Corporate report

UK women, peace and security national action plan 2023 to 2027

Published 23 February 2023

Foreword

From Afghanistan, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to Russian occupied parts of Ukraine, it is plain to see how conflict and insecurity have a disproportionate impact on women and girls. Too often women are also locked out of efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts, and build peace.

The Women, Peace and Security agenda is about building a more representative and effective approach to tackling conflict. It is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do, because empowered and engaged women make societies more prosperous and more secure.

This fifth National Action Plan is about embedding those ideals in our domestic systems, policies, military cooperation and diplomacy. It sets out how we will deliver against our global commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and associated resolutions.

We are making a suite of commitments to strengthen our own record. From increasing female recruitment in the British Armed Forces and our negotiating teams, to working across government to tackle violence against women and girls comprehensively.

Overseas, we will drive reform to the humanitarian system to better protect against gender-based violence, and we will train thousands of foreign peacekeeping personnel to respond to conflict related sexual violence, and to understand the importance of promoting the women, peace and security agenda.

We are also tackling head on the impact of transnational threats on women and girls – like climate change and cybercrime. This Action Plan reflects the Ministry of Defence’s Human Security approach, which prioritises the security of people alongside states, recognising that the two are intertwined.

Our National Action Plan draws on evidence from around the world. We have developed it across government and in collaboration with UK experts from women’s rights organisations, as well as wider civil society, academics and parliamentarians. It gives a clear direction to government departments, and makes us more accountable to the public.

The UK’s forthcoming International Women and Girls Strategy will set out how the UK is putting women and girls, in all their diversity, at the heart of our wider foreign and development policy.

How we are building coalitions to empower women and girls, and stand up to those who want to hold them back or violate their rights.

How our pioneering work to prevent sexual violence in conflict has brought a methodology, and hope, to an issue that had for too long been deemed too hard to tackle.

In 2022 we hosted the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference and launched a new PSVI Strategy, backed by up to £12.5 million of new funding. Since the UK Government launched the PSVI initiative in 2012 we have committed £60 million to tackle the issue, supporting survivors through the Global Survivors Fund, launching the Murad Code, and strengthening justice and accountability including through the ACT for Survivors initiative.

We are also setting ourselves goals to break down the multiple barriers that hold women and girls back, and cause them to be disproportionately impacted in emergencies. We are ensuring women benefit equally from humanitarian and development work, including our work on education, health and social protection systems.

The Women Peace and Security agenda would not exist without the bravery, tenacity and sacrifice of women leaders, humanitarian actors, human rights defenders and peacebuilders. They are often the first responders in conflicts and crises, stepping in where governments fail.

With this National Action Plan, the UK Government commits to step up to champion and protect these women across the world.

Through them, and through this plan, we can build more sustainable peace worldwide, and help everyone to prosper.

The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, 23 February 2023

The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, Secretary of State for Defence, 23 February 2023

Introduction

The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda exists to respond to the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls and supports the crucial role women play in conflict prevention through to resolution. The UK is committed to driving forward the WPS agenda and has championed WPS since we led efforts on the ground-breaking UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in 2000 where, for the first time, the UN Security Council recognised women’s perspectives, rights and role in relation to peace and security.

The UK’s fifth WPS National Action Plan (NAP) refines our approach to WPS, responding to the changing nature of conflict and provides the strategic direction for the UK’s global diplomatic, development and defence efforts. The main body of the NAP sets out our overall approach and ambition of our WPS commitments, with the delivery plan at Annex A setting out more detail on our commitments with allocated departmental leads. The UK NAP is jointly owned by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and for the first time includes input from the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Northern Ireland Office. The NAP is underpinned by the UK’s commitment to defending freedom, democracy and the rules-based international system, including international humanitarian and human rights law. The NAP complements the International Development Strategy and the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. The NAP will support the operationalisation of the MOD Joint Service Publication 985 on Human Security in Defence^{[footnote 1]} and the forthcoming FCDO Women and Girls Strategy.

A WPS approach to UK foreign, development, defence and security policy is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. It strengthens our ability to protect the UK and its interests overseas. There is significant evidence that gender equality is a strong indicator of a state’s peacefulness.^{[footnote 2]} Higher levels of gender equality are correlated with both lower levels of intrastate armed conflict^{[footnote 3]} and less severe violence in interstate disputes when they occur.^{[footnote 4]} In contrast, gender inequality is a strong predictor of civil war onset.^{[footnote 5]} Higher levels of gender inequality are also associated with the higher likelihood of the use of force in inter-state disputes.^{[footnote 6]} Where women have been included substantively in decision-making and peace processes, there is strong evidence that there is a greater chance of enduring peace and reconstruction efforts. The evidence is clear that gender equality is critical to sustainable peace and UK security. This is reflected in the UK’s ‘Integrated Review: Global Britain in a Competitive Age’ which prioritises the promotion of gender equality in our approach to security, defence, development and foreign policy.

The International policy framework

The landmark UNSCR 1325 was adopted in 2000 and called for increased representation of women at all decision-making levels for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict. Since 2000, there have been 9 additional resolutions adopted at the UN Security Council: UNSCR 1820 (2008), UNSCR 1888 (2008), UNSCR 1889 (2009), UNSCR 1960 (2010), UNSCR 2106 (2013), UNSCR 2122 (2013), UNSCR 2242 (2015), UNSCR 2467 (2019), UNSCR 2493 (2019).

The WPS agenda is also integrated into other normative frameworks, including the Beijing Platform for Action (1995). It complements the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979), as General Recommendation No. 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations makes clear. The 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals include Goal 5 on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls and Goal 16 on peaceful and inclusive societies. Gender has been mainstreamed throughout the other goals.

The 4 pillars of the WPS agenda are:

• prevention: prevention of conflict and all forms of structural and physical violence against women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence
• participation: inclusion of women and women and girls’ interests in decision-making processes at national, local, regional, and international levels related to the prevention, management and resolution of conflict
• protection: women and girls’ safety, including physical and mental health is assured and their human rights are upheld
• relief and recovery: women and girls’ specific relief needs are met and women’s capacities to act as agents in relief and recovery are reinforced in conflict and post- conflict situations

The UK is at the forefront of the advancement of the WPS agenda. Over the last 2 decades we have strengthened the international policy framework through supporting 9 further UN Security Council Resolutions and delivering WPS policy and programming across Fragile and Conflict Affected States (FCAS).

Despite the progress made on WPS, significant challenges remain to realising the ambition and vision of UNSCR 1325. Since 2000, there has been no significant increase in the number of women participating in peace negotiations, and women and girls programming remains significantly underfunded globally. New threats to delivering our global WPS commitments have also emerged. We are seeing concerted efforts to roll back on the rights of women and girls globally. This has resulted in challenges to delivering critical comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence (GBV) support services to many women and girls, particularly in conflict contexts. The UK’s adversaries continue to weaponise gender inequality on the multilateral stage to disrupt the rules-based international system and advance their objectives. Women and girls in conflict continue to be targeted and oppressed by authoritarian regimes. Despite this, women’s movements and grassroots women’s rights organisations (WROs) continue to challenge oppressive governments and provide crucial support to their communities. The UK is committed to protecting and empowering WROs, activists and peacebuilders throughout the world.

The UK’s NAP addresses other significant challenges. For example, cyber insecurity and climate change are key threats to international peace and security but their gendered dimensions are neither fully understood nor appreciated. We are still feeling the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which disproportionately impacted women and girls, in particular the soaring rates of GBV that were witnessed globally.

Based on feedback during the consultation process, we have made the following changes to this NAP:

• adopted a broader approach to transnational threats beyond preventing and countering violent extremism, to include new technologies and use of digital spaces by belligerent actors, proliferation of weapons and climate insecurity
• included insights on the UK’s domestic approach to the WPS agenda
• improved the framework for monitoring and evaluation throughout the duration of the NAP including more specific indicators
• strengthened the capabilities offer for UK government officials, building an international network of expertise
• greater senior accountability for the NAP through better governance structures and external transparency mechanisms
• clearer expectations and support for focus countries and a more flexible approach to where we work, recognising the dynamic nature of peace and security, especially in FCAS

Domestic implementation of the UK WPS NAP

Increasingly WPS champion countries are introducing domestic angles to their NAPs—this brings 3 clear benefits to the UK’s NAP:

1. It will increase policy coherence and therefore our ability to deliver for women and girls. Foreign and domestic policy do not operate in isolation and the gender impacts of transnational issues such as migration will benefit from closer cross-government working.

2. It will help to identify potential shared learning opportunities across HMG as well as with the international community. The UK’s approach to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is world leading. There is also much we can learn from how other countries tackle these shared challenges.

3. We can better champion and highlight UK expertise, from women peacebuilders in Northern Ireland to our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Team of Experts.

The strategy

The NAP will deliver against the 4 pillars of the WPS agenda which provide an overarching framework for activity: Prevention, Protection, Participation, and Relief and Recovery. Recognising the interconnected nature of the pillars, we are taking a holistic approach by identifying 5 strategic objectives that cut across all 4 pillars and reflect UK priorities and ways of working. The 5 strategic objectives as outlined below will build on the UK’s role as a global leader and defender of the WPS agenda and our evidence-based policy and programmatic expertise. These objectives are based on extensive consultation and reflect the UK’s broader foreign, development, defence and security policies, UK expertise and influence, and respond to emerging threats and the current global context.

The 5 strategic objectives that we will focus on for the duration of this NAP are:

Strategic objectives

1. Decision-making

Increasing women’s meaningful participation, leadership and representation in decision-making processes.

2. Gender-based violence

Preventing gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, and supporting survivors to cope, recover and seek justice.

3. Humanitarian and crisis response

Supporting the needs of women and girls in crises and ensuring they can participate and lead in responses.

4. Security and justice

Increasing the accountability of security and justice actors to women and girls and ensuring they are responsive to their rights and needs.

5. Transnational threats

Ensuring we respond to the needs of women and girls as part of our approach to transnational threats.

The NAP considers women and girls in all their diversity in our policy and programming. Many face multiple and overlapping forms of discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, class, religion or belief, and disability, which can create unique challenges in conflict contexts.

Implementation

The UK will work through strategic partnerships globally and domestically, including enhanced engagement with civil society, women-led organisations, WROs and women peacebuilders, to achieve the NAP’s strategic objectives. We will also boost our capabilities and tap into existing UK expertise, from our MOD Human Security Advisers to the PSVI Team of Experts and our thriving academic and civil society communities.

The NAP will be particularly relevant in countries that are unstable and/or with fragile governance systems and are grappling with the effects of violent conflict. The nature of conflict is evolving and our approach to WPS must shift accordingly. During the period covered by the UK’s last NAP, we have witnessed more countries, such as Ethiopia and Ukraine, devastated by conflict. Conflicts are becoming more complex than ever. The involvement of increasing numbers of international actors in multiple conflicts makes political settlements harder to achieve and has increased the number of protracted conflicts lasting more than 10 years. Armed conflict is rising, and the world is neither anticipating nor acting quickly enough to prevent or de-escalate conflict. The NAP takes an agile approach that reflects the changing nature of conflict. We will work closely with our embassies to monitor fragile contexts. Where conflicts emerge, we will ensure our overseas network is provided with enhanced support, including expertise and, where appropriate, resource, to ensure that the UK’s response is gender-sensitive from the start. We will continuously assess if countries should be added to the UK’s focus country list for additional support.

