Mainstreaming Resolution 1325? Evaluating the Impact on Security Council Resolution 1325 on Country-Specific UN Resolutions

Authors

  • Renee Black University of Ottawa

Abstract

In October 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security recognizing for the first time that women disproportionately face the consequences of conflict and should therefore be included in decision-making at all levels during peace processes and post-conflict governance. However in the eight years since its adoption, many questions remain regarding the Security Council’s commitment to this agenda. This paper examines the language of Security Council resolutions between 1998 and 2008 to evaluate how Resolution 1325 has influenced the language of conflict-specific Security Council resolutions. I conclude that while Resolution 1325 has actually led to a significant increase in the numbers of references to women in resolution language, references are much more likely to call for the protection of women and are significantly less likely to call for their active participation in decision-making processes.

Author Biography

Renee Black, University of Ottawa

Renee recently completed her Masters at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public & International Affairs. She currently lives in New York where she continues research on the Women, Peace & Security agenda, with particular focus on the evaluating the implementation of Resolution 1325 and the potential for resolution 1820 implementation. Other research interests include the role of media in conflict, post-conflict justice mechanisms and security sector reform. Renee previously completed an Honors Commerce at Dalhousie and worked as a Business Analyst on IT projects for seven years. She has lived in Canada, France, Vanuatu and South Africa.

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Issue

Vol. 11 No. 4 (2009): Summer 2009

Section

JMSS Awards of Excellence