Consultation with Women’s Activists and Civil Society Organizations on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Central Asia

In September 2021, UN Women organized a consultation with more than 30 women peacebuilders, mediators, and civil society organizations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The consultation offered a platform to raise the voices and needs of women and youth, and discuss women’s views and solutions at the forefront of decisions on Women, Peace and Security, including implementation of National Action Plans on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in the Central Asian subregion.

The discussions highlighted challenges to implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and for building solidarity and support for women across Central Asia. Measures to advance the agenda include active advocacy, more dialogue, greater partnerships with women's organizations, and for more women in senior positions within the Ministry of Defence, security forces, and in preparation of government responses to the Afghan crisis. Recommendations also called for removing barriers to women’s meaningful participation in peace processes at formal and informal levels and ensuring safety for women human rights defenders and peace activists.

The consultation was part of a series of dialogues on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Europe and Central Asia to address challenges and opportunities to advance the agenda in the region.