Enhancing gender equality and women's empowerment in the humanitarian-development-peace nexus in countries affected by the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine

This brief examines the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in countries affected by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, specifically focusing on Georgia, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. It explores the gaps and opportunities for strengthening the integration of the WPS agenda within the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus in these contexts. The paper highlights the critical role of collaborative partnerships at both the global and regional levels to address the humanitarian, security, and peace challenges in the region, with an emphasis on advancing gender equality and empowering women in these complex settings. This brief also touches on the potential of feminist foreign policy (FFP) to advance the WPS agenda and HDP nexus. It does not provide a full-fledged analysis of relevant policies and plans and cannot fully reflect the constant changes in national and regional contexts that impact the implementation of WPS and HDP nexus commitments. It served as input to the regional expert meeting organized by the UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) on 28–29 November 2024, in Warsaw, to stimulate discussion about ways to strengthen the integration of the WPS agenda in the HDP nexus approach in the region. The paper was finalized by reflecting the outcomes of conversations during the expert meeting. Key conclusions emphasize coordination among HDP actors as a central opportunity to integrate gender perspectives and the role of National Action Plans in delivering more coherent approaches across the HDP nexus to deliver better results for gender equality.