Monitoring and evaluating

Progress against the NAP will be monitored on a 2-yearly basis across Government departments in reports to parliament and through independent external assessments, starting with a baseline study in Year 1 and then mid-point and final evaluations. Activity in-country will be reported-on using appropriate, localised indicators. Example indicators are provided for each strategic objective; indicators will be finalised through the baseline study. The UK will use this evaluation process in a responsive way throughout the life of this NAP, remaining flexible to its findings and adjusting activities in real-time to respond.

Strategic Objective 1: Decision-making – increasing women’s meaningful participation, leadership and representation in decision-making processes

The UK is committed to supporting the empowerment of women and ensuring their full, equal and meaningful participation in decisions that affect their lives, their communities and the world. This includes providing direct support to women’s and girls’ rights organisations, women-led organisations and women peacebuilders as well as the inclusion of women in foreign, development, defence and security institutions, including in leadership roles.

Women’s meaningful participation, leadership and representation in decision-making processes must be pursued in times of both peace and conflict as well as during transitions. This will promote conflict prevention efforts as well as conflict reduction and resolution, through involvement in the early stages of ceasefire negotiations and humanitarian responses, to formal peace negotiations and political settlements.

The evidence

Women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in decision-making processes at all levels is vital to ensure lasting peace. Broad inclusion of civil society actors, such as women’s organisations and trade unions, in a peace process and resulting agreement, makes a peace agreement 64% less likely to fail.^{[footnote 7]} Empowering women to participate meaningfully in peace processes makes the resulting agreements 35% more likely to still be in place 15 years later.^{[footnote 8]} An in-depth analysis of 40 peace processes since the end of the Cold War, found that in cases where women-led organisations were able to exercise a strong influence on the negotiation process, there was a much higher chance that an agreement would be reached.^{[footnote 9]} Where women participate, policy outcomes are more inclusive, and the needs and concerns of women are better represented.

Despite this, women continue to be under-represented in governance structures and spheres of decision-making around the world, both formal and informal.^{[footnote 10]} There has been no significant increase in women participating in peace processes since 2000. Women’s participation is effective for many reasons. Women can improve the efficacy of conflict prevention and early warning strategies. Their central roles in families and communities affords them a unique vantage point to recognise unusual patterns of behaviour and signs of impending conflict, e.g. arms mobilisation and weapons caching,^{[footnote 11]} and can provide a more complete picture of the population in conflict environments.^{[footnote 12]} Women often take a collaborative approach to peace-making and organise across cultural and sectarian divides.^{[footnote 13]} Women frequently raise issues in conflict resolution processes beyond military action, power-sharing arrangements, and territorial gains; introducing political and legal reforms, social and economic recovery priorities, and transitional justice concerns that can make agreements more durable.^{[footnote 14]}

Women are often viewed as honest brokers by negotiating parties. This perception is rooted in the reality of their exclusion: because women often operate outside existing power structures and generally do not control fighting forces, they are more widely perceived to be politically impartial mediators in peace negotiations, compared with men.^{[footnote 15]} WROs have staged mass actions successfully and mobilised public opinion campaigns in many countries to encourage progress in peace talks, with notable examples in Burundi, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Liberia and Somalia.^{[footnote 16]} International engagement on gender issues and funding for WROs can expand and create new spaces for ongoing women’s rights activism.^{[footnote 17]}

The UK will support women’s meaningful participation in peace processes, including through early warning systems, mediation, negotiation, dialogue, reconciliation, state building, and reparations. Women’s participation must go beyond tokenism and avoid women being relegated to speaking on what are perceived as ‘soft’ issues or speaking exclusively about gender issues. Participation should be meaningful, representative and look beyond the process to sustainable, inclusive outcomes. To successfully support and champion meaningful participation we must understand and tackle the barriers, challenges and deep- rooted norms that prevent their meaningful participation. We recognise that women in all their diversity may face multiple and overlapping forms of discrimination.

Harmful gender norms prevent women’s engagement in formal and informal governance. These norms can be changed through well-designed and targeted interventions. While women and girls can be empowered to participate, it is systems and structures that must be transformed to remove the barriers that impede women’s meaningful participation. This requires challenging and changing the beliefs, values, and behaviours held by those in power about the roles for women, men, girls, and boys.

Women who challenge harmful gender norms, take leadership roles and participate in decision-making, especially in fragile and conflict-affected countries, must be protected from backlash and violence, including when this occurs in digital spaces. Recovery from conflict must include women playing a leadership role in reconciliation processes if post-conflict societies are to be transformative and sustainable, striving for gender equality and women’s inclusion and representation in political systems and decision-making processes.

There is more to do to increase the meaningful participation and representation of women in UK defence and foreign policy, including in peacekeeping positions. The UK will look to strengthen our own approach as well as supporting other states to do so. The UK will build on our previous efforts and leverage our record as a global WPS champion to advocate more effectively for increased numbers of diverse women to participate meaningfully in mediation, peace processes and security and defence structures.

Commitments

The UK will:

• increase women’s meaningful participation and leadership in UK defence, foreign and security policy, including aiming to increase the percentage of women joining the Armed Forces to 30% by 2030 and aim to have greater parity of senior male and female negotiators

• support and champion women’s rights organisations, women peacebuilders and human rights defenders at all levels, from the community level through to international processes. FCDO will provide direct support to grassroots WROs and leverage our diplomatic expertise to support women mediators and peacebuilders in peace processes

• advocate and fund opportunities for women’s meaningful participation in dialogues and discussion on defence and security and peace processes, including supporting women mediator networks

• focus on inclusive peace outcomes as well as processes and push for the inclusive and full implementation of negotiated settlements that promote gender-sensitive reconciliation and more inclusive structures, institutions and processes. For example, we will work with the UN’s Mediation Support Unit to promote an approach to negotiations that takes both women’s and men’s interests into account

Annex A sets out the UK’s commitments in more detail.

Case study: UK support to the Women Mediators across the Commonwealth network

The Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth (WMC) network was established in 2018 with HMG funding and political backing. The WMC brings together mediators with diverse experiences and expert knowledge from across the Commonwealth. Members apply their thematic expertise and skills and have mediated conflicts within and beyond Commonwealth contexts, providing valuable contributions to peacebuilding in all spaces. So far, 46 WMC members (93%) have engaged in peace processes; 33 women worked at local level, 28 at national level, and 20 at international level to prevent and resolve conflict and ensure inclusive peace processes and outcomes. Members have resolved electoral conflicts in Bougainville, Fiji, Uganda and Sierra Leone; mediated political conflict in Myanmar and Sudan-South Sudan; advised peace process in Mozambique and bridged divided communities in Northern Ireland and Cyprus; reduced political tensions and the implications of political instability in Kashmir; addressed violent conflict between state and non-state actors in Nigeria and Cameroon and mediated indigenous conflicts in both Australia and Canada. Members of the WMC mediate conflicts at all levels, promoting durable peace and stability—in both formal and informal capacities.

Strategic Objective 2: Gender-based violence – preventing gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, and supporting survivors to cope, recover and seek justice

Gender-based Violence (GBV) is prohibited by international human rights law and undermines peace, security and development. GBV can cause death and those who survive can often suffer from devastating stigma, long-term and detrimental health, psycho-social, educational and economic effects. GBV has significant and far-reaching negative consequences for survivors, their families and communities. The stigma that survivors and their families may face often prevents them from accessing services, support and justice, and impedes their participation in efforts towards recovery, peace and reconciliation in conflict settings.

GBV can include intimate partner violence, such as physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse and coercive control, non-partner sexual exploitation, harassment, or abuse, conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), female genital mutilation, child, early, and forced marriage, trafficking for sexual exploitation, and aid-related sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. Whilst men and boys experience GBV and CRSV, women and girls are predominantly affected as a result of the unequal distribution of power in society between women and men.

GBV is largely perpetrated by men and CRSV against men and boys is rooted in a harmful interpretation of masculinity and power dynamics. LGBT+ people can be particularly vulnerable to GBV, as well as people with disabilities and those discriminated against based on race and ethnicity. Women human rights defenders and women peacebuilders also face specific forms of gendered violence because of their work and because they go against what is considered an ‘acceptable’ role for women in society.

The evidence

Research demonstrates that sexual violence is the outcome of gender-based discrimination.^{[footnote 18]} 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non- partner sexual violence in their lifetime.^{[footnote 19]} Conflict often exacerbates GBV for both women and men. Population-based studies show higher rates of sexual violence in conflict settings (around 20- 30%) than the global average (6%).^{[footnote 20]} Women in FCAS are also 35% more likely to experience intimate partner violence than in other developing countries.^{[footnote 21]} Escalated rates of violence against women and girls can also last into the post-conflict period if not tackled.^{[footnote 22]}

GBV perpetrators are not limited to communities, armies and militia groups. The aid sector and multilateral organisations are also implicated. In Syria, 34% of women and 30% of girls disclosed experiencing sexual exploitation and abuse as recipients of humanitarian aid.^{[footnote 23]} CRSV can create, perpetuate and exacerbate conflict; action to prevent, respond to and report CRSV is key for conflict prevention efforts and building sustainable peace.

The root causes and drivers of all forms of GBV are gendered power imbalances, gender inequality and the harmful social norms which uphold patriarchal power structures. GBV is exacerbated during conflict when governance, security and protective structures are disrupted or destroyed. GBV and threats of GBV can prevent women and girls’ participation in local and national decision-making and engaging with political processes, including peace processes. GBV also drives armed conflict and undermines transitions to peace and long-term stability by fuelling cycles of intergenerational grievances and violence, which is particularly acute when recognition of and accountability for GBV is excluded from negotiated settlements and reparations mechanisms. GBV is not constrained by borders; to truly tackle GBV, states must work together and join up their domestic and international efforts.

CRSV occurs on a continuum of interrelated and recurring forms of violence primarily against women and girls. It must be tackled as part of wider global efforts to end all forms of GBV. CRSV continues to be perpetrated in conflict-affected areas on a shocking scale, and impunity continues to be the norm. It is often used deliberately to intimidate, humiliate and control communities. Without ensuring an end to impunity for all forms of GBV, including CRSV, this continuum will remain in place.

Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEAH) is a form of GBV by aid workers and state and non-state armed groups. It is an egregious abuse of power and undermines the effectiveness and integrity of humanitarian and development assistance, and military and peace operations. In conflict and crisis-affected contexts, the power imbalances and potential for abuse increases as the reliance on international protection and assistance increases. This is exacerbated by an environment of impunity and lack of accountability for perpetrators.

Case study: What works to prevent violence

The UK’s flagship £25 million “What Works to Prevent Violence” research and innovation programme (2013 to 2020), generated an extensive body of evidence from across 16 countries in Africa and Asia to understand the underlying causes of VAWG and what works to prevent it. The programme found that VAWG escalates in scale and severity in conflict and crisis, with up to 73% of women and girls in the South Sudan study experiencing physical and/or sexual violence at the hands of an intimate partner in their lifetime.

