The Women, Peace and Security agenda has transformed global peacebuilding frameworks over the past 25 years. Yet, as we mark its silver anniversary next month, a critical question emerges: how can it evolve to genuinely reflect the unique yet diverse realities, challenges and opportunities of women in the Arab world?
Among these realities is the vital but often unrecognised role Arab women play in advancing peace. From Yemen to Sudan and Palestine, women have been the silent architects of stability, brokering ceasefires, rebuilding communities, negotiating prisoner exchanges and holding fractured societies together. However, their contributions remain largely absent from formal peacebuilding processes, making it critically important that the next chapter of the WPS agenda is shaped with, and not merely about, women from this region.
It is for this reason that we are convening in Abu Dhabi today for the fourth consultations meeting of the WPS Working Group for the region. Hosted by the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy and co-led by the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut and UN Women, the working group benefits from collaborating with a number of regional and global partners.
Following three successful meetings in Amman, Geneva and Doha, we are bringing together women peacebuilders, civil society actors, researchers, policy experts and government officials to address the challenges behind the implementation of the WPS agenda in the region and to advance a vision rooted in regional ownership.
What distinguishes this working group is its commitment to embedding contextually relevant perspectives to this global framework, rather than applying strategies that may not fully align with the realities of our region. We take into account the unique social fabrics, women’s narratives, as well as political and social complexities of Arab societies – an approach essential to crafting effective and sustainable peace and security solutions.
The Arab region is neither homogenous in its security architecture nor in how it has engaged with women empowerment initiatives. While some countries remain devastated by conflict and wrecked by humanitarian crises, others sit at the top of global gender indices. Sifting through these different experiences has brought depth and breadth to the group’s deliberations.
At the meeting, we aim to finalise a policy paper that crystallises our collective wisdom, lessons learnt and actionable recommendations for the Arab region. Developed through extensive consultations over the past one and a half years, the joint paper affirms key progress, including the increased visibility of Arab women in international peace processes, the engagement of women’s organisations in regional platforms and the crafting and adoption of National Action Plans by Arab states. Grassroots advocacy and improved cross-country co-operation among women peace actors further highlight the growing regional momentum.
Despite these advances and our working group’s position as a unique regional mechanism that nurtures a consensus-based approach to WPS, we recognise that persistent gaps still remain. Women’s participation in formal peace processes is often symbolic rather than substantive. Rising gender backlash and growing risks faced by women, including human rights defenders, demand urgent and co-ordinated responses.
In many cases, WPS programmes lack contextual sensitivity and overlook localisation; accountability mechanisms for WPS implementation remain weak; and post-conflict reconstruction efforts frequently overlook women’s critical contributions. In addition, limited regional collaboration continues to hinder collective progress and the sharing of knowledge and best practices. Despite our best efforts, we are often confronted with the tragic reality that wars and conflicts, including occupation, still permeate our region, bringing with them dire humanitarian catastrophes where women and girls suffer immensely.
Beyond analysis, our working group hopes to offer a forward-looking framework to accelerate the implementation of the WPS agenda and ensure its long-term impact in our region. We recommend strengthening women’s leadership across all stages of post-conflict recovery, enacting and enforcing legal reforms to address gender-based violence – including conflict-related sexual violence – and integrating WPS principles throughout all levels of governance.
On the eve of the WPS agenda’s 25th anniversary, we call on all Arab states to adopt national action plans on WPS and to commit the needed resources to implement them. We echo the importance of co-creating programmes with local actors, including women-led organisations, investing in youth-led initiatives and establishing protection mechanisms for women human rights defenders. We urge donors to commit to long-term, flexible funding models that are responsive to local contexts and co-ordinated across sectors to minimise fragmentation.
Building on these insights, our regional coalition is aspiring to influence key international discussions, including the UN Security Council open debate on WPS next month and related events throughout the anniversary year and beyond.
The past 25 years have laid important foundations, but the next 25 must deliver lasting and transformative change. Sustainable peace and security in the Arab world must be cultivated locally by those who experience conflict and resilience first-hand, particularly through the empowerment of women’s networks, whose work in conflict-affected and fragile settings has proved to be essential to rebuilding trust and advancing reconciliation.
It is important to acknowledge that while our working group provides a vital roadmap, true progress depends on turning this vision into sustained political will, inclusive institutions and tangible change. Meaningful peace demands moving beyond commitments towards implementation of context-specific actions that place women at the heart of decision-making as equal partners shaping the future of our societies.
Our working group has taken on this responsibility. And we shall continue to advocate for peace and inclusion in the next 25 years and beyond.
Dr Sara Chehab is a senior research fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy
Karma Ekmekji is lead adviser for the Women, Peace and Security Regional Hub at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut
Heba Zayyan is regional adviser for WPS and Humanitarian Action at the UN Women Regional Office for Arab States
