When women lead, peace follows: 25 years of the women, peace and security agenda at the United Nations

Over the last 25 years, UN Women and its predecessor organizations have worked across multiple entry points, regions, and actors to move the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda forward.

UN Women is uniquely able to understand the shifting dynamics and urgent needs of women and girls because of our strong partnerships with local civil society. At the same time, UN Women works in partnership with Member States to channel the messages of local women into national, regional, and global decision-making spaces.

This timeline demonstrates that sometimes what looks like a series of seemingly unrelated activities is actually a set of strategic choices, gaining momentum and coalescing over time to affect larger impacts—as small streams flow into a mighty river. This timeline also shows that the WPS agenda can be a solution to even the most entrenched conflicts—yet it is a solution that has never been fully implemented.

The successes showcased in this timeline suggest that, with broader—and deeper—political support and adequate financing, the transformative potential of the WPS agenda can be realized.