The Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship is based around the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 which “reaffirms the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflict, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction, and stresses the importance of their equal participation in all efforts for the promotion of peace and security”.

Whilst there have been achievements in the Women Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, the global community is still at the beginning of a long journey. The fellowship takes a holistic approach towards building sustainable peace through increased inclusivity and gender sensitivity.

The fellowship has been held 3 times a year since 2016, in Edinburgh and online during the Covid-19 pandemic, and has built up a fantastic network of almost 300 women from 24 countries across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Central America. These women are a diverse group, working in an equally varied range of professions related to peace-building and conflict resolution. This wealth of experience is one of the key strengths of the fellowship as it allows for greater reflection and shared learning on different aspects of the peace-building rather than solely focusing on high-level, formal peace processes.