By Merrite Johnson
Introduction
Since the adoption of Resolution 1820 (2008), the Security Council has requested that senior UN leaders provide different types of information[1] and analysis on women, peace and security (WPS) in the context of all country-specific situations on the Security Council’s agenda to inform its decision-making as the primary international body on peace and security. Briefings[2] by senior UN leadership — including Special Envoys and Special Representatives of the Secretary-General (SRSGs) — are an important opportunity to demonstrate that gender-sensitive conflict analysis is driving the strategy and work of a peace operation, to describe the UN’s efforts to uphold its obligations to implement the WPS agenda and to contribute to more transparent and responsive decision-making on peace and security issues.
In 2013, the Security Council made its request for information and analysis from the Secretariat more explicit by adopting Resolution 2122 (2013).[3] Subsequently, the expectations regarding WPS content in both briefings and reports have been reiterated and clarified more than a dozen times across resolutions and presidential statements, reports of the Secretary-General and various UN handbooks and procedures.[4]
Broadly, senior UN officials are expected to provide insight into the gender dimensions of a situation, as well as updates on WPS implementation, by integrating the following into their briefings to the Security Council:
- Gender-sensitive analysis of the situation[5]
- Updates on the mission’s implementation of the WPS agenda[6]
- Efforts to engage with women’s civil society and support their participation in peace and political processes[7]
- Strong statements of support for gender equality and the full range of women’s human rights, including recognizing the important work of women human rights defenders and peacebuilders[8]
- Support for women’s meaningful participation in peace, electoral and political processes[9]
In short, the Security Council and the Secretary-General have established that Secretariat briefings to the Security Council should provide clear, factual analysis of both the intersectional gender dimensions of the conflict-affected situation, as well as the UN’s own efforts to uphold its obligations to implement the WPS agenda, to contribute to more transparent and gender-responsive decision-making on peace and security issues.
Methodology
The NGO Working Group analyzed 100% of briefings[10] (185 total[11]) delivered on behalf of UN entities at 132 country-specific meetings of the Security Council between 1 January – 31 December 2025, including four meetings with an explicit WPS focus.[12] Briefings were on 23 situations[13] by 47 individuals on behalf of 31 UN system entities and field offices,[14] including five peacekeeping missions and 12 special political missions. Each statement was reviewed for the presence of any of 34 relevant WPS-related terms.[15] When one or more of these terms was found in a statement, the full statement was reviewed, and the context of each WPS-related term was coded in order to assess the extent to which the briefer met the five WPS expectations elaborated above. Briefings that did not include any WPS-related terms were automatically coded as meeting 0 of 5 expectations.
Overall analysis
Out of 185 briefings by UN officials in 2025, 79% (147) used at least one WPS-related term (see footnote 15). This is an increase from 74% in 2024; however, as was also the case in 2024, most of these briefings failed to meet WPS expectations.[16]
Of these 185 briefings:
- 56% (103) met 0 expectations out of 5, including 38 briefings that did not use any WPS-related terms.
- 24% (44) met 1 expectation
- 11% (21) met 2 expectations
- 5% (9) met 3 expectations — these were briefings on Afghanistan (4), Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Great Lakes, Haiti, Libya and Syria.
- 2% (3) met 4 expectations — these were briefings on Afghanistan and Yemen (2).
- Only three briefings, all delivered by UN Women, met all 5 expectations. These were briefings on Afghanistan, South Sudan and West Africa/Sahel.[17]
WPS Content in 2025 Country-Specific Briefings by Select UN Entities[18] [19] [20]
Inclusion of gender-sensitive conflict analysis
22% of country-specific briefings in 2025 (41) included gender-sensitive analysis examining the unique impacts of conflict and crisis on women and girls in Afghanistan, DRC, Haiti, Israel/Palestine, Libya, South Sudan, Sudan, West Africa/Sahel, Ukraine and Yemen. Senior officials’ gender-sensitive analysis addressed topics such as: increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) for women and girls in DRC as a result of increased internal displacement, family separation and proliferation of armed elements;[21] restricted access to healthcare, psychosocial support and legal aid for gender-based violence (GBV) survivors in Yemen as a result of funding cuts;[22] and restrictions on women aid workers in Afghanistan limiting women’s access to protection and healthcare services.[23] Senior officials mentioned sexual violence (21% of briefings, 38) and/or GBV[24] (21% of briefings, 39) about as frequently, though they rarely provided detail beyond stating that such violence had occurred. 8% of all briefings in 2025 (14) included additional detail on sexual violence and/or GBV, such as risk factors or trends. Support for accountability was relatively rare: 4% of briefings (8) specifically expressed support for accountability for GBV, and 5% (10) did so for sexual violence.
