The United Nations has established a range of commitments, strategies and initiatives to advance women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in UN peace operations. These provide an important framework for efforts to increase the representation of uniformed women, address barriers to their deployment and participation, and improve the environments in which they serve.
Women, Peace and Security
In 2000, UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) established the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. It recognized women’s important contributions to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and called for increased representation of women at all decision-making levels in national, regional and international institutions for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict.
The WPS agenda has subsequently been strengthened through a series of Security Council resolutions addressing women’s participation, protection and rights in conflict and peacebuilding. Further information on the ten Security Council resolutions that form the foundation of the WPS agenda is available through UN Women’s Peace and Security resources.
United Nations Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018–2028
In 2015, UN Security Council resolution 2242 (2015) called for increased efforts to improve the representation of uniformed women in UN peace operations, including through a revised strategy to double the numbers of women in military and police contingents over the following five years.
At the request of the UN Secretary-General, the Department of Peace Operations developed the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018-2028, with contributions from UN Women. The Strategy sets annual targets for increasing the representation of uniformed women across military, police, justice and corrections personnel in UN peace operations.
Also in 2018, UN Security Council Resolution 2436 (2018) reaffirmed the commitments in resolution 2242 and requested that the revised strategy ensure the full, effective and meaningful participation of women in all aspects of peacekeeping.
For military and police personnel, the 2028 targets are:
- 15% women in military contingents
- 25% women military observers
- 25% women staff officers
- 20% women in formed police units
- 30% women individual police officers.
Since the Strategy was introduced, the overall share of uniformed women in UN peacekeeping operations has increased from 4.9% in 2018 to 9.8% in 2024. However, DPO’s 2025 review found that barriers to women’s equal access and meaningful participation remain, particularly in military contingents and leadership positions, as well as in workplace culture and physical environments.
For 2025–2028, DPO has identified priorities including strengthening gender-responsive leadership and accountability, increasing women’s access to uniformed leadership positions, and improving enabling environments in peace operations, including workplace culture, physical environments, health care and gender-sensitive equipment.
2018 Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) and A4P+
Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) was launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2018 to renew collective political commitment to United Nations peacekeeping and strengthen its effectiveness. Its Declaration of Shared Commitments established 45 commitments across eight priority commitment areas, including Women, Peace and Security.
Under the Declaration of Shared Commitments, Member States, the United Nations and partner organizations committed to advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda, including by ensuring women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes; systematically integrating gender perspectives across peacekeeping; and increasing the number of civilian and uniformed women serving at all levels and in key positions. The Declaration has received more than 150 endorsements.
In 2021, the Secretary-General launched Action for Peacekeeping+ (A4P+), to accelerate implementation of the A4P commitments. The A4P+ implementation plan for 2021–2023 focused on seven priorities, with Women, Peace and Security as one of two cross-cutting themes integrated across these priorities.
These commitments complement the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018-2028, which sets targets and priorities for increasing uniformed women’s representation and meaningful participation in UN peace operations.
Security Council Resolutions on Women in Peacekeeping
In 2020, the Security Council adopted two resolutions with particular relevance to the participation and working conditions of women peacekeepers.
UN Security Council Resolution 2518 (2020) focuses on the safety and security of UN peacekeepers. It also calls on Member States and the United Nations to ensure safe, enabling and gender-sensitive working environments for women in peacekeeping operations and to address threats and violence against them.
UN Security Council Resolution 2538 (2020), on women in peacekeeping operations, calls for strengthened efforts to promote the full, effective and meaningful participation of uniformed and civilian women in peacekeeping at all levels and in all positions, including senior leadership.
Resolution 2538 also calls for practical measures to address barriers to women’s participation, including:
- improving access to information on deployment opportunities;
- providing access to training;
- identifying and addressing barriers to the recruitment, deployment and promotion of women peacekeepers;
- considering measures to increase women’s participation in national military and police institutions;
- providing support and incentives, including childcare and other relevant support; and
- ensuring safe, enabling and gender-sensitive working environments, including appropriate infrastructure and facilities for women in missions.
