How to the Successful Implementation of UNSCR 1325

During the panel “UNSCR 1325 in the Region: Translating Policy into Practice” the speakers discussed the progress and challenges in the implementation of UNSCR 1325, with a focus on the Balkan countries.

UNSCR 1325 aims to protect women in conflicts and support their participation in peace negotiations and in post-conflict reconstruction. Hence, it is not an issue only of woman as victims but, more importantly, of women as agents of change. The discussants underlined that the implementation of UNSCR 1325 benefits not only women but society as a whole. They agreed that significant progress has already been made: UNSCR 1325 is on the NATO agenda, new legislation protecting women’s rights has been adopted, and women have been given a voice in national political institutions, as well as the opportunity to connect on the global level.

UNSCR 1325 encouraged dialogue on women’s issues, which is an achievement in and of itself. However, translating UNSCR 1325 into practice is not an easy task, since society is still burdened with patriarchal models and values. The discussants concluded that involving more stakeholders and working in cooperation with different sectors of society and with people of different ideological leanings is of crucial importance to the successful implementation of UNSCR 1325.