Women’s human rights and gender equality
Overall, senior officials rarely discussed women’s human rights or gender equality, mentioning these topics in just 11% of briefings (21). Even fewer explicitly expressed support for women’s rights or gender equality — 7% of briefings (13), on Afghanistan (5), Iraq, Libya, South Sudan, Syria (3), West Africa/Sahel and Yemen. No briefings in 2025 mentioned lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer (LGBTIQ) people, though one briefing, by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Libya, mentioned targeting of individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.[25]
Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) also received little attention in 2025, mentioned in only 8% of briefings (14) on DRC, Great Lakes, Israel/Palestine (3), South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine (3) and Yemen (4). Only one briefing in 2025, by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs on Ukraine, specifically expressed support for SRHR.[26]
Advancing women’s participation and leadership
26% of briefings (49) in 2025 mentioned women’s participation and leadership in peace or political processes, a slight increase from 24% in 2024; however, only 17% of briefings (32) expressed support for women’s participation. 8% of briefings (14) provided specific data on women’s participation, such as numbers of women parliamentarians and statistics on newly registered women voters. Only 3% of briefings (5) mentioned specific quotas for women’s participation, in Central Africa, Kosovo, Libya, South Sudan and West Africa/Sahel, with just two briefings, on Libya[27] and South Sudan,[28] expressing support for quotas. 8% of briefings (14) discussed women’s participation in humanitarian activities and/or restrictions on their access to humanitarian aid, in the context of Afghanistan (6), Great Lakes (2), Syria (2), West Africa/Sahel, Ukraine and Yemen (2).
Support for women human rights defenders and civil society
Senior officials mentioned women activists, leaders or peacebuilders in only 3% of briefings (6), on Colombia, Libya (2), Syria and Yemen (2). In addition, five briefings mentioned human rights defenders more generally in the Central African Republic (CAR), DRC (3) and Libya. Only one briefing, by the Special Envoy on Yemen, specifically mentioned and expressed support for women human rights defenders.[29] 12% of briefings (23) mentioned women’s civil society or women-led and women’s rights organizations, and 5% (9) discussed consultations with such organizations, while only 6% of briefings (11) explicitly expressed support for women’s civil society. Senior officials discussed specific outcomes of consultation with women’s civil society in 3% of briefings (5), on Great Lakes, Kosovo, Libya and Syria (2). This lack of attention is not limited to women’s civil society: only a quarter of senior official briefings mentioned civil society of any kind.
Implementation of WPS-related tasks
19% of briefings in 2025 (35) mentioned implementation of mandated WPS-related tasks: this includes 33% of official briefings by the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), 23% of official briefings by the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and 7% of briefings by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Implementation activities included: the deployment of mobile courts to hear cases on SGBV;[30] capacity-building programs for women on governance, which enabled several participants to run for local office;[31] and voter registration campaigns specifically targeting women.[32]
WPS Expectations Met in 2025 Country-Specific Briefings by Select UN Entities[33]
Country-specific analysis
Afghanistan
Women’s rights in Afghanistan remain severely curtailed as the Taliban continue to impose policies of gender-based discrimination that both international experts[34] and Afghan women themselves[35] describe as gender apartheid. Women and girls from marginalized ethnic and religious groups;[36] lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (LBTQ) women;[37] and women and girls with disabilities[38] face additional forms of discrimination. These widespread, systematic and grave violations of the rights of women, girls and LGBTIQ people likely amount to gender persecution, a crime against humanity for which the ICC issued arrest warrants in July 2025 for two senior Taliban leaders.[39]
Senior officials briefed the Security Council on Afghanistan seven times in four meetings in 2025. Unlike other country situations (see below), all seven briefings used at least one WPS term and met at least one expectation. While all briefings on Afghanistan included gender-sensitive analysis of the situation, 71% (5) discussed WPS implementation activities, and only 29% (2) expressed support for women’s participation in peace or political processes. Only one briefing, by the Executive Director of UN Women, called for the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of Afghan women in international engagement with the Taliban, including the Doha process. In addition, while all briefings mentioned the situation of women’s rights, 71% (5) actually expressed support for women’s rights and/or gender equality and condemned violations thereof. 43% of briefings (3) expressed support for women’s civil society organizations, though none discussed consultations with these groups. In light of continued Taliban restrictions on women aid workers,[40] 86% of briefings (6) mentioned women’s participation in humanitarian delivery.
