Mainstreaming Resolution 1325? Evaluating the Impact on Security Council Resolution 1325 on Country-Specific UN Resolutions

In October 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security recognizing for the first time that women disproportionately face the consequences of conflict and should therefore be included in decision-making at all levels during peace processes and post-conflict governance. However in the eight years since its adoption, many questions remain regarding the Security Council’s commitment to this agenda. This paper examines the language of Security Council resolutions between 1998 and 2008 to evaluate how Resolution 1325 has influenced the language of conflict-specific Security Council resolutions. I conclude that while Resolution 1325 has actually led to a significant increase in the numbers of references to women in resolution language, references are much more likely to call for the protection of women and are significantly less likely to call for their active participation in decision-making processes