilding during a Pandemic: Keeping the Focus on Women’s Inclusion, by Masooma Rahmaty and Jasmine Jaghab
• The Important Role of Women Peacebuilders in COVID-19 Pandemic Response, by Jasmine Jaghab
• Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Women’s Economic Opportunity, by Jasmine Jaghab
• Safeguarding Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, by Joshua Wimpey, Markus Goldstein, Paula Gonzalez Martinez and Sreelakshmi Papineni
Background on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, where implementation of the Agenda is headed, and areas for future expansion

• Why Women, Peace, and Security? Why Now? by Sarah Taylor
• The Next 20 Years of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda, by Phoebe Donnelly, Gretchen Baldwin, Masooma Rahmaty, and Jasmine Jaghab
• Dissolving Interagency Silos: The WPS Agenda on the Disaster-Conflict Continuum, by Taylor Hynes and Punam Yadav
• The Global Pushback on Women’s Rights: The State of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda, by Sarah Taylor and Gretchen Baldwin
• Encouraging Generosity and Inclusivity for a Feminist Implementation of WPS: Q&A with Dr. Toni Haastrup, by Jasmine Jaghab
• Improving the Relationship Between WPS and CVE Policies, by Phoebe Donnelly
• Using Local Action Plans as Pathways to Inclusive Peace and Security, by Katelyn Jones
• The State of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the UN Security Council, by Siri May
• Women, Peace, and Security Mandates for UN Peacekeeping Operations: Assessing Influence and Impact, Lisa Sharland
• Without Prioritization of Peace and Women’s Leadership, WPS in Peril, by Youssef Mahmoud
• Sustaining Feminist Curiosity for the Future of Women, Peace, and Security: Q&A with Cynthia Enloe, by Phoebe Donnelly
• Thinking Intergenerationally: WPS and the Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda, by Helen Berents
• Making Implementation of the WPS Agenda Possible: Q&A with Madeleine Rees, by Gretchen Baldwin
A particular focus on LGBTIQ rights as an area of expansion within the WPS Agenda

• Laws, Legal Frameworks, and the Displacement of LGBTI Persons, by Nishin Nathwani
• A UN for All? UN Policy and Programming on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics, by Albert Trithart
• The Women, Peace, and Security Agenda Is Not Just for Straight, Cisgender Women, by Albert Trithart
• The Future of LGBTQ Human Rights in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, by Jamie J. Hagen
Examining various forms of violence against women, including gendered political violence and conflict-related sexual violence, with a critical perspective on victimhood

• Fighting Violence Against Women in Politics: the Limits of Legal Reform, by Saskia Brechenmacher
• Women, Peace, and Victimhood, by Roxani Krystalli
• Masculinities, Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, and the WPS Agenda, by Ibrahim Bahati
• Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict: What Can UK Efforts Tell Us?, by Jacqui True and Sara E. Davies
• New Perspectives on Preventing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, by Angela Muvumba Sellström, Louise Olsson, Stephen Moncrief, Elisabeth Jean Wood, Karin Johansson, Chiara Ruffa, Amelia Hoover Green, Ann-Kristin Sjöberg, and Roudabeh Kishi
Deconstructing stereotypes surrounding women’s participation in peacekeeping and military operations

• Expanding Gendered Understandings Key to Protection Concerns, by Gretchen Baldwin
• Taboos and Stigmas Facing Military Women, by Lotte Vermeij
• Beyond “Women and Children”: Gendered Community Engagement Strategies in UN Peace Operations, by Gretchen Baldwin
• Uniformed Women in Peace Operations: Challenging Assumptions and Transforming Approaches, by Gretchen Baldwin and Sarah Taylor