Despite the scale of the problem, rigorous evaluations showed that VAWG is preventable¸ even during conflict. For example, a What Works intervention in the DRC achieved significant reductions in violence of up to 50% in less than 3 years. This project worked with faith leaders and the wider community through ‘community conversations’ with the aim of tackling the root causes of violence, including gender inequality.

In response to the urgent need to scale up VAWG prevention, the UK is investing in a flagship successor initiative ‘What Works to Prevent Violence: Impact at Scale’, to scale up proven approaches. The programme (spanning 2022 to 2029) is contributing to generating a world-class evidence base on what works to prevent VAWG in conflict and crisis settings, including CRSV.

Commitments

The UK will:

• put survivors at the heart of our approach and prioritise those most at risk, taking a survivor-centred approach in all initiatives to support victims/survivors of GBV. This includes investing in FCDO’s flagship What Works to Prevent Violence Programme and funding the Global Survivors Fund
• strengthen global action against CRSV, including by delivering on the new PSVI Strategy and working with our international partners to deliver on the commitments made at the PSVI Conference, including participants’ national commitments made in the CRSV Political Declaration
• hold itself, and our implementation partners accountable for Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) and unacceptable sexual behaviours. This includes mandatory training for FCDO staff. The MoD will create a new SEA Champion, to ensure SEA policy is understood and implemented across the Armed Forces
• implement a world-leading domestic approach on the prevention and response to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), from delivering the UK’s Tackling VAWG Strategy and Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan to sharing UK best practice and tackling VAWG across country borders through funding for the Home Office’s Support for Migrant Victims Scheme and the joint FCDO and Home Office Forced Marriage Unit

Annex A sets out the UK’s commitments in more detail.

Case study: PSVI conference

On 28 to 29 November 2022 the UK hosted the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference in London. Following the launch of PSVI 10 years ago, the conference sent a strong message of sustained UK leadership to tackle this global scourge. The event had over 1,000 participants, including survivors, multilateral agencies, civil society, academia and representatives from at least 57 governments.

The UK launched a new Political Declaration at the conference which sent a clear message that these heinous crimes must end and outlined the steps needed to achieve this. 53 countries and Special Representative of the Secretary-General Patten endorsed the Political Declaration, with 40 countries making national commitments detailing the tangible actions they plan to take to tackle conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).

The UK also launched a new 3-year PSVI Strategy to strengthen the global response to CRSV. This strategy sets out how the UK will address CRSV through diplomatic, development, and defence interventions. Delivery of the strategy will be supported by up to £12.5 million of new funding for PSVI over a 3-year period. This funding will be complemented by wider investments across FCDO to tackle CRSV.

Strategic Objective 3: Humanitarian and crisis response – supporting the needs of women and girls in crises and ensuring they can participate and lead in responses

Conflict is a driver of humanitarian emergencies and protracted crises. Women and girls in all their diversity are among the worst affected by conflict and disasters, yet their specific needs and participation are often overlooked during humanitarian responses. While women and girls are often the first responders within their communities, this frequently goes unrecognised, and women aid workers and WROs face threats and backlash.

Women and girls face discriminatory attitudes and unequal access to leadership and power before, during, and after crises. They are excluded from systems and structures that design, implement, monitor, and evaluate lifesaving humanitarian responses. The priorities and needs of women and girls with disabilities, as well as older women and adolescent girls, women- headed households, and those from other marginalised populations are even more likely to be neglected in the assessment, design and delivery of humanitarian assistance. This can restrict access to lifesaving assistance and cause further harm to women and girls in all their diversity, including access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services and increasing exposure to GBV, including SEAH. SEAH by humanitarian actors, both international and local, is an abhorrent misuse of power as perpetrators inflict inexcusable harm and exploit the needs of those requiring humanitarian protection and assistance, creating additional suffering.

Recent crises such as COVID-19, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Ukraine have shone a spotlight on gender dynamics and the importance of gender-responsive action. The UK remains committed to keeping gender equality at the heart of our humanitarian action, especially the most harmful consequences of inequality, such as GBV and SEAH. This is enshrined in the International Development (Gender Equality) Act of 2014. UK-funded humanitarian interventions are required to consider the gender-related differences in humanitarian need. We are committed to moving beyond a focus on protection from violence to centring humanitarian action around women and girls’ voice, choice, and control from the earliest stages of a crisis.

Emergency situations can also offer opportunities to challenge traditional gender roles, where disruptions shift social norms that can prevent or limit women and girls from participating in political, educational or economic activities. A gender-responsive humanitarian approach includes promoting local women’s participation in humanitarian response and decision-making. Opening safe and meaningful spaces for diverse women’s leadership within humanitarian architecture increases the efficacy of humanitarian action, strengthens an understanding of community needs and protection risks and helps harness local capacities for crisis resilience.

The evidence

Three quarters (217.7 million) of people in need of humanitarian assistance globally are living in countries experiencing high- intensity conflict.^{[footnote 24]} Women and girls have particular needs that should be addressed systematically within all humanitarian responses. People with disabilities have been found to form one of the most socially excluded groups in any displaced or conflict-affected community with women and girls with disabilities particularly vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation and violence.^{[footnote 25]} Sexual and reproductive health needs become life threatening when comprehensive service provision is interrupted due to conflict and instability.^{[footnote 26]} 60% of preventable maternal deaths take place in settings of conflict, displacement and natural disasters.^{[footnote 27]} During and after crises, pre-existing gender inequality and discrimination create unique challenges for women and girls. As a result, many endure extreme hardships, including increased insecurity, restricted mobility, sexual exploitation and abuse, and GBV.

Addressing these issues requires humanitarian intervention that is delivered in such a way that considers gender diversity and prioritises the needs of women and girls alongside universal population needs, such as the need for food and shelter. In addition, women are often the first responders in times of crisis, and so drawing on women’s valuable knowledge and experience increases the overall effectiveness of humanitarian programmes, improving access to and use of services for all.^{[footnote 28]}

Commitments

The UK will:

• drive international action so that the humanitarian system better supports the most marginalised and at-risk women and girls including through delivering our commitments on the Call to Action on Protection from GBV in Emergencies
• deliver gender-responsive humanitarian programmes, humanitarian assistance and social protection to address the violence, exploitation, socio-economic harm and sexual and reproductive health impacts experienced by women and girls in crisis. This will include addressing restrictions to sexual and reproductive health services through continued support to the Minimum Initial Services Package
• strengthen UK Defence’s Human Security approach to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief
• strengthen the UK’s crisis response in conflict scenarios to ensure it responds to the needs of women and girls by reviewing FCDO’s crisis response systems through a gender-sensitive lens

Annex A sets out the UK’s commitments in more detail.

Case study: Humanitarian response in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, a country facing multiple concurrent humanitarian crises, including internal conflict and climate-related disasters such as drought, the UK has dedicated resources to international and local WROs, including in the access constrained region of Tigray. These non-governmental organisations work with women in their communities to advocate with local authorities and the humanitarian system to fulfil their obligations to meet their needs, including often overlooked gendered needs such as access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services and protection from violence.

Gendered differences in humanitarian needs are also mainstreamed throughout the UK’s wider humanitarian programme in Ethiopia, which prioritises interventions responding to GBV survivors (including those who have been targeted with CRSV), providing sexual and reproductive health services (including access to safe abortion), and distributing dignity kits containing menstruation management materials.

Strategic Objective 4: Security and justice – increasing the accountability of security actors, institutions and systems to women and girls and ensuring they are responsive to their rights and needs

Security agencies are often dominated by men and can embody harmful patriarchal norms, leading to discriminatory practices against women and girls. To be effective, security and justice actors should operate in a way that protects the human rights of civilian populations, taking into account any gender-related differences in needs, and contribute to reducing inequality between genders within key security and justice institutions as well as globally.

Women and girls should be able to depend on defence, security and justice systems to protect them, yet they often experience barriers to claiming their rights, accessing justice, and holding those that violate their rights to account, all of which is exacerbated during times of conflict and unrest. Barriers to claiming rights are particularly acute when women and girls have been targeted with GBV, including CSRV. Reporting GBV to law enforcement is often not feasible and risks additional harm due to security actors’ harmful beliefs about GBV. We recognise that LGBT+ women, those from racial or ethnic minorities, and those with disabilities may face additional, often overlapping barriers to accessing assistance.

Beyond protection, women and girls should be among those making decisions about national and subnational security and justice mechanisms and how they are implemented. They should have equal opportunity to participate through targeted recruitment and retention efforts in law enforcement agencies, judicial structures and defence. This should include participation in management structures and oversight mechanisms.

In conflict and post-conflict contexts, security and justice institutions can be used to entrench elite interests at the expense of more inclusive political settlements. Equitable, effective and accessible security and justice mechanisms are essential for mediating conflict and enabling peaceful dispute resolution within communities and societies, enabling the transition to sustainable peace.

The evidence

There is a strong correlation between lack of inclusion, justice and security for women and a very high risk of political violence and instability.^{[footnote 29]} A gender responsive justice and security sector promotes greater accountability and therefore legitimacy to the local population when women and men have equal opportunity to influence decisions through public oversight.^{[footnote 30]} For example, a study of 39 countries found that increasing the number of female police officers positively correlated with an increase in reporting of sexual assault.^{[footnote 31]}

The 4 largest peacekeeping missions have male force commanders; only 32% civilian personnel at all levels in peacekeeping operations are women, and in some missions, women represent just one quarter of international staff.^{[footnote 32]} Women’s participation in civilian and uniformed peacekeeper roles leads to better engagement with the local population, especially in societies where women are restricted or prohibited from speaking to men, thereby generating gender-sensitive information to address insecurity and violence. Greater diversity and a broadened skillset translate into improved decision‐making, planning and results, leading to greater operational effectiveness and performance.^{[footnote 33]} Significantly, recent research has also found evidence that a greater proportion of female military personnel in UN peacekeeping operations is associated with greater implementation of women’s rights provisions from comprehensive peace agreements in subsequent political institutions.^{[footnote 34]}

The UK will continue to engage with formal and informal security and justice actors in conflict settings including police, military and peacekeeping forces. The UK will focus on the capacity, capability, and accountability of security and justice actors to women and girls in efforts to encourage awareness, confidence, and trust in formal systems. We will also hold ourselves accountable to the high standards we promote globally.

Commitments

The UK will:

• create guidance and support staff to ensure that the UK’s support to security and justice policy and processes in partner countries and international organisations takes women and men’s interests into account
• refresh our approach with partners to strengthen WPS across UN peacekeeping including through the UNSG’s Action for Peacekeeping Initiative and advocating for the inclusion of gender advisers in peacekeeping missions
• advance implementation of Human Security commitments in defence and military training, planning, operations and strategic defence partnerships including advising and training foreign militaries on Human Security

Annex A sets out the UK’s commitments in more detail.

Case study: Supporting women in the Jordanian security sector

The UK was the first and largest donor of the Jordanian WPS NAP (JONAP I), launched in March 2018. One of its 4 pillars focused on “achieving gender-responsiveness and women’s meaningful participation in the security sector and peace operations.” The first phase of the JONAP focused primarily on security institutions: the Public Security Directorate (PSD) and Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF).

