This year’s commemoration of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda took place amid growing concern over the weakening of international commitments to women’s participation in peace and security. The annual UN Security Council debate on WPS, chaired by Russia as rotating Council president on 6 October, unfolded without the usual guidance that typically outlines priority issues for member interventions. Without this structure, discussions were wide-ranging and fragmented, resulting in few cohesive political messages in support of the WPS agenda. This lack of direction came at a critical time, as advocates have warned that unified political backing is essential to maintain progress on women’s inclusion in peacekeeping and conflict prevention.

The article highlights that global commitments to gender equality have been eroding, with the United States in particular steering UN discussions away from robust support for women in peacekeeping. Since the start of the year, the US has promoted a narrower interpretation of gender in UN documents and discouraged broader gender equality language across Security Council discussions. These policy shifts, coupled with reductions in global aid, have undermined funding and political support for initiatives that aim to enhance women’s participation in peace operations and protect women and girls in conflict-affected areas.

Although some member states have sought to preserve WPS-related mandates in missions such as South Sudan, overall responses have been limited. Many governments remain hesitant to push back against the US stance due to political and economic pressures, and the UN itself faces financial constraints that restrict its ability to respond assertively. The article concludes that renewed and coordinated political messaging from pro-WPS governments and UN actors is needed to ensure that women’s participation in peacekeeping, and the broader WPS framework, remains a central priority in international peace and security efforts.

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