Women, Peace and Security

United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 was adopted in 2000. Its adoption was a watershed moment for advancing gender equality, marking global recognition of the unique and disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls, and the importance of their participation in decision-making in conflict and post-conflict situations.

UNSCR 1325 has been complemented and strengthened by the adoption of UNSCR 1820 (2008), UNSCR 1888 (2009), UNSCR 1889 (2009), UNSCR 1960 (2010), UNSCR 2106 (2013), UNSCR 2122 (2013), UNSCR 2242 (2015), UNSCR 2467 (2019), and UNSCR 2493 (2019), all of which Ireland co-sponsored. Taken together, these resolutions comprise the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda.

This Agenda recognises the particularly adverse effects of conflict on women and girls, as well as their critical roles in conflict prevention, peace negotiations, peacebuilding, mediation, and governance. It also strives for the elimination of gender-based violence in all its forms, including conflict-related sexual violence, which disproportionately impacts women and girls.

The WPS Agenda resonates powerfully in Ireland, where we have witnessed first-hand the transformative impact that women have had on the Northern Ireland peace process, notably in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement and continuing essential peacebuilding work today.

Ireland has been a strong advocate for the WPS Agenda since the adoption of UNSCR 1325. Our commitment is rooted in our own experience of conflict and peacemaking on this island, where women played a central and transformative role in the Northern Ireland peace process. Ireland is committed to placing women and girls at the centre of our efforts to prevent and resolve conflict, sustain peace, and promote inclusive development.

One of the most important aspects of the Agenda is its application and implementation by Member States through National Action Plans. Ireland is currently in the middle of its Fourth National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which was launched in 2025. This plan sets out how Ireland will translate the agenda into real, measurable actions we can take at home and abroad over the lifetime of the Plan, which runs until 2030.

Progress under Ireland’s fourth National Action Plan is overseen by an Oversight Group, appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Yearly reports on the progress of the Plan will be also prepared and published online.