Israel/Palestine
Israel’s military offensive in Gaza since October 2023 — which many Palestinian, Israeli and international experts have concluded constitutes genocide[41] — has had disproportionate impacts on Palestinian women and girls in Gaza, subjecting them to sexual, gender-based and reproductive violence,[42] and violating their rights to life, health, human dignity and non-discrimination.[43] Many of these violations continue despite the October 2025 ceasefire agreement.[44] The SRSG on Sexual Violence in Conflict concluded in 2024 that there are reasonable grounds to believe conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) occurred at several locations in Israel during the 7 October attacks, as well as “clear and convincing information” that some hostages in Gaza were subjected to CRSV.[45] UN and other entities have also documented GBV, including CRSV, committed against Palestinian women and girls in the occupied West Bank.[46]
Senior officials briefed the Security Council 28 times on Israel-Palestine in 23 meetings in 2025, the most meetings of any country situation.[47] 82% of briefings (23) used at least one WPS-related term. In total, however, 89% of briefings on Israel-Palestine (25) met 0 of 5 expectations, 11% (3) met 1 of 5 expectations and no briefings on this file met 2 or more expectations, meaning that senior officials overwhelmingly failed to provide substantive WPS-related information in their briefings. Senior officials’ statements were largely lacking in gender analysis, especially with regard to the experiences of Palestinian women and girls in Gaza. Instead, many senior officials simply noted statistics related to women and girls (57%, 16 briefings). 54% of briefings (15) mentioned “women and children” as a group, mainly in the context of women and children killed, displaced and/or in need of humanitarian assistance. 36% of briefings (10) mentioned pregnant and postpartum women in Gaza, including as a group in particular need of humanitarian assistance; and 11% (3) mentioned access or needs on the ground related to sexual and reproductive healthcare, including maternity care, in Gaza. Despite increased attention by other UN entities, including the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, to reproductive violence in Gaza, no senior officials mentioned reproductive violence in their briefings to the Security Council. Only 11% of briefings (3) provided gender-sensitive analysis, despite the deeply gendered nature of the conflict. No briefings mentioned women’s participation in any context (either in future peace or political processes, or in the context of the humanitarian response), and no briefings mentioned women’s human rights or gender equality. 14% of senior official briefings (4) mentioned sexual violence perpetrated against Israeli hostages (3)[48] and Palestinians in Israeli detention (2),[49] as well as in the context of the 7 October attacks[50] and against Palestinian children in Gaza.[51]
Sudan
Over 1,000 days of war in Sudan have created the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crises, triggered famine and widespread food insecurity, and had disproportionately severe impacts on diverse women and girls. CRSV has become a hallmark of the conflict,[52] with women and girls subjected to rape, sexual slavery, kidnapping and enforced disappearance. In addition, women and girls from Zaghawa, Masalit, Fur and other native African communities in the Darfur and Kordofan regions have been targeted for CRSV on the basis of their identities, indicating intent to destroy these groups in violation of the Genocide Convention.[53]
Senior UN officials provided 11 briefings in eight Council meetings on Sudan in 2025, 91% (10) of which used at least one WPS-related term. In total, 73% of briefings on Sudan (8) met 0 expectations, and 27% (3) met 1 of 5 expectations. No briefings on this file met 2 or more expectations, meaning that senior officials largely failed to provide substantive WPS-related information in their briefings. 18% of briefings on Sudan (2) included gender-sensitive conflict analysis, and 9% (1) mentioned activities related to WPS implementation. CRSV was mentioned in 73% of briefings (8); however, these references were often cursory, simply stating that CRSV had occurred, with only one briefing including additional detail about the issue, providing data on documented rape cases against girls in Sudan. Though the role of women’s civil society and women-led organizations in responding to the crisis in Sudan is well-documented,[54] no briefings expressed support for these organizations, or mentioned women’s participation in the humanitarian response. Further, no briefings in 2025 expressed support for women’s participation in peace or political processes.
Syria
The fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 after over 50 years of dictatorship was a historic turning point for Syria. However, many challenges remain to ensure a sustainable transition that ensures women’s full, equal, meaningful and safe participation and respects their human rights. Women’s participation in the transitional government is extremely limited, with only one woman in the cabinet[55] and women holding only 5% of elected seats in the People’s Assembly.[56] Women continue to face legal discrimination under the transitional government,[57] as well as SGBV, including against ethnic and religious minorities.[58]
Senior officials briefed the Security Council 30 times in 17 meetings on Syria[59] in 2025, the highest number of briefings on a country file last year. 77% (23) of these used at least one WPS-related term, but 53% of briefings (16) met 0 of 5 expectations. Only one briefing on Syria met 3 expectations,[60] and none met 4 or all expectations in 2025.[61] 20% of briefings (6) included gender-sensitive analysis, while 10% (3) expressed support for women’s human rights. 30% of briefings (9) expressed support for women’s participation. 7% (2) included specific data on women’s participation[62] and another 7% (2) included information on specific barriers to women’s participation in Syria, particularly violence or threats of violence against women active in public or political life.[63] 10% of briefings (3) discussed WPS implementation activities.[64] Women’s civil society was mentioned in only one briefing,[65] with no briefings expressing support.
Ukraine
Women and girls in Ukraine continue to be profoundly impacted by the ongoing war following the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. They face additional caregiving responsibilities[66] and increased risks of GBV,[67] and women-headed households are disproportionately impacted by displacement and economic insecurity.[68] As a result of martial law in Ukraine preventing adult men from leaving the country,[69] the majority of Ukrainian refugees are women and girls,[70] who face gender-specific challenges in host countries, such as labor exploitation[71] and barriers to sexual and reproductive healthcare.[72] Since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Security Council has held only two WPS-focused meetings on Ukraine, in April and June 2022.[73]
Senior officials briefed the Council 23 times in 17 meetings on Ukraine in 2025, with 78% of briefings (18) using at least one WPS-related term. However, similarly to the Israel-Palestine context, senior officials largely failed to meet WPS expectations: 65% of briefings on Ukraine (15) met 0 of 5 expectations, and no briefings on this file met 2 or more expectations.[74] 30% of briefings (7) provided gender-sensitive conflict analysis, all delivered by OCHA representatives who detailed humanitarian impacts on women and girls; namely, increased rates of GBV and the impact of humanitarian funding cuts on protection and health services. 13% of briefings (3) mentioned women’s civil society or women-led organizations, though none expressed support; and 4% (1) mentioned activities related to WPS implementation. No briefings on Ukraine in 2025 expressed support for women’s participation or for women’s human rights.
