Women Peace and Security Government-Civil Society Dialogue Report 

The Women Peace and Security Government-Civil Society Dialogue 2023, organised by the Australian Civil Society Coalition on Women, Peace and Security in collaboration with the Australian Civil-Military Centre (ACMC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), convened participants to discuss the implementation of Australia’s Second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2021–2031. The dialogue provided a platform for implementing agencies, civil society organisations, women’s rights advocates, and WPS experts to address opportunities and challenges in advancing the goals of the WPS NAP. Key insights and recommendations emerged from discussions aimed at driving effective implementation and promoting women’s inclusion in peace and security efforts. This report highlights the outcomes and key takeaways from the dialogue, underscoring the commitment to advancing women’s rights and peacebuilding in Australia and beyond.

What do peace and security mean to diverse women in Australia? Roundtable summary and recommendations for action

The Coalition is in the process of delivering a multi-year project, funded by the Australian Civil Military Centre, designed to support civil society dialogue and engagement on WPS as part of the implementation of Australia’s Second National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security (2021-2031). Details on the first phase of the project (October-December 2022) and it’s findings were published in a report available here. 

The second phase of the project involved an in-person Roundtable in Sydney, where Coalition members and partners gathered to develop recommendations for the Australian Government. These recommendations focus on five priorities identified in the broader consultation: achieving peace and security for all Australians, reshaping Australia’s role as a peacemaker, restructuring departments for global diplomacy, empowering diverse women and gender diverse individuals, and addressing climate change. The report aims to include inputs from partner organizations representing diverse women who couldn’t attend the Roundtable. Involving women and gender diverse people is crucial for the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, as their perspectives strengthen efforts for peace and security. Recommendations contained in this report are not intended to represent an exhaustive list. Each recommendation includes (in brackets) a suggestion for the Australian Government departments and agencies with responsibility for taking it forward. 

Further and regular consultation is warranted to ensure that Australia’s policy and action on WPS is shaped by the perspectives and priorities of diverse women, girls and gender diverse people.

Centering First Nations Perspectives in the
Women, Peace and Security Agenda in
Australia: Recommendations for Action

In October 2022, the Australian Civil Society Coalition (the Coalition) undertook consultations with women and gender diverse people across Australia, to explore their perspectives on peace and security and priorities for action. Participants in the consultation raised a variety of challenges facing First Nations women, who are disproportionately impacted by conflict and insecurity. The unique peace and security issues faced by First Nations women in Australia were a strong emerging theme and warranted further exploration.

As a result, in March 2023, the Coalition engaged Professor Sandra Creamer, to carry out additional research focused on the perspectives of First Nations Women. Professor Creamer conducted yarning, individually and in yarning circles, with 50 First Nations women from across Australia. Yarning is an Indigenous methodology based on storytelling with similarities to semi-structured interviews, and which recognises the strong oral communication preferences of Indigenous peoples

This paper summarises the responses to both consultations in the hope of serving as a foundation for embedding the WPS agenda within Australia’s First Nations Policy. First Nations perspectives are often overlooked in discussions related to the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the Coalition hopes to help bridge the gap in policy and research by amplifying the diverse voices and lived experiences of First Nations women. 

What do peace and security mean to diverse women in Australia? Consultation findings

The Coalition is in the process of delivering a multi-year project, funded by the Australian Civil Military Centre, designed to support civil society dialogue and engagement on WPS as part of the implementation of Australia’s Second National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security (2021-2031). The first phase of the project involved a consultation to explore understandings of peace and security amongst women and gender diverse people in Australia, how perceptions of peace and security have been shaped by the changing national and global context, and what action diverse communities want to see the Australian Government take to build a safer and more peaceful world. The responses gathered through the consultation process have yielded a rich seam of data, which is outlined in this report and will inform the second phase of the project, aiming to generate detailed recommendations to inform the implementation and monitoring of Australia’s second National Action Plan on WPS.

Strengthening the Engagement of Australian Civil Society in Australia’s Second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

The sixth Annual Civil Society Dialogue report provides clear recommendations on how to strengthen this engagement. The Second National Action Plan is still in the early stages of development. The critical issues, recommendations, and implementation options presented in this report, therefore, provide a timely and useful resource for the development of second National Action Plan during 2019. They offer a clear articulation of principles, processes, and mechanisms that will promote and strengthen ongoing engagement between civil society and the government.

The Fifth Report of the Annual Civil Society Dialogue on Women, Peace and Security

“Listening to Women’s Voices and Making the Connections to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda”

The Fourth Annual Civil Society Report Card on Australia’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

Launched by the Australian Civil Society Coalition on Women, Peace and Security and Monash Gender, Peace and Security. Funded by the Australian Civil Military Centre.

The Third Annual Civil Society Report Card on Australia’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

The release of the Global Study on the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 and the adoption of UNSCR 2242 offer renewed emphasis on the importance of women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution, while ongoing conflicts in Syria and around the world provide daily reminders of the imperative of WPS implementation.

The Second Annual Civil Society Report Card on Australia’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

Internationally Australia has promoted the WPS agenda during its term on the UN Security Council and at the Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict, while at home Government departments have taken measures to mainstream the WPS agenda into their policy and programs.

The First Annual Civil Society Report Card on Australia’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

Released in 2012, it aims to bring together actors across the Australian Government and civil society to ensure that both domestically and when we act overseas, Australia listens to and includes the voices of women in defence, peace and security initiatives.