Ahead of the United Nations Security Council’s 2023 Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), a global coalition of 617 civil society organizations — including the ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN), Arid Lands Development Focus (ALDEF), and PeaceNet Kenya — issued a joint open letter calling for urgent action to fulfill the commitments of Resolution 1325 (2000). The statement urges world leaders to ensure the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women in all peace and security processes.

The letter highlights that, nearly 25 years since the WPS agenda was adopted, women’s participation in peace processes remains “unacceptably low” and continues to decline even in UN-supported contexts. It stresses that without decisive and principled action to protect women’s rights and leadership, sustainable peace cannot be achieved.

It defines participation as “full” (politically and financially supported), “equal” (ensuring 50% representation), “meaningful” (allowing women to directly shape decisions and outcomes), and “safe” (protecting women human rights defenders and peacebuilders). The signatories reaffirm that women’s rights cannot wait, and call on the Security Council to hold Member States accountable to these standards across all conflict and post-conflict settings.