Conclusion
The expectation that senior UN officials include WPS information and analysis in all country-specific briefings to the Security Council is unambiguous; yet 25 years since the adoption of Resolution 1325 (2000), the vast majority of briefings fail to do so sufficiently or consistently. Without including substantive WPS information in their briefings, senior UN officials do not accurately reflect the impact of conflicts and crises on diverse women and girls, nor provide clear policy recommendations to decision-makers on how to address these issues.
Implementation of the WPS agenda is the responsibility of many stakeholders; within the UN system, individuals in senior leadership positions, including the Secretary-General and those overseeing the work of offices or entities working in conflict and crisis settings, have a particular obligation to ensure the WPS agenda is prioritized, resourced and advanced.[75] Holding senior UN leaders accountable for mainstreaming the WPS agenda into their work will remain a challenge without sustained pressure from Member States and demonstrable change within the UN system.
In 2025, core principles of the WPS agenda, including gender equality; the full scope of women’s human rights, including SRHR; the concept and use of the word “gender”; and protection for women human rights defenders and women’s civil society, increasingly came under attack at the Security Council; as a result, only 46% of Council decisions in 2025 included any language related to gender or WPS, the lowest percentage since 2009. Council decision-making so far in 2026 indicates that this trend will continue. In some cases, this has resulted in the elimination of WPS-related tasks by UN missions on the ground.[76] Given this context, it will be especially important for senior UN officials to provide concrete information to the Security Council on the impacts of these changes on their ability to address the needs of women and girls in conflict situations in which they operate, and to emphasize the continued importance of protecting and implementing the WPS agenda. Similarly, senior officials, particularly from OCHA, should continue to provide detailed information in their briefings on the impact of humanitarian funding cuts on women and girls on the ground in conflict and crisis settings. In addition, given the backlash against gender equality, women’s rights and the WPS agenda, it will also be critical that being a vocal champion on these issues is considered a key criterion for selection and appointment of the next UN Secretary-General.
Recommendations to senior UN officials
- Consistently include gender-sensitive analysis of all conflict situations, and details related to the way in which such analysis has informed mission activities and planning.
- Highlight concrete recommendations shared by women’s civil society during consultations and the ways in which those recommendations inform mission activities and planning.
- Express unequivocal support for the full range of all women’s human rights, and explicitly condemn violations thereof. Highlight barriers to the realization of specific rights, such as the right to participation, SRHR or LGBTIQ rights.
- Express support for women’s full, equal, meaningful and safe participation in peace and political processes, including those led or facilitated by the UN. Provide analysis of barriers to women’s participation and recommendations for overcoming those barriers.
- Provide concrete examples of the impacts of Security Council decision-making, including omission or watering down of core WPS terminology and concepts, on the rights of women and girls on the ground, as well as the ability of UN peace operations to deliver gender-responsive services and support for women and girls.
Recommendations to the Security Council
- Explicitly request in formal Council products that all briefings by UN officials include information and analysis on WPS.
- In national statements delivered during Security Council meetings, request WPS information and gender analysis from UN officials and follow up on past requests and discussions of WPS issues from both informal and formal meetings.
- Increase the frequency and geographic diversity of WPS-focused country-specific briefings, and bilaterally request that senior UN officials focus on this issue in their briefings.
Merrite Johnson is the Program and Research Manager at the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security.
[1] The work of the Security Council relies heavily on information and analysis from a range of sources delivered by the Secretariat in both written and verbal forms, during public and private meetings that occur on a schedule that is unique to each country situation. A considerable portion of Security Council meetings are conducted privately, however, there are two important vehicles for information and analysis that are publicly accessible: reports of the Secretary-General and briefings delivered by the Secretariat in public meetings. In addition to the general updates on the country situation, the Security Council has asked for additional information on various cross-cutting thematic issues to be included in country-specific briefings. These requests are typically made within resolutions or presidential statements adopted on thematic agenda items, with the majority being made in the context of WPS. The frequency with which the Security Council has requested robust information and analysis on WPS should be taken as an indicator of its priority.
[2] Briefings delivered to the Security Council, timed to coincide with the publication of the related report of the Secretary-General, are meant to “supplement,” not duplicate, the information in the report and urge relevant governments, or the Security Council as a whole, to take certain actions (Working Methods Handbook, ¶57, https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/working-methods-handbook). Although these briefings, delivered in highly formal diplomatic language, are not the only opportunity for senior UN officials to exchange information with the Security Council, given their visibility and public nature, they present the UN’s priorities in the context of a given country-specific situation.
[3] Resolution 2122 (2013), OP 2(a),(b),(c),(d), https://undocs.org/s/res/2122(2013).
[4] See for example UN DPO, “Policy: Gender Responsive United Nations Peacekeeping Operations,” 2024.07, May 2024, https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/gender-responsive-un-peacekeeping-operations-policy [hereinafter “UN DPO, 2024.07”]; UN Gender Equality Acceleration Plan, April 2024, https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/2024/12/unw_geap_deck_detailed_plan_final.pdf; “UN DPPA Women, Peace and Security Policy,” October 2023, https://dppa.un.org/sites/default/files/dppa_wps_policy_october_2023.pdf [hereinafter “UN DPPA WPS Policy 2023”]; UN DPO, “Policy: The Protection of Civilians in UN Peacekeeping,” p. 29, May 2023, https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/2023_protection_of_civilians_policy.pdf; UN OIOS, Audit of implementation of the women, peace and security agenda in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and the Department of Peace Operations (2022/027), 2022, https://oios.un.org/file/9461/download?token=SgFsgO1X; UN OIOS, Evaluation of WPS in field-based missions – elections and political transitions (A/77/83), (2022), https://docs.un.org/en/a/77/83; UN DPO & DFS, Guidelines: Engagement with Civil Society (2017.06), 2017; Report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security, ¶113(b), 25 September 2020, S/2020/946, https://docs.un.org/en/s/2020/946; UN DPO, “Handbook: Protection of Civilians in United Nations Peacekeeping,” Chapter 13, September 2020, https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/dpo-poc-handbook; UN DPO, “Resource Package: Gender Equality & WPS,” 2020, https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/gender-equality-and-women-peace-and-security-resource-package; DPPA, “UN DPPA Women, Peace and Security Policy,” 2019, https://dppa.un.org/sites/default/files/190604_dppa_wps_policy_-_final.pdf; Security Council Resolution 2242 (2015), https://undocs.org/s/res/2242(2015); Security Council Resolution 2122 (2013); Report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security, ¶120(d), 9 October 2019, S/2019/800 docs.un.org/en/s/2019/800; S/PRST/2010/22 ¶11, 26 October 2010; S/PRST/2010/8 ¶5, 27 April 2010; S/PRST/2007/40 ¶17, 24 October 2007; S/PRST/2006/42 ¶10, 8 November 2006.
[5] See UN DPO 2024.07, ¶21, Annex 1; UN DPPA WPS Policy 2023, ¶3(a), Annex I Objective 2, Annex II Indicator 16; Report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security, ¶120(d), 9 October 2019, docs.un.org/en/s/2019/800.
[6] See UN DPO 2024.07, ¶19, 29, 54; UN DPPA WPS Policy 2023, Annex I Objective 8; Security Council Resolution 2122 (2013), OP 2(b).
[7] See UN DPPA WPS Policy 2023, ¶3(a); Report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security, ¶113(b), 25 September 2020, S/2020/946, https://docs.un.org/en/s/2020/946; Report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security, ¶120(d), 9 October 2019, S/2019/800 docs.un.org/en/s/2019/800; Resolution 2122 (2013), OP 2(c).
[8] See UN DPO 2024.07, ¶19; UN Gender Equality Acceleration Plan, Section 2.1, April 2024, https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/2024/12/unw_geap_deck_detailed_plan_final.pdf; Report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security, ¶113(b), 25 September 2020, S/2020/946, https://docs.un.org/en/s/2020/946.
[9] See Report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security, ¶107(b), 5 September 2025, S/2025/556, https://docs.un.org/en/s/2025/556; UN Gender Equality Acceleration Plan, Section 2.1, April 2024, https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/2024/12/unw_geap_deck_detailed_plan_final.pdf; UN DPPA WPS Policy 2023, Annex I Objective 1, Annex II Indicator 16; Resolution 2122 (2013), OP 2(c).
[10] “Briefings” in this paper refers to statements delivered by senior UN officials to the Security Council; meetings frequently have more than one senior official briefing.
[11] In 2025, the Security Council held 17.5% fewer public meetings in total than in 2024, and 25.8% fewer country-specific meetings. Highlights of Security Council Practice 2025, https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/highlights-2025; Highlights of Security Council Practice 2024, https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/highlights-2024.
[12] Members of the WPS Shared Commitments group have pledged to, among other commitments, “[make] WPS-related issues an explicit focus of at least one mandated geographic meeting of the Council or specifically host a WPS signature event in each Presidency and [request] UN briefers to focus on this aspect.” (See S/2025/855, page 3, https://docs.un.org/en/s/2025/855). In 2025, the geographic meetings with a WPS focus were on Afghanistan (S/PV.9875), Yemen (S/PV.9915), West Africa/Sahel (S/PV.9974), South Sudan (S/PV.10038) and Afghanistan (S/PV.10058). In 2025, the Shared Commitments members were Denmark, France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
[13] Abyei, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Central Africa, Colombia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Great Lakes, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, Israel/Palestine, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Middle East, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, West Africa/Sahel, Ukraine, Venezuela and Yemen.
