Open Letter to Permanent Representatives to the UN: Recommendations on the Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security (WPS)

Today, Tuesday 25 October 2016, Russia is hosting the annual United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security, which will focus on how Member States, regional organisations and the UN are working towards the commitments and recommendations made during the 2015 High-level Review of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).

In advance of the debate, the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security brought together 254 organisations from 55 countries to write an Open Letter to Permanent Representatives to the UN, urging Member States to provide details on the progress made on their political, financial and institutional commitments.

You can read the letter here which outlines key recommendations for the Security Council, specifically in regards to:

• Women’s participation in prevention and resolving conflict and post conflict rebuilding
• Addressing humanitarian crises through a gender lens
• Strengthening justice, accountability and the rule of law
• Developing and implementing National Action Plans on 1325
• Financing the WPS Agenda

The Australian Civil Society Coalition on Women, Peace and Security is proud to be a signatory to this Open Letter, which has now been sent to the New York missions of all Member States and published online.