NORTHERN IRELAND: UNSCR 1325 in Northern Ireland: Opportunities, Challenges and Complexities

“Working on UNSCR 1325 in Northern Ireland is like working in a virtual reality” (Civil society member from Northern Ireland).

The UN envisaged Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, passed on the 31 October 2000 as a landmark document that promises to protect women's rights and guarantee their equal participation in peace processes[i]. UNSCR 1325[ii] takes into account women's different experiences of conflict and their contributions to building peace and sustainable security. Celebrating its twelfth birthday, it has yet to reach its full potential, as implementation remains problematic, not only due the lack of political will, but also as result of diplomatic sensitivities arising out of the positioning of some conflict regions. This is evident in Northern Ireland, a conflict region in which UNSCR 1325 has yet to be implemented.