[14] BINUH, DPO, DPPA, FAO, IAEA, ICC, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, OCHA, OHCHR, Special Envoy-Great Lakes, Special Envoy-Horn of Africa, Special Envoy-Syria, Special Envoy-Yemen, UN Secretary-General, UNAMA, UNAMI, UNICEF, UNMIK, UNMISS, UNOCA, UNODA, UNODC, UNOWAS, UNRWA, UNSCO, UNSMIL, UNTSO, UNVMC, UN Women and WHO.
[15] WPS-related terms were: women*, gender*, girl*, female, femin*, woman, sex*, rape*, survivor*, abort*, menstru*, reproduc*, mother*, lactat*, pregnan*, miscarr*, obstet*, breast*, natal, matern*, gay*, lesbian*, transgender*, LGBT*, 1325, 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106, 2122, 2242, 2467 and 2493 (* denotes a function to account for any variations of these words – for example, miscarr* captures “miscarry,” “miscarriage” and “miscarriages”).
[16] For analysis of country-specific briefings by senior officials in 2024, see https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/wps-senior-official-briefings-2024/.
[17] In 2025 UN Women also briefed at two thematic meetings: the annual open debate on protection of civilians (S/PV.991) and open debate on WPS (S/PV.10011).
[18] These five UN system entities delivered 88% of country-specific briefings in 2025. The other 12% of briefings analyzed in this brief were delivered by: FAO, IAEA, ICC, OHCHR, UNODA, UNODC, UNRWA and WHO.
[19] DPO officials include both senior leadership in New York and leadership of peacekeeping missions (MINUSCA, MONUSCO, UNMIK, UNMISS and UNTSO).
[20] DPPA officials include both senior leadership in New York and leadership of special political missions (BINUH, Special Envoy-Great Lakes, Special Envoy-Horn of Africa, Special Envoy-Syria, Special Envoy-Yemen, UNAMA, UNAMI, UNOCA, UNOWAS, UNSCO, UNSMIL and UNVMC).
[21] S/PV.9853, van de Perre.
[22] S/PV.9873, Fletcher.
[23] S/PV.10058, Fletcher.
[24] Though sexual violence is a form of GBV, for the purposes of this analysis, the NGOWG coded references to sexual violence and GBV separately. The WPS resolutions pay particular attention to the issue of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) compared to other forms of GBV; accordingly, some UN agencies’ WPS policies require senior officials to address CRSV as a priority (see for example DPPA’s October 2023 updated WPS policy, https://dppa.un.org/sites/default/files/dppa_wps_policy_october_2023.pdf). Where a senior official mentioned SGBV, this was coded as a reference to both sexual violence and GBV.
[25] S/PV.9916, Khan.
[26] S/PV.9893, Fletcher.
[27] S/PV.10017, Tetteh.
[28] S/PV.10038, Bahous.
[29] S/PV.9873, Grundberg.
[30] S/PV.9855, Haysom.
[31] S/PV.10019, Shin.
[32] S/PV.9864, Rugwabiza.
[33] See note 18.
[34] OHCHR, “Treaty on crimes against humanity: States must give Afghan women a central voice and recognise gender apartheid, Experts say,” 19 January 2026, https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/treaty-crimes-against-humanity-states-must-give-afghan-women-central-voice; “The phenomenon of an institutionalized system of discrimination, segregation, disrespect for human dignity and exclusion of women and girls – Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan,” 13 May 2024, A/HRC/56/25, https://docs.un.org/en/a/hrc/56/25; UN Security Council Briefing on Afghanistan by Karima Bennoune, 26 September 2023, https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/resource/un-security-council-briefing-afghanistan-karima-bennoune/.
[35] UN Security Council Briefing on Afghanistan by Negina Yari, 10 December 2025, https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/resource/un-security-council-briefing-afghanistan-negina-yari/; UN Security Council Briefing on Afghanistan by Azadah Raz Mohammad, 10 March 2025, https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/resource/un-security-council-briefing-afghanistan-azadah-raz-mohammad/; End Gender Apartheid Campaign, accessed 23 January 2026, https://endgenderapartheid.today/index.php.
[36] Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, 8 October 2025, ¶62-65, A/80/432, https://docs.un.org/en/A/80/432.
[37] Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, 8 October 2025, ¶69-71, A/80/432, https://docs.un.org/en/A/80/432.
[38] Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, ¶56-59, 30 August 2024, A/79/330, undocs.org/a/79/330.
[39] International Criminal Court, “Situation in Afghanistan: ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II issues arrest warrants for Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani,” 8 July 2025, https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/situation-afghanistan-icc-pre-trial-chamber-ii-issues-arrest-warrants-haibatullah-akhundzada.
[40] See UN Security Council Briefing on Afghanistan by Negina Yari, 10 December 2025, https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/resource/un-security-council-briefing-afghanistan-negina-yari/.