The UK’s contributions included systemic capacity building undertaken in both institutions, targeting not just officers at operational level, but also senior decision-makers, which strengthened the Jordanian institutional understanding of gender and of the security needs of women and girls. The UK also provided technical expertise in policing, including conducting several training and learning events for Jordanian security institutions on WPS issues. This included Training the Trainers workshops, peer-to-peer learning, as well as ‘leading by example’ through introducing female officers from the UK. In addition, the UK provided learning-on-the-job support to newly formed gender units and training to female officers to equip them with necessary skills and tools to advance to more senior positions.

The UK’s support secured the development and adoption of gender mainstreaming strategies for both the PSD and JAF. There has been a noticeable increase in women’s participation in JAF, PSD and in Jordanian participation in overseas peacebuilding missions in the last 3 years. Additionally, there has been a noticeable change in perceptions and attitudes towards women’s presence, participation, and equal inclusion in Jordan’s security sector. This provides a sound basis to continue a strategic partnership between the UK and Jordan and advance progress on WPS implementation.

Strategic Objective 5: Transnational threats – ensuring we respond to the needs of women and girls as part of our approach to transnational threats

In a connected world, the UK is increasingly mindful of rising transnational threats and the need for a collective response. The UK’s Integrated Review (IR) highlights the importance of a coordinated effort to tackle the complex, overlapping, and evolving security challenges that are not confined to a particular country or region.

It is vital that as security threats emerge, we consider their impact on women and girls and develop a gender-sensitive response, as well as responding to the knowledge gap on how gender can drive and exacerbate key threats. The UK is leading the way in tackling transnational threats, in particular terrorism and violent extremism, climate insecurity, weapons proliferation, and cybersecurity threats. These threats affect the UK and international security, threaten efforts to achieve peaceful societies, and have gendered impacts. The UK’s approach to transnational threats goes hand in hand with our approach to state threats. Coordinated efforts by hostile states to rollback the rights of women have a transnational impact and require a transnational response.

Terrorist groups and violent extremist organisations recognise the importance of gender in their recruitment methods, in communication and propaganda activities and in planning and execution of extremist operations. Terrorist and extremist organisations capitalise on gendered grievances such as social inequality or the beliefs that communities hold on the mistreatment of their men, women, boys, and girls, which can increase individual and societal vulnerability to terrorist narratives. We must integrate gendered analysis into our approach to tackling upstream drivers of terrorism and extremism. It is vital to understand the effects of gendered identities and how this relates to grievances, opportunities, resilience, and vulnerabilities. Government interventions must not reinforce harmful binary gendered stereotypes or put women at risk. In order to be effective, preventative efforts must be equitable and benefit women and girls as well as men and boys and work towards achieving gender equality and the promotion of the rights of women.

Increasingly climate security and conflict are interlinked. Women, girls, men and boys are affected differently by climate change and disasters, with many women and girls experiencing greater risks. Existing gender inequalities limit their access to resources such as food, water, land, and adequate housing. As a result, women and girls are more likely to be exposed to disaster-induced risks and losses related to their livelihoods and they are less able to adapt to changes in climatic conditions. Women and girls also face a heightened risk of GBV during and following disasters. Women and girls are often excluded from formal systems and negotiations to address the drivers of climate change, yet they are at the forefront of finding localised solutions, often at great risk to themselves. The UK recognises the critical role of women in improving resilience to, and mitigate the effects of, climate change and insecurity.

While Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) can play a legitimate role in ensuring defence and security, their diversion and misuse undermines security and sustainable development, and fuels conflict, crime and terrorism. Illicit and unregulated arms have a differing impact on men, women, boys and girls and we acknowledge that women and girls play diverse roles in the illicit trade of SALW. The participation and representation of women as well as the consideration of a gender perspective across all aspects of SALW policy, programming and controls is key to countering weapons proliferation and reducing harm to women and girls.

Cyber threats are growing in complexity and severity with a noted increase in online targeting of women and girls, particularly those that are advocating for democracy and the rights of women and LGBT+ people. This is often committed through targeted gender disinformation campaigns and cyber-attacks by state actors. Despite this, women and girls are excluded from formal and informal organisations that design and monitor the safety of cyber space. It is clear that gender considerations must be at the forefront of the global response to cyber threats.

The evidence

The UK is prioritising a WPS approach to transnational threats, in particular violent extremism, climate security, arms control and cyber. It is widely recognised that women and girls are impacted by violent extremism; they are often targeted by extremist groups and GBV is used as a tactic by those groups.^{[footnote 35]} Women also participate in violent extremism in multiple ways as well as in efforts to prevent it. ^{[footnote 36]} Violent extremist organisations’ recruitment campaigns are often highly gendered to improve their reach and effectiveness.^{[footnote 37]}

With regards to climate security, pre-existing inequalities and unequal access to resources can deepen inequality further and leave some groups disproportionately vulnerable. The UN Secretary-General declared an “urgent need” for better analysis of the linkages between climate change and conflict from a gender perspective”.^{[footnote 38]} Whilst the proportion of women participating in arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament diplomacy has grown steadily over the last 4 decades, women comprise only 32% of state delegations, with heads of delegations mostly men.^{[footnote 39]} This is despite the clear impact of small arms and light weapons on women and girls. Small arms are used in almost one-third of all femicides.^{[footnote 40]} A 2020 report highlighted 60% of sexual violence survivors treated by Médecins Sans Frontières in the DRC specified the presence or use of a weapon.^{[footnote 41]} Cyber is a significant actor in both enabling and preventing progress on gender equality. Online GBV tends to mirror and exacerbate gender norms and inequalities of the offline world.^{[footnote 42]} Research indicates that 28% of women who suffered online violence then intentionally reduced their presence online.^{[footnote 43]} This form of backlash against women’s participation can deter engagement by women with national level conflict prevention, peacebuilding and peace processes.^{[footnote 44]}

Commitments

The UK will:

• improve the evidence base and policy to position the UK as a global leader on responding effectively to security threats by taking a gender-responsive approach from the outset. This will include developing and applying gender-sensitive analysis to state threat actors as well as integrating gender considerations into UK Defence Intelligence

• ensure gender dimensions are considered when developing approaches to transnational threats, including key areas where the UK is at the forefront of global action:

  • tackling the drivers of terrorism and violent extremism
  • strengthening climate security
  • limiting arms proliferation and strengthening arms control
  • governing cyberspace

Annex A sets out the UK’s commitments in more detail.

Case study: Women in Cyber Fellowship

The UK sponsors the Women in Cyber Fellowship, run jointly with the governments of Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, New Zealand, and the US. Established in 2019, the fellowship promotes the participation of women at UN negotiations concerning cyberspace. In 2021, the UK increased the number of women fellows from African and South Asian Commonwealth countries from 14 to 25. The fellowship includes travel to key multilateral cyber working groups, as well as access to a programme of networking and developmental opportunities. A place on the fellowship is highly sought after as states recognise the national and personal impacts of participation. As a result of the fellowship, the UN recorded its first set of negotiations with gender parity.

Implementation

Strategic partnerships: building strong relationships with strategic partners to effectively push back against hostile actors

The UK is proud of its reputation as a global leader on WPS. Building strong and sustainable partnerships is crucial for progress on this agenda. We will take a coordinated and strategic approach to working with key partners and across Government departments, to push global and domestic progress on WPS. We will work in partnership with likeminded countries and partners to respond to belligerent state and non-state actors.

We will prioritise our bilateral relationships with likeminded countries and build a global network to drive forward implementation of the WPS agenda and continue to lead the defence of the existing international gender equality framework from rollback. Building on our past successes on the multilateral stage and the key role the UK plays on the UN Security Council as penholder, we will prioritise alliances with NATO, OSCE, the AU and ASEAN alongside the UN. This will ensure that the UK remains a credible WPS leader and help to diminish the impact of adversaries’ attempts to pushback against gender equality and the rights of women.

Civil society are in the driving seat of the WPS agenda, the UK recognises the importance of civil society as a key strategic partner to deliver this work. We will continue to work in close alignment with civil society as a critical friend and ensure our policies protect and strengthen civil society in fragile and conflict- affected contexts.

Commitments

The UK will:

• lead the international response to the global roll back on the rights of women in conflict, security and defence fora, including through the UNSC and NATO as well as through key structures such as the WPS Chiefs of Defence Network
• strengthen bilateral relationships to progress the WPS agenda, identifying opportunities to collaborate, including funding the development of NAPs and delivering WPS training of foreign armed forces through the British Peace Support Team (Africa)
• support and protect civil society as a key UK strategic partner, regularly consulting with civil society and identifying opportunities for civil society to participate safely in international engagements

Annex A sets out the UK’s commitments in more detail.

Case study: British Peace Support Team Africa

Since 2020, the British Peace Support Team Africa (BPST(A)) has delivered a range of training to the Ghanaian military, police and civilians deploying to various African Union and UN missions through the Africa Peace Support Operations Programme funded by the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.

BPST(A) has trained 174 Ghanaian police and military between April 2021 to September 2022. All peacekeeping courses delivered by BPST(A) in Ghana integrate gender needs. In addition, BPST(A) delivers specialised training on Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) to both Ghanaian Military and Police deploying to peacekeeping missions, including the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The military training develops the soldier as the first responder to SGBV with a focus on survivor support and the preservation of evidence prior to collection by the police.

This enables the military to work in harmony with the police who are trained to conduct investigations into complex sexual crimes using trauma informed victim- centered strategies, undertake SGBV analysis, forensic evidence management, and implement Achieving Best Evidence practice and documentation, all in compliance with the Murad Code, a UK- funded code of conduct for documenting CRSV survivors’ experiences ethically and effectively. Ghana has reported enhanced investigative capability and focus on victims both in the UN mission and at home, contributing to strengthened accountability for SGBV in conflict.

UK capabilities: strengthen HMG’s capabilities so we can deliver on our WPS commitments

To achieve the ambition of the 5 Strategic Objectives of the WPS NAP, we will strengthen the UK Government’s knowledge and understanding of WPS. WPS expertise will improve the UK’s ability to deliver foreign, development, defence and security policy by ensuring we have a holistic understanding of the needs on the ground, the gendered drivers of conflict and routes to conflict resolution, and ultimately reduce security threats to the UK.

Mainstreaming WPS capability is key to the effective delivery of the NAP and to ensure there is collective awareness and responsibility across government for policy and programming that delivers for women and girls in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. We will strengthen our global training offer, creating a professional network of WPS expertise and ensuring Heads of Missions, Defence and Political Sections understand and are able to deliver on the NAP. We will boost our WPS analysis and ensure it is integrated into broader conflict analysis and country business planning. We will continue to invest in research and evidence on the gender dynamics of conflict, filling knowledge gaps in what works to prevent and reduce conflict and better deliver on the ground.

The UK has a wealth of expertise, from world-leading academics and civil society experts, to gender advisers, social development advisers and human security advisers across government. We will actively promote our expertise and contribute to global debates and dialogue on the future of WPS. We are committed to boosting our knowledge and will prioritise relationships with countries and partners with lived experience of conflict and implementing an ambitious WPS agenda.

