Ensuring the Inclusion of Young Women in Conflict and Atrocity Prevention

As the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda marks its 20th anniversary in 2020, international action to include women’s perspectives, needs, and work in prevention efforts remains limited, and current prevention initiatives have yet to develop and integrate their gender analysis capabilities. Without adequate consideration of the unique ways women experience conflict and atrocities, many crises remain off and fail to make the UNSC agenda. In order to ensure its effectiveness, the accountability framework on WPS needs to draw from and strengthen the work of women of all ages. This is particularly crucial for young women who often have less access to prevention spaces at national, regional, and institutional levels, but play crucial roles in their local communities.