[41] Statement by Ms. Noura Erakat at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security, 6 October 2025, https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/resource/statement-noura-erakat-security-council-open-debate-women-peace-security/; Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, “Legal analysis of the conduct of Israel in Gaza pursuant to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,” 16 September 2025, A/HRC/60/CRP.3, https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session60/advance-version/a-hrc-60-crp-3.pdf; B’Tselem, “Our Genocide,” July 2025, https://www.btselem.org/publications/202507_our_genocide; Al-Haq, “The Systematic Destruction of Gaza’s Healthcare System: A Pattern of Genocide,” 23 January 2025, https://www.alhaq.org/publications/25846.html; Human Rights Watch, “Extermination and Acts of Genocide: Israel Deliberately Depriving Palestinians in Gaza of Water,” 19 December 2024, https://www.hrw.org/report/2024/12/19/extermination-and-acts-genocide/israel-deliberately-depriving-palestinians-gaza; Amnesty International, “‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza,” 5 December 2024, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/8668/2024/en/; Palestinian Feminist Collective, “The Palestinian Feminist Collective Condemns Reproductive Genocide in Gaza,” 10 February 2024, https://palestinianfeministcollective.org/the-pfc-condemns-reproductive-genocide-in-gaza/.
[42] Statement by Ms. Noura Erakat at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security, 6 October 2025, https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/resource/statement-noura-erakat-security-council-open-debate-women-peace-security/; Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, “‘More than a human can bear’: Israel’s systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023,” 13 March 2025, A/HRC/58/CRP.6, https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session58/a-hrc-58-crp-6.pdf; Human Rights Watch, “‘Five Babies in One Incubator’: Violations of Pregnant Women’s Rights Amid Israel’s Assault on Gaza,” 28 January 2025, https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/01/28/five-babies-one-incubator/violations-pregnant-womens-rights-amid-israels-assault.
[43] Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, 11 September 2024, ¶97, A/79/232, https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n24/262/79/pdf/n2426279.pdf.
[44] Amnesty International, “Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated despite ceasefire,” 27 November 2025, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/11/israels-genocide-against-palestinians-in-gaza-continues-unabated-despite-ceasefire/; Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, “One month into the ceasefire, Israel continues genocide in Gaza in various forms,” 10 November 2025, https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6912/One-month-into-the-ceasefire,-Israel-continues-genocide-in-Gaza-in-various-forms.
[45] “Mission report: Official visit of the Office of the SRSG-SVC to Israel and the occupied West Bank, 29 January – 14 February 2024,” https://docs.un.org/en/S/2024/217.
[46] Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, “‘More than a human can bear’: Israel’s systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023,” 13 March 2025, ¶115-116, 124-127, A/HRC/58/CRP.6, https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session58/a-hrc-58-crp-6.pdf
[47] These included regular briefings mandated by Resolutions 2334 (2016) and 2720 (2023), quarterly open debates and ad hoc meetings.
[48] S/PV.10068, Alakbarov; S/PV.9883, Kaag; S/PV.9882, Khiari.
[49] S/PV.10068, Alakbarov; S/PV.9883, Kaag.
[50] S/PV.9882, Khiari.
[51] S/PV.9846, Fletcher.
[52] See UN Security Council Briefing on Sudan by Hala Alkarib, 19 February 2026, https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/resource/un-security-council-briefing-sudan-hala-alkarib/; Statement by Ms. Ikhlass Ahmed at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, 19 August 2025, https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/resource/statement-unsc-crsv-open-debate-ahmed/.
[53] Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, “Sudan: Hallmarks of Genocide in El-Fasher,” 17 February 2025, A/HRC/61/77, https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session61/advance-version/a-hrc-61-77-auv-en.pdf; Press Conference by Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, Mr. Chaloka Beyani, 18 December 2025, https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/usg_and_sa_pog_beyani_press_statement_on_sudan_18dec2025.pdf; Briefing to the 57th session of the Human Rights Council by Ms. Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, 10 September 2024, https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/usg_sa_nderitu_human_rights_council_sudan_10_sep_2024.pdf.
[54] Hana Jafar, “Women’s Emergency Response Rooms as Flourishing Sites of Democracy in Wartime Sudan,” African Arguments, 21 August 2025, https://africanarguments.org/2025/08/madaniya-civic-politics-women-emergency-response-rooms-as-flourishing-sites-of-democracy-in-war-time-sudan/; Malaz Emad, “‘Strength in solidarity’: How mutual aid is helping women survive Sudan’s war,” The New Humanitarian, 28 January 2025, https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2025/01/28/how-mutual-aid-helping-women-survive-sudan-war; UN Security Council Briefing on Sudan by Dr. Limiaa Ahmed, 18 June 2024, https://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/resource/un-security-council-briefing-sudan-limiaa-ahmed/; UN Women, “Women are leading the humanitarian response in Sudan,” 5 July 2023, https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2023/07/women-are-leading-the-humanitarian-response-in-sudan.
