Civil society plays a significant role in the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on "Women, Peace and Security", not, however, to the same extent everywhere. On the meeting of the "WPS Focal Points" network in South Africa.

Civil society organisations work to ensure that governments take their commitments seriously and keep their promises, including in the implementation of Resolution 1325. This milestone in feminist peace and security policy recognises the impact of war and armed conflict on women and the importance of their equal participation in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. The resolution represents a global commitment to integrate women more systematically and sustainably into peace and security processes. It laid the foundation for the so-called WPS ("Women, Peace and Security") agenda. With their 1325 National Action Plans (NAPs), 105 UN member states have so far committed themselves to implementing the principles of the resolution at the national level.

Switzerland belongs to a small circle of only six UN member states that have already adopted four NAPs since 2000. The fact that the Swiss government invites civil society to monitor the implementation of the NAP and is co-financing a corresponding project met with interest at a meeting of the "WPS Focal Points" network in South Africa in December, according to our programme officer Carla Weymann, who attended the meeting. The WPS network comprises 95 countries and organisations, supporting the participating countries in the national implementation of the resolution. In 2022, South Africa and Switzerland shared the chair.

A domestic policy instrument

At the meeting it became clear how necessary civil society organisations are in the implementation of the WPS agenda. "In many countries, there is little exchange between governments and civil society," says Carla. "There was a correspondingly high level of interest at the meeting to exchange ideas on implementation with other countries that have developed NAPs." The resolution was a result of the engagement of civil society organisations and transnational networks. The participation of civil society in implementation must be a logical continuation of these exchange and networking efforts.

In an alliance with KOFF - swisspeace and the feminist peace organisation cfd, we have been coordinating the dialogue with the government for more than five years and passing on civil society’s insights on Switzerland’s implementation of the resolution. A recurring criticism of Switzerland’s NAP: it is currently being used almost exclusively as a foreign policy instrument. Countries of the Global South, such as South Africa also use the NAP to improve the security of women at home, as the resolution also calls for the promotion of gender equality in order to prevent violence against women.

New NAP project

In summer 2022, the "Alliance for Women, Peace and Security: Bringing Civil Society Voices to the WPS Agenda" project was launched, building on experience gained so far. It also draws on the lessons learned from co-chairing the WPS network and from Switzerland's seat on the UN Security Council in 2023/2024. The new project aims to ensure that the planned 5th Swiss NAP reflects civil society’s concerns.

One aim of the new project is to increase the relevance and visibility of the WPS agenda and the NAP within the Federal administration, broader civil society and the interested public in Switzerland. Webinars and exchange forums, among others, will be used for this purpose. Hearings at which civil society can voice its concerns are also planned for the autumn. These concerns will be channelled into their report on the NAP, which will also contain the consolidated priorities. Politicians and civil society can then refer to all NAPs to make WPS-relevant demands and hold the government to account. 

All civil society publications on the previous Swiss NAPs.