This special issue of International Affairs, launched on International Women’s Day 2016, explores the potential and limits of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, a global policy architecture supporting gender equality and today a significant reference point in the management and resolution of, as well as recovery from, violent conflict.
For April, in which China has the presidency of the UN Security Council, the MAP provides recommendations on the situations in Central African Republic, Colombia, South Sudan, Syria, Western Sahara, and Yemen.
“Reintroducing women, peace and security” explores the potential and limits of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The article first reviews the implementation of the WPS agenda before looking at the tensions and arguing that the original scope of the agenda has been narrowed. Further challenges that the WPS agenda faces are also addressed before possible agenda futures are explored.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released a report announcing that world military expenditure had totalled almost $1.7 trillion in 2015, an increase of 1 per cent from the previous year. The statistics indicates increasing growth in Asia, Oceania, Central and Eastern Europe and some states in the Middle East whilst spending decreased in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
