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UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz

Press Conference by Women's Non-Governmental Organizations on UN Reform
Sam Cook (second from left), Project Associate for PeaceWomen, a project of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, speaks to journalists at a press conference to discuss an open letter to the Secretary-General and Member States from Women's non-governmental organizations regarding UN reform, today at UN Headquarters in New York.
Location: United Nations, New York
Date: 6 March 2006

About Us

The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (NGO Working Group) was formed in May 2000 to advocate for a UN Security Council Resolution (SCR) on women, peace and security. This was achieved collaboratively with the unanimous adoption of SCR 1325 on 31 October 2000. The NGO Working Group advocates for and monitors the participation of women, prevention of conflict and protection of all civilians, to ensure full and rapid implementation of SCR 1325's promises.

Mission

The NGO Working Group's mission is to collaborate with the United Nations, its Member States and civil society towards full implementation of SCR 1325, including ensuring the equal and full participation of women in issues relating to peace and security. Using SCR 1325 as our guiding instrument, the NGO Working Group promotes a gender perspective and respect for human rights in all peace and security, conflict prevention and management and peacebuilding initiatives of the United Nations.

Vision

Sustainable peace depends on the full participation of women in all decision-making to prevent violent conflict and to protect all civilians. The NGO Working Group believes that a broad and positive impact on the lives of all people experiencing conflict will result from full implementation of SCR 1325 and promotion of the Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW and other supporting instruments. We further believe that implementation of SCR 1325 is a necessary tool for the prevention of armed conflict and to facilitate inclusion of gender in the ongoing peace and security discourse taking place within the UN and internationally.

Partners

The NGO Working Group collaborates with civil society groups, UN actors and UN Member States in its work on SCR 1325. Civil society partners include: other women's peace groups and networks, human rights and humanitarian organization and research institutions. UN and Member State partners include:

  • UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
  • UN Inter-Agency Taskforce on Women, Peace and Security
  • UN Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI)
  • Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW)
  • Friends of 1325, a group of UN Member States who are advocates for the implementation of SCR 1325

Members

As of January 2008, the NGO Working Group membership consists of the following organizations:

Interactive Network

Other women's peace groups and networks collaborate with the coalition as part of the NGOWG Interactive Network: