Next year marks 25 years since the adoption of landmark United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). A persistent question in preparing for this event is how Security Council members that support WPS can make sure their efforts lead to changes on the ground.

In her latest article, published in the Global Observatory, PRIO Research Director Louise Olsson discusses how a joint effort since 2000 has created a foundation to push for accountability of the WPS agenda and how the time is ripe for Security Council members to focus on following up the effects of their decisions for supporting women's agency and security in conflict. The article presents a structure that supports the exchange of lessons learned and allows for building on existing progress and approaches undertaken by Security Council members in collaboration with civil society and UN actors.

Since 2015, WPS supporters have focused on the critical task of strengthening the processes and language that enable the implementation of Council resolutions. But the process of translating WPS language into tangible outcomes is far from clear, thus providing an opportunity for member states to not only promote that action is possible. They can push for the next step: ensuring that the difficult work of implementing WPS results in concrete and positive impact in the lives of women in conflict-affected areas. This may be difficult with a Council that is deeply entrenched in geopolitical power struggles. Yet, the research shows that by building on established WPS language and processes, standardized expectations of actions on the ground could be developed through coordination among elected member states in the Council. These standards can be informed by deep conversations with national and grassroots stakeholders and the UN system. A standardized approach to accountability can also hold implementing actors accountable for the delivery of more explicit expected outcomes.

The article is published in the Global Observatory and the complete article can be read here.