Commitments

The UK will:

• promote and build UK expertise on WPS, including as a core skill in FCDO’s Conflict Stabilisation Group Cadre, and establishing a network of WPS academics to engage on policy development

• strengthen HMG WPS analysis and mainstream WPS across conflict, defence and security policy, ensuring we have up to date Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) analysis across all fragile contexts and gender analysis (as a feature of Human Security) is mainstreamed through all planning levels and in the implementation of UK military operations

• strengthen WPS capabilities across HMG and develop an HMG network of expertise

We will deliver gender and conflict training for key staff and provide a cross- government WPS Helpdesk to provide analysis and research on WPS to help deliver excellent programming and policy analysis.

Annex A sets out the UK’s commitments in more detail.

Case study: WPS Helpdesk

Between 2022 and 2025 the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) will provide a cross-government WPS Helpdesk to strengthen UK capability on WPS. The Helpdesk is a call-down facility that provides high quality, evidence informed analysis and expertise on WPS issues. The Helpdesk can support gender-sensitive conflict and security policy and programming, and boost UK capacity to advance its WPS NAP. It is primarily an ‘on demand’ service open to UK government staff. Examples of the types of tasks undertaken by the Helpdesk include:

• women in policing: key lessons and risks: The report provided a summary of risks and barriers, including social and political factors that inhibit women in career development and progression within the police, critical requirements to strengthen women’s roles within policing structures, and recommendations to strengthen gender equality within the police
• Pakistan gender and conflict analysis: This report focused on the gendered drivers of conflict and instability in Pakistan. This included exploring how a lack of opportunities or access to rights are exacerbating women’s, girls’ and other minority groups’ vulnerability to violence and conflict; the specific threats of the rise in religious extremism and terrorism; serious and organised crime; and climate change as a driver of conflict and inequalities
• WPS mapping in Ethiopia: This report highlighted key findings and analysis from in- country consultations with WROs and other stakeholders, identifying common themes and setting out the priorities, successes, challenges and concerns around WPS initiatives in Ethiopia

Focus countries and fragile contexts

Focus country model

The WPS agenda applies across all foreign, development, defence policy. The UK uses a focus country model to prioritise our efforts and ensures we can triage support to where it is most needed. Focus countries are defined as fragile and conflict-affected countries with significant levels of gender inequality and where the UK is well-placed to offer policy, programmatic and diplomatic expertise, as well as defence and humanitarian support (where appropriate) to improve stability, and thereby strengthen UK security. The current list of focus countries is outlined in Annex A. The UK Government will monitor countries at risk of instability and conflict to help to ensure the situational analysis is reflective of gender dynamics and HMG’s response is inclusive.

We will keep the list of focus countries under review to ensure that where crises emerge, we can respond quickly.

The following countries are currently focus countries for the UK’s fifth NAP: Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen.

Expectations of UK missions in focus countries

By the end of Year 1 of the NAP, all focus countries will aim to have:

• a nominated WPS Focal Point
• a gender strategy/action plan at Post
• up to date GESI conflict analysis
• senior accountability through a commitment in the Head of Mission’s objectives
• WPS as a priority within the FCDO and Defence country business plans
• funding:
  • where CSSF programmes exists, an aim to work towards 15% of CSSF funding being spent on WPS programming subject to approval by CSSF governance boards
  • women and Girls programming, including WPS, is a major priority for FCDO Official Development Assistance spend
• where applicable, members of the Defence global network in country will be trained on WPS
• up to date SEAH risk management plans will be in place, informed by SEAH risk assessment (and in countries with humanitarian responses informed by SEA risk index)

Over the course of the NAP, focus countries will support the collection of indicators for the monitoring and evaluation of the NAP as part of a baseline study in Year 1, a midpoint evaluation in Year 2.5 and final evaluation in Year 5.

Fragile contexts minimum standards

HMG’s WPS focus countries will be complemented by minimum requirements for posts in fragile countries. This will support NAP implementation beyond the focus countries and recognising the importance of the WPS agenda across a wider range of fragile contexts.

The UK Government uses the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD’s) classification of fragile contexts.^{[footnote 45]} The OECD characterises fragility as the combination of exposure to risk and insufficient coping capacity of the state, systems and/or communities to manage, absorb or mitigate those risks. Fragility can lead to negative outcomes including violence, poverty, inequality, displacement, and environmental and political degradation.

Fragility is measured in the latest (2022) analysis by OECD on a spectrum of intensity and expressed in different ways across economic, environmental, human, political, security and societal dimensions. Each dimension is represented by 8-10 indicators—57 in total across all 6 dimensions—that measure risks and coping capacities to fragility. In doing so, the OECD multidimensional fragility framework captures the intersection of fragility, risk and resilience to inform where and how international actors can help address the root causes of fragility in each dimension while bolstering sources of resilience against it. OECD conduct this analysis every 2 years.

Expectations of embassies

All UK missions in fragile contexts will aim to achieve the following objectives by the end of the NAP in 2027:

• a gender plan at Post
• a nominated gender/WPS lead
• up to date and regular GESI conflict analysis that is demonstrably incorporated into foreign, development, defence and security policy and programming

Governance and accountability

The UK Government is committed to transparency on its progress against the NAP. We will continue to work closely with the WPS All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and civil society to ensure we are accountable and open to scrutiny.

We will strengthen senior accountability and engagement to ensure we have a strong account of the UK’s impact overseas, whilst ensuring reporting does not overburden Posts.

Monitoring and evaluation

We will provide updates to parliament every 2 years on the NAP delivery plan at Annex A aligning with reporting plans for the forthcoming FCDO Women and Girls Strategy and in line with reporting recommendations from the National Audit Office. We will ensure senior representation at the annual WPS APPG session on NAP progress. This will be supplemented by a baseline study of UK WPS activity, including in focus countries in Year 1; a mid-point impact evaluation at Year 2.5; and final impact evaluation at Year 5. The draft indicators in the delivery plan are designed to give an indication of intent but will be finalised during the baseline study in Year 1.

Governance

The list below outlines our approach to governance of the NAP, developed on 4 principles:

1. enhancing senior engagement.

2. mainstreaming WPS into foreign, development, defence and security governance.

3. boosting external scrutiny.

4. providing regular support to the Government’s overseas network and across Whitehall.

National Security Council (officials)

Frequency: annual

Purpose: internal senior scrutiny of NAP implementation

Membership: senior officials

Ministerial WPS NAP steering board

Frequency: annual

Purpose: external scrutiny

Membership: ministers, directors, CSO leaders

WPS APPG

Frequency: every 2 years

Purpose: parliamentary scrutiny of the NAP delivery plan

Membership: WPS APPG members; FCDO and MOD senior representation

Senior officials shadow board

Frequency: annual

Purpose: Preparations for Ministerial Board and to hold senior officials to account

Membership: deputy directors

Cross-Whitehall WPS working group

Frequency: monthly (quarterly with external stakeholders incl. CSOs)

Purpose: monitor and support day-to-day delivery of the NAP

Membership: expert-level

WPS NAP focal points check-ins

Frequency: monthly

Purpose: provide support to focus country posts to deliver on the NAP; identify opportunities and tackle barriers

Membership: WPS focal points; FCDO and MOD leads

WPS academic engagement group

Frequency: quarterly

Purpose: join up posts with latest academic research and recommendations to enable better delivery of the NAP

Membership: WPS focal points; FCDO and MOD leads; academics

Annex A: Delivery plan

SO1: Decision-making

Priority: increase women’s meaningful participation and leadership in UK defence, foreign and security policy

Commitment	Lead
Achieve a 30% Level of Ambition for inflow of women into the Armed Forces by 2030 and continue to improve representation by introducing retention friendly initiatives, such as flexible working.	MOD
Implementation of UK Defence’s ongoing Female Talent Development Programme.	MOD
Increase the number of UK women peacekeepers in line with the UN Secretary-General’s Gender Parity Strategy which sets targets that increase by 1% each year until 2028 when the number of Military Staff Officers should be at 25% and Troop Contingents at 15%.	MOD
Conduct a Gender Barrier Study in 2023 to understand constraints to women’s participation in peacekeeping missions and respond to recommendations by 2024.	MOD
Enhance the day-to-day experience of women in the Armed Forces through the implementation of policies and initiatives to tackle women’s health and wellbeing issues (such as urination, menstruation, breastfeeding and menopause) and access and needs issues (such as childcare and improved equipment e.g. combat uniform and body armour).	MOD
Plans in place to promote greater parity of senior male and female negotiators by 2023 to 2024	FCDO
Set up a global peer support network of Senior Women Ambassadors and diplomatic leaders in 2023 to: raise the profile of senior women in diplomacy, provide a network to share challenges and experiences, and identify pipeline women for senior diplomat roles.	FCDO
Work towards gender parity in UK Talent Pipeline for senior ambassador roles by 2027.	FCDO
Set up a new accountability framework to ensure FCDO conflict policy takes a systematic gender approach.	FCDO
Ensure senior women are included in UK delegations to and relating to peace processes.	FCDO

Priority: support and champion women’s rights organisations, women peacebuilders and human rights defenders at all levels, from the community level through to international processes

Commitment	Lead
Provide direct support to help strengthen and enhance the work of grassroots WROs and movements, including those working in conflict and crisis like women peacebuilders, and to amplify grassroots women’s and girls’ voices in donor, national government and international policy making.	FCDO
The Women in Conflict Fellowship provides expert training in mediation, conflict resolution, reconciliation and constitution building for women from conflict-affected regions. The fellowship is funded by the Scottish Government and offered by a Scottish- based organisation which equips these women, who work in (or adjacent to) the field of peacebuilding, with skills in gender-sensitive conflict resolution and peacebuilding mechanisms and creates a safe-space to share knowledge and network with one-another.	Scottish Government
Implement ICAN’s UK-funded Protection Framework for Women Peacebuilders by 2027.	FCDO
Provide diplomatic and political support to women mediators and peacebuilders within conflict settings, including through influence with bilateral and multilateral partners.	FCDO

Priority: advocate and fund opportunities for women’s meaningful participation in dialogues and discussion on defence and security and peace processes

Commitment	Lead
Promote the meaningful participation of uniformed women in UN peace operations including support for the Elsie Initiative.	FCDO & MOD
Encourage and support other T/PCCs to increase the number of women deployed in peace operations, including through training by British Peace Support Team Africa (BPST(A)).	FCDO & MOD
Support to the UN’s flagship Gender Parity project Senior Women’s Talent Pipeline (SWTP).	FCDO
Advocate for international and regional Women Mediator Networks.	FCDO
Commission new research into the barriers to women’s meaningful participation and leadership in global peace and mediation efforts, and to understand the nuance around the different challenges faced by Senior Mediators of different genders.	FCDO
Support AU FemWise deployments through this Spending Review period to champion women mediators and peacebuilders in Africa.	FCDO
Recognise and promote the crucial work of Northern Ireland’s women in peacebuilding, especially for the 25th Anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in 2023.	FCDO & NIO

Priority: focus on inclusive peace outcomes as well as processes and push for the inclusive and full implementation of negotiated settlements that promote gender-sensitive reconciliation and more inclusive structures, institutions and processes

