The topic of Women, Peace and Security has become recognized as a key issue in global discussions today. It is rare to question men's role in these discussions, yet creating partnerships with men is critical to establishing gender equality and ending gender based violence.

The Permanent Mission of Ireland invites you to a High Level Panel discussion on Women and Peacebuilding in the Great Lakes region, with the participation of Special Envoy Mary Robinson, Special Representative Zainab Bangura, women's civil society leader and Ugandan lawyer and peacebuilder Lina Zedriga and Ireland's Development Minister Joe Costello.

The Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations begins with the words “We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind.” These opening words continue to serve as a reminder that the UN itself was created to help prevent war, and of the ruin that war can bring upon the world.

In the poorest regions of the world, roughly one in three girls gives birth by the age of 18. Adolescent girls are at the highest risk of maternal mortality, and these risks are compounded in humanitarian settings where sexual vio­lence and exploitation is pervasive.

The Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University will host a day long symposium to discuss human rights 20 years after the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights. The event will seek to engage stakeholders on the challenges and opportunities for human rights in the 21st century.

Abigail E. Disney is a filmmaker and philanthropist. Her longtime passion for women's issues and peacebuilding culminated in her first film, the acclaimed Pray the Devil Back to Hell. Abigail produced the groundbreaking PBS mini-series Women, War & Peace, the most comprehensive global media initiative ever mounted on the role of women in peace and conflict.

Over the past five years there have been important advances in the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325, including an increased focus by the Security Council on the issue of conflict-related sexual violence.

What are the major gendered consequences of the civil war, and what are the immediate priorities of women inside Syria
and in refugee settings that will prevent further gendered violence?

How can women's political participation be strengthened inside Syria and in the refugee settings in the neighbouring countries of Lebanon and Jordan?

The UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review of UN Member States is an important mechanism/opportunity for NGO's to review gender components of individual country UPR Reports on human rights. The Final Reports of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group often contains gender-focused text that can be very useful in advocacy for the human rights of women and girls.

On May 16th, IPI together with the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping hosted a panel discussion focusing on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in peacekeeping activities, and the issues relating to the prevention of and response to sexual and gender based violence that poses a risk to peace and security. The event featured Ms.