This month we celebrate the 15th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 that addresses the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women and the pivotal role women should and do play in conflict management, conflict resolution and sustainable peace. To continue to support the implementation of this important normative framework on women, peace and security issues, the UN Women Training Centre and the Peace Operations Training Institute (POTI) are launching 3 courses that aim to strengthen the capacity on resolution 1325 on a global level.

In October 2000, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) — a turning point in understanding and recognizing the role of women and girls in issues of peace and security. UNSCR 1325 has been further substantiated through six additional Security Council Resolutions, including UN SCRs 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), and 2122 (2013). All these resolution emphasize the importance of women’s role in peace negotiation and peace building, the need to prevent and adequately respond to sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflicts and the comprehensive data collection and reporting around those issues.

UN Women acts to build women’s participation and influence in decision-making to prevent and resolve conflicts, fostering women’s peace coalitions and preparing them to engage in peace processes and reaching out to peacekeepers to detect and stop conflict-related sexual violence. “Where women are at the peace table, they are able to make compromises that allow for faster progress, but not at the expense of core aspects of long-term sustainability.” Said UN Women’s Director Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the Open Debate on women, peace and security on 13 October 2015.

“We are pleased to note the steady progress in the 15 years since UN Security Council Resolution 1325 first gave official testimony to the importance of recognizing and including women in the process of peace and conflict resolution. Although much progress has been made, there is still much to be done to fully incorporate the important resources women can and do provide at all levels in the peace process.” explains Harvey Langholtz, Director of the Peace Operations Training Institute (POTI).

One of the ways UN Women supports peace operations on the implementation of Resolution 1325 is by providing guidance and training on the frameworks for implementing and monitoring the Women Peace and Security resolutions in all aspects of peacebuilding, including women’s engagement in conflict resolution, gender-responsive prevention and protection, women’s participation in peacebuilding, and gender and transitional justice.

In the context of this new training partnership between the UN Women Training Centre and the Peace Operations Training Institute, Clemencia Munoz-Tamayo, Chief of UN Women Training Centre, outlines “training for gender equality is key to change knowledge, attitude and skills towards gender, peace and security issues and therefore central for the full implementation of the women, peace and security agenda and resolution 1325. We need gender sensitive and competent individuals working in peace building, peace support operation and security issues in order to contribute to a more sustainable and positive peace as well as human security. Training can support a capacity building strategy towards these goals.”

To support capacity building on the subject of women in peace and security, the UN Women Training Centre has partnered with the Peace Operations Training Institute (POTI) to offer a three-course suite on the implementation of the Security Council Resolutions on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. Each course focuses on the efforts, challenges, and prospects of building capacities for their implementations in their respective world regions: Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Langholtz explains the importance of the courses and this joint initiative: “The Peace Operations Training Institute (POTI) is pleased to cooperate with UN Women in the production and distribution of a suite of three regional courses on the important role women play in peace and conflict resolution. These three regionally specific courses achieve several goals: the raising of awareness about the importance of UNSCR 1325 and the six resolutions that followed; the building of capacities for their implementation; and the promotion of sustainable implementation at the regional and national level. Each course focuses on the efforts, challenges, and prospects of this agenda in one of three world regions: Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Implementation of the Security Council Resolutions on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa is available in English and French.

The Asia and Pacific version is available in English.

The version highlighting Latin America and the Caribbean is available in English and Spanish.

These three courses are available for all worldwide to download at no cost from http://www.peaceopstraining.org/sponsors/un-women/

UN Under-Secretary-General Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, provides a video welcome to each student as part of their online study. Harvey Langholtz (POTI) thanks UN Women for the “privilege of collaborating in this global training initiative and even more importantly we thank the brave men and women worldwide who strive each day to achieve peace, stability, security, and opportunity for all members of the human family.”

The courses introduce the participants to the specific women, peace and security issues in the respective region and with specific entry points towards the implementation of the resolutions provisions. The courses were especially designed for people who work in the area of peace and security at the national or regional levels and who require a practical tool to support and facilitate the implementation of the women, peace, and security agenda. Together with an interactive webinar jointly launched by POTI and the UN Women Training Centre this training initiative is aimed at a large audience. Clemencia Munoz-Tamayo calls not only for peacekeeping personnel but also civilians working in conflict and post-conflict affected areas to build their capacities to adequately respond to the impact of armed conflict and humanitarian challenges.