U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) was adopted on Oct. 31, 2000, at United Nations headquarters in New York City. The resolution was the first of its kind at the U.N. The WPS agenda calls for women’s full and equal participation and representation at all levels of institutions, the protection of women and girls from gender-based violence, an end to impunity, and the integration of gender perspectives into conflict prevention strategies.
Research also suggests that women are critical to peacebuilding, conflict resolution and democracy. According to U.N. Women, peace agreements are 35% more likely to last at least 15 years when women participate in negotiations because they advocate for broader issues such as education, justice and human rights. The Council on Foreign Relations’ analysis of 182 peace agreements found that women’s involvement increases the likelihood of an agreement’s longevity and leads to higher implementation rates. The U.N. Development Program, OECD and World Bank emphasize that inclusive political institutions with women in leadership are less corrupt, more transparent, strengthen democratic resilience, improve trust in institutions, and foster participatory decision-making.
Despite mounting evidence highlighting the benefits of women’s participation and leadership in society, politics and institutions, women’s rights have been steadily backsliding globally. One of the biggest causes is the rise in authoritarianism, which is now at its highest level in nearly 50 years, according to the 2025 Democracy Report by V-Dem. V-Dem, or the Varieties of Democracy Institute, is an international research project based at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.
V-Dem reports also highlight direct links between democratic backsliding and the erosion of women’s rights. Autocratic regimes often target women’s rights and gender equality early in the backsliding process. Countries that have experienced democratic erosion — including India, Hungary, Turkey and El Salvador — have also seen declines in women’s rights and participation. Freedom House notes that gender-based repression is one of the key indicators of authoritarian consolidation in countries such as Iran, Russia and Afghanistan.
On Oct. 14, 2025, Hillary Rodham Clinton, the 67th U.S. secretary of state, took part in a panel discussion at SAIS moderated by Dean James Steinberg. The conversation centered on The Situation Room: The Theory and Practice of Crisis Decision-Making — a new book co-edited by Clinton and Keren Yarhi-Milo that includes a chapter co-authored by SAIS Professor Jessica Chen Weiss. During the discussion, Clinton emphasized the importance of women to democracy. She cited examples such as Argentinian President Javier Milei’s proposal to eliminate femicide as a crime, Turkey’s withdrawal from the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women, and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s instruction to the Duma to scrap laws against domestic violence.
“How can we move forward toward shared prosperity and democratic resilience if half of the world’s population — women — are left behind?” she asked.
In an era of authoritarian revival and geopolitical flux, it is more important than ever to embed the Women, Peace and Security agenda across all institutions and expand women’s participation in governance. This requires the support of allies and civil society to advocate for women’s inclusion at all levels of decision-making. Creating safe, inclusive spaces that encourage women’s political participation is vital. Governments should also be incentivized to build more platforms for women’s leadership.
This transformation demands persistence, conviction and strong political will. As Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the trailblazing advocate for gender equality and former U.S. Supreme Court justice, once said: “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” And, “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” The survival of global democracy may well depend on it.
Edited By: Blake Uhlig