Commitment	Lead
Establish new expertise on peace process implementation and gender through the Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation.	FCDO
We will work with the UN’s Mediation Support Unit to promote an approach to negotiations that takes both women’s and men’s interests into account.	FCDO
Develop and embed a UK approach to designing gender-sensitive and inclusive peace processes and include gender and inclusion as a key objective in all UK activity on peace processes.	FCDO

Draft indicators for SO1

Departmental:

• number and % of women inflow and actual number into the Armed Forces per year (regulars and reserves)
• number and % of women in senior roles (OF4, OF5 and OF6 and above) ranks
• the number of Troop and Police Contributing Countries that the UK supports to increase women deployed in UN peace operations
• targets met or exceeded for deployments of female military staff officers to UN peacekeeping missions for 2023, 2024 and 2025 (20%, 21% and 22% respectively)
• % of UK diplomatic roles held by a woman, in conflict-affected settings
• % of peace agreements supported by the UK that secure gender provisions within the agreement or within the implementation plan
• number of T/PCCs supported by the UK to bid for funding through the Elsie Fund
• number of AU FemWise deployments supported

Focus countries:

• % of women participating in peace processes as a result of FCDO support (funding and political)
• % of women Parliamentarians/politicians increases as a result of UK support and political leverage
• % and impact of women negotiators increases, where appropriate, as a result of UK political and diplomatic support

SO2: Gender-based violence

Priority: put survivors at the heart of our approach and prioritise those most at risk, taking a survivor- centred approach in all initiatives to support victims/ survivors of GBV; and ensuring we generate a rigorous evidence base on ‘what works’

Commitment	Lead
The UK will invest in a successor initiative to FCDO’s flagship What Works to Prevent Violence Programme to scale up evidence-based violence prevention approaches and evaluate innovative new approaches, including in conflict and crises, and for the most marginalised groups. What Works will generate a world class evidence base on prevention of violence, and drive use of evidence to influence a more effective global response.	FCDO
Provide support to the Global Survivors Fund, which aims to enhance CRSV survivors’ access to reparations, including through the provision of financial support, livelihood assistance, education, and healthcare services.	FCDO
Support WROs on the frontlines working to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, including through the What Works to Prevent Violence innovation grants launched in 2022.	FCDO
Delivery of scaleable pilots and lesson learning on how to remove barriers faced by survivors of SEAH when seeking support.	FCDO
Funding INTERPOL’s Project Soteria to advance global collaboration between law enforcements and aid sectors to prevent sexual offenders from working undetected.	FCDO
Defence Medical Services will train, equip and support deployed clinical practitioners who, in extremis, will respond to victims of Conflict Related Sexual Violence by providing initial emergency care, and/or reporting and referral as required, noting the principal aim is to avoid further harm to the victim and acknowledging victims can be men, women, boys and girls. Defence Medical Services will allocate a CRSV Champion to create and implement a CRSV plan.	MOD
Review how the Murad Code could be integrated into the work of UK Defence.	MOD

Priority: hold itself accountable for issues of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and unacceptable sexual behaviours

Commitment	Lead
Conduct Defence-wide sexual harassment surveys more regularly to further inform policy and action to improve culture and address unacceptable behaviour.	MOD
Work to strengthen the implementation and accountability of the Zero Tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) Policy (JSP 769), including by creating an SEA Champion, to ensure the policy is understood and implemented across the Armed Forces.	MOD
Deliver SEAH mandatory training for all FCDO staff.	FCDO
Provide £10 million funding to the Resource and Support Hub (RSH) from June 2019 to support organisations to strengthen their SEAH policy and practice through guidance and training.	FCDO

Priority: strengthen global action against GBV, including CRSV, in conflict and humanitarian crises

Commitment	Lead
Implementation of the UK’s new PSVI Strategy (2022 to 2025), supported by up to £12.5 million of funding over the next 3 years, including working with our international partners to deliver on the specific commitments made at the PSVI Conference, including as outlined in the Political Declaration on CRSV and the UK national commitment.	FCDO
Promote the Call to Action to Ensure the Rights and Wellbeing of Children Born of Sexual Violence in Conflict, including by increasing the number of signatories. Deliver UK commitments under the associated Platform for Action and secure further commitments from partners.	FCDO
Conduct a review of how the Murad Code can strengthen UK Government practice. Promote the integration of the Murad Code into the work of organisations documenting the experiences of survivors of CRSV.	FCDO
Deliver on our commitments under the Call to Action on Protection from GBV in Emergencies and continue to play an active role in galvanising international action for the adequate prioritisation of GBV response in humanitarian contexts.	FCDO
Fund the UK’s PSVI Team of Experts (up to £750,000 over 3 years), a group of independent specialists deployed to support the work of national and international bodies and NGOs to strengthen their response to CRSV.	FCDO
As a member of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender Based Online Abuse and Harassment (GP) the UK will support the production, in 2023, of a Global Partnership Paper on Building the Evidence Base on technology-facilitated GBV. This builds on the GP/ UN Women Wilton Park event on the same topic held in 2022.	FCDO

Priority: implement a world-leading domestic approach on the prevention and response to VAWG

Commitment	Lead
Implement the Government’s Tackling VAWG Strategy (published July 2021) and Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan (March 2022). The implementation of both the Strategy and Plan will be overseen by the Home Secretary, and a Ministerial-led Oversight Group.	Home Office
Provide frontline support and activity for domestic abuse, sexual violence, trafficking and other forms of violence against women and girls.	Home Office
Invest over £230 million committed to the Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan. This includes over £140 million for supporting victims and over £81 million for tackling perpetrators.	Home Office
Ensuring progress on the Government’s ambition to more than double the number of adult rape cases reaching court by the end of this parliament, through increased referrals of cases by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), more charges by the CPS and increased number of cases therefore reaching Court, and ensuring support for victims throughout this process.	Ministry of Justice
We will more than quadruple the UK’s victim support funding by 2024/2025 (up from £41m in 2009/2010), which includes funding to provide over 1000 Independent Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence Advisors.	Ministry of Justice
Published a draft Victims Bill, which will put victims, including women and girls affected by crime, at the heart of the criminal justice system, and help victims to have the confidence that the right support is available.	Ministry of Justice
Sharing UK best practice and expertise w/ other governments to support global efforts to tackle VAWG.	Cross-government
Co-design a Northern Ireland Strategy on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls with stakeholders, in pursuance of a mandate from the NI Executive in 2021.	Northern Ireland Executive
Tackling violence against women and girls across borders through funding for: - the Support for Migrant Victims Scheme which provides accommodation and wrap around support for migrant victims of domestic abuse with insecure immigration status - the joint Home Office and FCDO Forced Marriage Unit, covering, for example, support for victims of forced marriage who have returned to the UK from overseas, free e-learning for professionals, and outreach activity by the unit	Home Office

Draft indicators for SO2

Departmental:

• number of people benefiting from GBV prevention or response services through FCDO support
• number of What Works to Prevent Violence Programme: Impact at Scale innovation projects addressing GBV in conflict and crisis
• number of people, with potential to harm others, prevented from working in the aid sector through the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme
• qualitative data in the FCDO and MOD sexual harassment surveys on progress shows increase in staff awareness of SEAH and decreasing tolerance of SEAH within organisational cultures

Focus countries:

• number of women and girls being supported to access UK funded GBV services by country
• number of times the UK has raised GBV in focus countries at the UN Human Rights Council or at the UN Security Council
• number of times SEAH has been discussed at the senior leadership level in focus countries in relation to managing our programming and our staff conduct and organisational culture

SO3: Humanitarian and crisis response

Priority: drive international action so that the humanitarian system better supports the most marginalised and at-risk women and girls

Commitment	Lead
Advocate for all humanitarian responses to prioritise those most in need, based on gender analysis, gender, age and disability disaggregated data and consultations with women in all their diversity.	FCDO
Deliver on the humanitarian action commitments within the FCDO’s Disability Inclusion and Rights strategy,[footnote 46] working particularly with women and girls with disabilities and driving targeted interventions to better understand how gender and age intersect with disability to support fully inclusive humanitarian programmes.	FCDO
Encourage our humanitarian partners to improve tracking of funds going to women-led and WROs.	FCDO

Priority: deliver gender-responsive humanitarian programmes, humanitarian assistance & social protection to address the violence, exploitation, socio-economic harm and sexual & reproductive health impacts experienced by women & girls in crisis

Commitment	Lead
Deliver gender-responsive humanitarian programming which is fully inclusive of women and girls and, where possible, contributes to gains in gender equality for the long term.	FCDO
Expand and build inclusive shock responsive social protection systems in collaboration with multilateral development banks and humanitarian cash providers to reach those at risk of exclusion and violence, especially crisis- and displacement- affected women.	FCDO
Address restrictions that impede access to sexual and reproductive health services in emergencies through continued support to the implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) on sexual and reproductive health from the outset of humanitarian crises.	FCDO
Continue to provide flexible and core funding to our humanitarian partners, including to the Central Emergency Response Fund and Country-based Pooled Funds, to enable humanitarian actors to deliver on international commitments on gender equality and addressing GBV and SEAH.	FCDO

Priority: strengthen the UK military’s Human Security approach to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

Commitment	Lead
Uphold UK commitments to international guidelines underpinning military support to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), working with Other Government Departments to ensure an appropriate response that protects the rights and dignity of people affected, including women and children.	MOD
Improve the integration of Human Security considerations into HADR and crisis planning.	MOD
Develop MOD personnel’s understanding and capabilities in gender sensitivity in humanitarian and crisis responses.	MOD

Priority: strengthen the UK’s crisis response in conflict scenarios to ensure it responds to the needs of British women and girls

Commitment	Lead
Review FCDO’s overseas crisis response systems through a gender-sensitive lens and identify areas where systems or policies may be refined.	FCDO

Draft indicators for SO3

Departmental:

• % of humanitarian programmes with an OECD DAC Gender Marker of 1 or 2
• % of defence supported HADR deployments with Human Security and gender considerations integrated including in training

Focus countries:

• number of times UK has participated in country coordination groups that focus on improving gender equality in emergencies
• annual UK funding for humanitarian interventions which have been adapted to target women, girls and/including survivors of GBV
• number and type of UK support to enhance gender-responsive social protection (i.e. programmes/technical/assistance/ research or influencing)
• number of WROs directly supported by the UK to engage in crisis response

SO4: Security and justice

Priority: embed a gender-sensitive approach in the UK’s support to security and justice policy and processes in partner countries and international organisations

Commitment	Lead
UK Security Sector Reform (SSR) policy framework contains commitments and guidance on how to place the needs and participation of women and girls at the heart of reform processes.	FCDO
UK supported SSR processes centre the security and justice needs of women and girls from the outset; increase women’s representation and participation in organisations providing security and justice (state and non-state), and; improve and increase women’s involvement and leadership in civilian oversight bodies.	FCDO
UK policy frameworks and programmatic support relating to Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) promote international best practice on gender-sensitive DDR.	FCDO
Take forward a new initiative - ‘ACT for Survivors’ - to strengthen accountability for conflict related sexual violence (CRSV) at the national level, including (but not limited to) increased prosecutions, with strengthened survivor focus.	FCDO
Concerted action to accelerate progress on the Crimes Against Humanity (CAH) Convention through the United Nations, and exploring how to use the Convention to strengthen the international legal architecture around gender equality and CRSV, including to strengthen prosecution and prevention of atrocity crimes including some forms of CRSV.	FCDO