[55] Carlotta Gall, “The Only Female Minister in Syria’s New Government Wants to ‘Get Things Done’,“ The New York Times, 6 May 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/06/world/middleeast/syria-female-minister-government.html.
[56] Women won six of 119 available seats in the October 2025 People’s Assembly elections. Briefing by Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, Najat Rochdi, to the Security Council, 22 October 2025, S/PV.10021, https://docs.un.org/en/S/PV.10021.
[57] See for example Hawar News Agency, “Syrian Women’s Council rejects Ministry of Justice circular excluding mothers from child guardianship,” 18 December 2025, https://hawarnews.com/en/syrian-womens-council-rejects-ministry-of-justice-circular-excluding-mothers-from-child-guardianship; Syrian Feminist Lobby, “Disgraceful Circular No. 17,” 18 December 2025, https://syrianfeministlobby.org/en/2025/12/18/disgraceful-circular-no-17/ [contains text of circular in Arabic].
[58] OHCHR, “Syria: UN experts alarmed by attacks on Druze communities, including sexual violence against women and girls,” 21 August 2025, https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/08/syria-un-experts-alarmed-attacks-druze-communities-including-sexual-violence; Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, “Violations against civilians in the coastal and western-central regions of the Syrian Arab Republic (January-March 2025),” Annex II, Section I(Q), 11 August 2025, A/HRC/59/CRP.4, https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session59/a-hrc-59-crp4-en.pdf; Amnesty International, “Syria: Authorities must investigate abductions of Alawite women and girls,” 28 July 2025, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/07/syria-authorities-must-investigate-abductions-of-alawite-women-and-girls/; OCHA, “Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian Response Priorities (January to December 2025),” pp. 24-25, 24 July 2025, https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/syrian-arab-republic-humanitarian-response-priorities-january-december-2025.
[59] These comprised 12 monthly meetings on the political/humanitarian situation, three meetings on the Syria chemical weapons file and two ad hoc meetings.
[60] S/PV.10021, Rochdi.
[61] 27% (8) met 1 expectation and 17% (5) met 2 expectations.
[62] S/PV.10021, Rochdi; S/PV.9904, Pedersen.
[63] S/PV.9999, Pedersen; S/PV.9983, Pedersen.
[64] S/PV.10048, Rochdi; S/PV.10021, Rochdi; S/PV.9937, Rochdi.
[65] S/PV.9920, Pedersen.
[66] CARE, “Ukraine Rapid Gender Analysis,” August 2024, pp. 16-17, https://www.care.de/media/websitedateien/care-allgemeines/publikationen/advocacy/care-rga-ukraine-2024.pdf.
[67] UNFPA, “Voices from Ukraine 2024: Assessment Findings and Recommendations,” December 2024, https://ukraine.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/2025-03/Voices%20from%20Ukraine_Report_2024_0.pdf.
[68] Ukraine Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2026, 11 January 2026, pp. 9, 13, https://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-humanitarian-needs-and-response-plan-2026-january-2026-enuk.
[69] Men aged 18-60 were banned from leaving Ukraine when martial law was announced in February 2022, until new regulations were announced in August 2025 allowing men 18-22 to leave the country. Thomas d’Istria, “Ukraine allows 18- to 22-year-old men to leave country once again,” Le Monde, 28 August 2025, https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/08/28/war-in-ukraine-government-allows-18-to-22-year-olds-to-leave-country-once-again_6744802_4.html.
[70] Women and girls comprise 63% of refugees. Ukraine Situation Revised Regional Refugee Response Plan, 2025-2026, p. 7, https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/ukraine/ukraine-situation-revised-regional-refugee-response-plan-2025-2026.
[71] Jan Bazyli Klakla, “How Ukrainian refugees hit a glass ceiling working in Poland,” Open Democracy, 9 October 2025, https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-trafficking-and-slavery/how-ukrainian-refugees-hit-a-glass-ceiling-working-in-poland.
[72] Women’s Refugee Commission, “Examining Barriers to Family Planning Information, Products, and Services Among Ukrainian Refugees and Host Communities in Poland,” updated 20 February 2025, https://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/research-resources/examining-barriers-to-family-planning-information-products-and-services-among-ukrainian-refugees-and-host-communities-in-poland/.
[73] S/PV.9013 (11 April 2022) and S/PV.9056 (6 June 2022).
[74] 35% (8) met 1 expectation.
[75] United Nations System Wide Gender Equality Acceleration Plan, March 2025, https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-12/geap_detailed_final.pdf.
[76] For example, Resolution 2814 (2026), renewing the mandate of BINUH, removed all language related to gender, including as a cross-cutting issue throughout the mandate; women’s participation in electoral and political processes; and the deployment of women’s protection advisors. Language on gender as a cross-cutting issue was also removed from the mandates of the South Sudan sanctions regime (Resolution 2781 (2025)), UNISFA (Resolution 2802 (2025)), the Al Shabaab sanctions regime (Resolution 2806 (2025)) and UNFICYP (Resolution 2815 (2026)).