UNSCR 1325: 25 Years of Women, Peace and Security
On December 2nd and 3rd 2025, 35 participants from the public, private, and civil society sectors came together in the Bruno Kreisky Forum to discuss both the achievements and the persistent gaps in implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, while also exploring how the agenda can remain responsive to today's increasingly complex global security landscape.
In cooperation with the Austrian Ministry of Defence and the Bruno Kreisky Forum, this workshop brought together discussants from both the Global North and the Global South, as well as representatives from the Austrian Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, to facilitate dialogue and exchange of views aimed at further advancing the global implementation of the WPS agenda. The discussions centred around key themes within the global security agenda, including civil society perspectives on WPS, institutional approaches to gender mainstreaming, and the importance of intersectionality. Participants underscored the urgency of strengthening accountability mechanisms and expanding strategic partnerships with women peacebuilders, highlighting that sustainable peace cannot be achieved without their participation. The workshop also showed the need to shift public and institutional narratives toward recognizing women's leadership in conflict prevention and peace processes, especially in light of rising geopolitical tensions and shrinking civic space. At the same time, participants emphasised that policymakers and institutions must implement the WPS agenda in a transformative rather than reactive way, grounded in the principles of equality, justice, and human-centred governance. The key discussion outcomes and recommendations were as a basis for continued dialogue during the High-Level-Panel at the Ministry of Defense following the workshop.