Priority: work with partners to strengthen WPS across UN peacekeeping

Commitment	Lead
Advocate for the use of civilian and uniformed gender advisers to address the needs of survivors of SGBV in conflict.	MOD and FCDO
Continue to support the implementation of the WPS priorities in the UN Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative and Action for Peacekeeping +. The UK will do this through military and police deployments into peacekeeping missions, support to the UN Secretariat mandate renewals and training for troop and police contributing countries.	MOD and FCDO

Priority: advance implementation of Human Security commitments in defence and military training, planning, operations and strategic defence partnerships

Commitment	Lead
Support and assist other countries in developing their strategic WPS work and encourage them to tackle the barriers that prevent women’s participation and leadership in other militaries.	MOD
Support, advise and train foreign militaries to integrate gender and Human Security into strategy and doctrine as well as at the operational and tactical level.	MOD
BPST will train and build the capacity of T/PCCs, UN and AU peacekeepers to enhance their knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for advancing gender equality and WPS priorities in peace support operation planning, implementation and operations.	FCDO and MOD
BPST will engage with key leaders in T/PCCs to advocate for the full implementation of the WPS agenda, including the inclusion and substantive participation of women at all levels, and gender mainstreaming across plans and activities.	FCDO and MOD

Draft indicators for SO4

Departmental:

• % of UK security sector projects and programmes, including disarmament and defectors programmes, with inclusion of WPS objectives
• number of countries that UK Defence supports to deliver on WPS at (1) strategic level, and (2) at the operational and tactical level
• % CSSF projects focused on police/ military with CSSF GESI marker scores of C, D and E
• number of peacekeepers trained by BPST in gender, disaggregated by sex

Focus countries:

• gender-sensitive Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) in place to inform security objectives
• number of gender-sensitive security and justice CSSF projects
• % of CRSV cases brought forward that lead to successful prosecution under domestic law
• stronger and more effective justice mechanisms, leading to increase in survivor reporting

SO5: Transnational threats

Priority: position the UK as a global leader on responding effectively to security threats by taking a gender- responsive approach from the outset

Commitment	Lead
Develop and apply gender-sensitive analysis to state threats actors and vectors to develop stronger evidence for gender-sensitive interventions.	FCDO
Integrate Human Security and gender into UK Defence Intelligence to ensure the UK’s Defence response to emerging and new threats is gender-sensitive.	MOD

Priority: ensure gender dimensions are considered when developing approaches to tackling the drivers of terrorism and violent extremism

Commitment	Lead
Develop a toolkit to support and mainstream gender sensitivity across HMG activity which tackles the drivers of terrorism and violent extremism.	FCDO
Build a repository of case studies for HMG to draw from which evidence best practice in gender-sensitive programming when tackling the drivers of terrorism and violent extremism.	FCDO
Ensure all policy and programming relevant to drivers of terrorism and violent extremism is informed by a locally engaged evidence base which addresses and understands gender dynamics.	FCDO

Priority: ensure gender dimensions are considered when developing approaches to limiting arms proliferation and strengthening arms control

Commitment	Lead
Take into account reports of the use of GBV or serious acts of violence against women and children when assessing export licence applications against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. This Criteria is a legally binding framework, last reviewed and strengthened in December 2021.	FCDO
Collect disaggregated data on the basis of gender for the purposes of reporting, in relation to the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) policy and control, as well as to further our understanding of the gender specific impact of SALW.	FCDO

Priority: ensure gender dimensions are considered when developing approaches to climate security

Commitment	Lead
Mainstream gender considerations into FCDO policy developments on climate security and enhance our support for women and girls who are impacted by climate change.	FCDO
Invest in research and pilot projects on gender-transformative approaches to preventing climate related insecurity, violence and conflict through the CSSF Gender, Peace and Security portfolio.	CSSF
Work towards integrating a gender-sensitive approach to future Defence climate security education and training, academic outreach, analysis and advice.	MOD
Use our International Climate Finance (ICF) to support women and girls in developing countries to respond to climate change. We are also committed to strengthening our collection and use of data on gender, inclusion and climate including by disaggregating UK ICF ‘people-indicators’ by gender, age, disability, and geography.	FCDO

Priority: ensure gender dimensions are considered when developing approaches to cyberspace

Commitment	Lead
Continue to support early-mid career women diplomats to develop the relevant skills and participate in UN cyber debates to bridge the gap in women’s representation at relevant UN negotiations through the UN Women in Security in Cyberspace Fellowship.	FCDO
Continue to support the UK-Gulf Women in Cybersecurity Fellowship Programme supporting female cyber security professionals from across the 6 Gulf Cooperation Council countries in their continued self-development as cybersecurity leaders and professionals; to promote them as role models in their respective countries and internationally; and to drive forward projects of mutual interest which would produce sustainable outcomes to benefit the region.	FCDO
Address the digital divide by delivering digital development programming which focuses on the most marginalised. We will promote responsible inclusive digital space as an important part of ending violence, including through the UK’s membership of the Global Partnership for Action on Online Gender Based Abuse and Harassment.	FCDO
Invest in research and pilot projects on gender-transformative approaches to preventing cyber-related insecurity and violence through the CSSF Gender, Peace and Security portfolio.	CSSF
Deliver an international values-based campaign to champion diversity and gender equality in the design, development and use of cyberspace, to improve the inclusion of gender considerations in policy, strategy and programmes.	FCDO

Draft indicators for SO5

Departmental:

• % of CSSF State Threats Portfolio with GESI markers C, D and E
• % of CSSF and NCP cyber programmes accounting for diversity and gender equality considerations
• gender parity in those making interventions at relevant UN negotiations through Women in Cyberspace Fellowship

Focus countries:

• % of programmes that address transnational security threats with GESI markers C, D and E

Implementation: strategic partnerships

Priority: lead the international response to the global rollback on the rights of women rights in conflict, security and defence fora

Commitment	Lead
Drive forward implementation of the WPS international policy framework by UN bodies, member states, and other stakeholders, including by pushing back on unhelpful additions to the normative framework and promoting impact driven deliverables and events.	FCDO
Continue to support the implementation of NATO’s WPS, SEA and CRSV policies.	FCDO
Increase strategic engagement with Allies to strengthen international support for driving progress on WPS and Human Security at NATO, including through implementation of NATO’s WPS Action Plan and the Strategic Concept.	FCDO & MOD
Promote and support WPS at the OSCE eg encourage effective implementation of the OSCE toolkit on Inclusion of Women and Effective Peace Processes, facilitate Murad Code training, and increase WPS voluntary reporting.	FCDO
Work with UN Women to support the development of a WPS framework across ASEAN.	FCDO
Strengthen the links between the African Union, African Regional Economic Communities and women human rights defenders and peacebuilders in early warning and response.	FCDO
Be an active member of the WPS Chiefs of Defence network, supporting the chair of the network in promoting WPS and encourage new states to sign up to the network.	MOD

Priority: strengthen bilateral relationships to progress the WPS agenda, identifying opportunities to collaborate

Commitment	Lead
Provide and support training on the development and implementation of NAPs and share best practice to 5 states over the course of the NAP.	FCDO & MOD
Increase early bilateral engagement with incoming Security Council members and relevant Posts to strengthen cooperation on the WPS agenda, including through capacity building and training sessions.	FCDO
Develop BPST(A)’s country partnerships by increasing WPS, SEA and wider Human Security training and make strategic links with other initiatives such as Elsie.	FCDO & MOD

Priority: support and protect civil society as a key UK strategic partner

Commitment	Lead
Promote and host civil society’s participation in UN WPS engagements. For formal UN meetings, we will prioritise women civil society briefers, including in our own Presidency Council meetings. We will we work closely with the WPS NGO Working Group to support and protect women civil society leaders from FCAS.	FCDO
Regularly consult civil society on issues related to WPS and Defence to ensure women’s voices are included in strategic level decision-making.	MOD
Consult civil society to identify methods of increasing women’s meaningful engagement in FCAS, including through the Beyond Consultations Tool.	FCDO
Pilot and roll out a Civic Space Diagnostic Toolkit to help FCDO Posts analyse and address civic space issues, including protection.	FCDO

Draft indicators for strategic partnerships

Departmental:

• % of UNSC peacekeeping mandates with strong reference to WPS
• number of CSOs participating in UN WPS meetings and number of reported reprisals following their engagement
• number of Posts reporting implementation of the Civic Space Diagnostic Toolkit
• number of CSO WPS engagements held by MOD Human Security team

Focus countries:

• number of times annually the UK has raised gender in conflict in diplomatic talks with senior partners in the focus country
• % of Post funding that is given to local civil society organisations

Implementation: UK capabilities

Priority: promote and build UK expertise on WPS

Commitment	Lead
Build WPS expertise as a core skill in the FCDO’s Conflict Stabilisation Group Cadre (CSG).	FCDO
Design an online gender and conflict training course available for other states to use to build understanding and knowledge.	FCDO
Establish a network of WPS academics to provide space for officials to engage with the latest research and ensure our policy and programming are research and evidence-led.	FCDO
Enhance departmental knowledge on WPS by undertaking and supporting research on effective strategies and best practice on WPS and gender-sensitivity in Defence.	MOD

Priority: strengthen UK Government WPS analysis

Commitment	Lead
Up to date Gender Equality and Social Inclusion analysis across all fragile contexts by 2027.	FCDO
Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) guidance updated to reflect latest guidance and tools on gender-sensitivity.	FCDO
Increase understanding of the experience of gender diverse people in conflict and links with the WPS agenda.	FCDO

Priority: strengthen WPS capabilities across UK Government and develop a network of expertise

Commitment	Lead
Design and deliver gender and conflict training for FCDO and Defence overseas network.	FCDO & MOD
UK Defence will incorporate gender perspectives, as a dimension of Human Security, into all planning levels and in the implementation of UK military operations (as outlined in JSP 985).	MOD
Compile online resources and signpost relevant Helpdesks as part of the one-stop- shop Gender and Equalities Gateway portal. The portal will include guidance, evidence, skills training and bespoke support for FCDO officials on how to embed equality considerations across diplomatic, policy and programme activities.	FCDO
WPS included in fast stream induction, the overseas leadership programme, and pre- deployment training.	FCDO
Provide a cross-government WPS Helpdesk via the CSSF Gender, Peace and Security portfolio that offers: gender and conflict analysis, research, programme and policy reviews and expert technical advice on implementation.	CSSF
Continue to fund the Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Helpdesk—a key platform for technical assistance and building capability across FCDO.	FCDO
Strengthen delivery of WPS and gender equality, disability and social inclusion learning and development opportunities for CSSF teams, including through a global peer exchange, dedicated trainings, and technical advisers.	CSSF
Expand Human Security and WPS training across multiple levels of Defence, including increasing the Human Security Adviser network.	MOD

Draft indicators for UK capabilities

Departmental:

• number of officials trained in Gender and Conflict
• number of WPS Helpdesk products
• FCDO & MOD awareness levels on WPS increase
• % of CSG taskings that consider gender as part of their remit
• number of MOD focal points in policy and operational teams trained on Human Security
• number of UK Armed Forces trained on the Human Security Advisers course.
• % MOD staff who have undertaken Human Security Awareness training and NAP induction
• % country plans, policies and operational plans that include Human Security/WPS considerations and/or directives

Focus countries:

• GESI analysis and gender-sensitive JACS has been conducted
• % of embassy staff trained on WPS

1. WPS and gender related issues cut across all areas of the MOD Human Security considerations (Factors & Cross Cutting Themes) ↩

2. Hudson, H. (2009) ‘Peacebuilding Through a Gender Lens and the Challenges of Implementation in Rwanda and Côte d’Ivoire’, Security Studies, 18(2), 287-318. DOI:10.1080/09636410902899982 and Hudson, H. (2012) ‘A Double-edged Sword of Peace? Reflections on the Tension between Representation and Protection in Gendering Liberal Peacebuilding’, International Peacekeeping, 19(4), 443-460. DOI:10.1080/13533312.2012.709 753 ↩

3. Melander, E. (2005) ‘Gender Equality and Intrastate Armed Conflict’, International Studies Quarterly, 49 (4), 695–714. and Caprioli, M. (2005) ‘Primed for Violence: The Role of Gender Inequality in Predicting Internal Conflict’, International Studies Quarterly, 49 (2), 161–178. ↩

4. Caprioli, M. and Boyer, M. A. (2001) ‘Gender, Violence, and International Crisis’, The Journal of Conflict Resolution, 45(4), 503-518. DOI:10.1177/0022002701045004005 ↩

5. Caprioli, M. (2005) ‘Primed for Violence: The Role of Gender Inequality in Predicting Internal Conflict’, International Studies Quarterly, 49 (2), 161–178. and Melander, E. (2005) ‘Gender Equality and Intrastate Armed Conflict’, International Studies Quarterly, 49 (4), 695–714. ↩

6. Caprioli, M. and Boyer, M. A. (2001) ‘Gender, violence, and international crisis’, The Journal of Conflict Resolution, 45(4), 503-518. DOI:10.1177/0022002701045004005 ↩

7. Nilsson, D. (2012) ‘Anchoring the Peace: Civil Society Actors in Peace Accords and Durable Peace’, International Interactions, 38 (2), 243 – 266. DOI:10.1080/03050629.2012.659139 ↩

8. Stone L. (2015) ‘Annex II - Quantitative Analysis of Women’s Participation in Peace Processes’ in: O’Reilly, M. O’Suilleabhain, A. and Paffenholz, T. (eds) ‘Reimagining Peacemaking: Women’s Roles in Peace Processes’, International Peace Institute. 34. Available at: https://www.ipinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IPI-E-pub-Reimagining-Peacemaking.pdf (PDF, 1,248 KB) ↩

9. Paffenholz, T., Ross, N., Dixon, S., Shluchter, A. and True, J. (2015) Making Women Count – Not Just Counting Women: Assessing Women’s Inclusion and Influence on Peace Negotiations. Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative and UN Women. Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2017/5/making-women-count-not-just-counting-women ↩

10. Only 26% of all national parliamentarians are women in January 2022, up from 11% in 1995. Only 21% of government ministers were women, with only 14 countries having achieved 50% or more women in cabinets—UN Women (2022) Facts and figures: Women’s leadership and political participation. Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures ↩

11. Hill, F. (2003) “Women’s Contribution to Conflict Prevention, Early Warning and Disarmament,” United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. Available at: https://unidir.org/publication/disarmament-forum-women-men-peace-and-security ↩

12. Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations (2015) Whose Security? Practical Examples of Gender Perspectives in Military Operations. Available at: https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/siteassets/english/swedint/engelska/swedint/nordic-centre-for-gender-in-military-operations/whose-security-2015-low-resolution.pdf (PDF, 3.1 MB) ↩

13. See, for example, Jones, S. and Libicki, M. (2008) How Terrorist Groups End: Implications for Countering al Qa’ida, RAND Corporation. Available at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/ monographs/MG741-1.html; Bennoune, K. (2013) Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here. New York: W.W. Norton & Company; International Peace Institute (2013) Bennoune: Support Muslims Resisting Fundamentalism. Available at: https://www.ipinst.org/2013/10/bennounesupport-muslims-resisting-fundamentalism; Chowdhury Fink and Barakat; “Women and Countering Violent Extremism: Summary Document and Analysis,” Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations and Georgetown University Institute for Women, Peace, and Security. ↩

14. See, for example, Anderlini, S. N. (2007) Women Building Peace: What They Do, Why It Matters. Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers; International Alert and Women Waging Peace (2004) Inclusive Security, Sustainable Peace: A Toolkit for Advocacy and Action.; O’Reilly, M. (2016) Inclusive Security and Peaceful Societies: Exploring the Evidence. Inclusive Security. Available at: https://www.inclusivesecurity.org/publication/inclusive-security-and-peacefulsocieties-exploring-the-evidence/; International Crisis Group (2016) Beyond Victimhood: Women’s Peacebuilding in Sudan, Congo and Uganda. Available at: https://www.crisisgroup. org/africa/horn-africa/sudan/beyond-victimhood-womens-peacebuilding-sudan-congoand-uganda; UN Women (2012) Women’s Participation in Peace Negotiations: Connections Between Presence and Influence. Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2012/10/WPSsourcebook-03A-WomenPeaceNegotiations-en.pdf (PDF, 2.3 MB) ↩

15. O’Reilly, M. (2015) Why Women? Inclusive Security and Peaceful Societies. Inclusive Security. Available at: https://inclsvescurity.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Why-Women-Brief-2020.pdf (PDF, 3.2 MB) ↩

16. Council on Foreign Relations (2016) How Women’s Participation in Conflict Prevention and Resolution Advances U.S. Interests. Available at: https://www.cfr.org/event/how-womens-participation-conflict-prevention-and-resolution-advances-security-interests ↩

17. O’Reilly, M., Súilleabháin, A. and Paffenholz, T. (2015) Reimagining Peacemaking: Women’s Roles in Peace Processes. International Peace Institute. Available at: https://www.ipinst.org/2015/06/reimagining-peacemaking-womens-roles-in-peace-processes; Kaya, Z. and Makki, I. (2022). UK’s Gender Practice in Security and Aid in Iraq, University of Sheffield and Gender Action for Peace and Security. Available at: https://gaps-uk.org/listening-to-womens-rights-organisations-the-uks-gender-and-wps-practice-in-iraq ↩

18. Anderson, L. (2010) ‘Politics by other means: when does sexual violence threaten international peace and security?’, International Peacekeeping, 17(2), 244-260. ↩

19. World Health Organisation (2021) Violence against women prevalence estimates, 2018: global, regional and national prevalence estimates for intimate partner violence against women and global and regional prevalence estimates for non-partner sexual violence against women. Available at: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/341337 ↩

20. Murphy, M., Fraser, E., Lamb, G., Artz, L., (2022). “Evidence for Action: What Works to Prevent Conflict-Related Sexual Violence”. What Works to Prevent Violence: Impact at Scale. Available at: https://ww2preventvawg.org/sites/default/files/2022-11/CRSV%20Flagship%20Report.pdf (PDF, 7.2 MB) ↩

21. Hanmer, L. and Klugman, J. (2016) ‘Exploring women’s agency and empowerment in developing countries: Where do we stand?’, Feminist Economics, 22(1), 237–263. DOI: 10.1080/13545701.2015.1091087 ↩

22. Manjoo, R. and McRaith, C. (2011) ‘Gender-Based Violence and Justice in Conflict and Post- Conflict Areas’, Cornell International Law Journal, 44 (1), 11–31 ↩

23. UNFPA (2022) Whole of Syria Gender-Based Violence Area of Responsibility: Voices from Syria 2022—Assessment Findings from the Humanitarian Needs Overview. Available at: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/whole-of-syria/document/voices-syria-2022 ↩

24. Development Initiatives (2022) Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2022. Available at: https://devinit.org/documents/1193/GHA2022_Digital_v8_DknWCsU.pdf (PDF, 13.3 MB) ↩

25. Pearce, E. (2014) Disability Inclusion: Translating Policy into Practice in Humanitarian Action. Women’s Refugee Commission. Available at: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Disability%20Inclusion_Translating%20Policy%20into%20Practice%20in%20Humanitarian%20Action.pdf (PDF, 1686 KB) ↩

26. Munyuzangabo M., Khalifa, D. S., Gaffet, M.F et al. (2020) ‘Delivery of sexual and reproductive health interventions in conflict settings: a systematic review’, BMJ Global Health, 5. DOI:10.1136/bmjgh-2019-002206 ↩

27. United Nations (2016) The World Health Organisation (WHO) says address protracted emergencies to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Available at: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2016/04/who-says-address-protracted-emergencies-to-achieve-sustainable-development-goals/ ↩

28. Coomaraswamy, R. (2015) Preventing Conflict, Sustaining Peace. A Global Study on Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325. New York: United Nations. Available at: https://www.un.org/peacebuilding/sites/www.un.org.peacebuilding/files/documents/globalstudywps_en_web.pdf (PDF, 6.3 MB) ↩

29. Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (2021) Women, Peace and Security Index 2021/22. Available at: https://giwps.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/WPS-Index-2021.pdf (PDF, 6.8 MB) ↩

30. DCAF—Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (2015) Gender Equality and Security Sector Reform. SSR Backgrounder Series. Geneva: DCAF. Available at: https://www.dcaf.ch/sites/default/files/publications/documents/DCAF_BG_5_Gender%20Equality%20and%20SSR.pdf (PDF, 172 KB) ↩

31. UN Women (2012) Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice. New York: UN Women. Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2011/ProgressOfTheWorldsWomen-2011-en.pdf (PDF, 9.4 MB) ↩

32. United Nations (2022) Women, Peace and Security: Report of the Secretary-General United Nations (S/2022/740), para. 83. ↩

33. United Nations (no date) Women in Peacekeeping. Available at: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/women-peacekeeping ↩

34. Narang, N. and Liu, Y. (2022) ‘Does female ratio balancing influence the efficacy of peacekeeping units? Exploring the impact of female peacekeepers on post- conflict outcomes and behavior’, International Interactions, 48 (2), 173-203. DOI: 10.1080/03050629.2022.1995729 ↩

35. United Nations Security Council (2015) United Nations Security Council Resolution 2242. Available at: http://unscr.com/en/resolutions/doc/2242 ↩

36. Global Counterterrorism Forum (2016) Good practices on women and countering violent extremism. Available at: https://www.thegctf.org/Portals/1/Documents/Framework%20Documents/GCTF%20Good%20Practices%20on%20Women%20and%20CVE.pdf?ver=2016-03-29-134644-853 (PDF, 358 KB) ↩

37. Haynie, J. (2016) ‘Women, Gender and Terrorism: Gendered Aspects of Radicalization and Recruitment’, Women in International Security Policy Brief. Available at: https://wiisglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2ND-WIIS-Policy-Brief-v3.pdf (PDF, 109 KB) ↩

38. UN Environment Programme, UN Women, UN Development Programme and UN Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (2020) Gender, Climate & Security: Sustaining Inclusive Peace on the Frontlines of Climate Change. Available at: http://www.gender-nr-peace.org/gender-climate-security ↩

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