Women Peace Activists from Around the World Gathered at the International Conference in Sarajevo

The International Conference titled “From Gender Justice to Sustainable Peace: A Vision for the Next 25 Years” concluded on 13 June in Sarajevo. The event marked two significant anniversaries: 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and 25 years since United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which established the framework for recognizing women’s roles in peace and security. Over two days, more than 100 participants from over 20 countries—government representatives, UN and EU officials, civil society actors, activists, and women peacebuilders—gathered to assess progress and chart future action under the “Women, Peace and Security” (WPS) Agenda.

The conference reaffirmed that this agenda “is not merely symbolic, but a security imperative and the foundation for sustainable peace”. It called for the urgent institutionalization of women’s leadership, survivor-centered justice, and closing the gender gap in peace processes. Speakers emphasized that transformative change in peace and security requires sustained political will, stable financing, cross-border solidarity, and gender equality embedded throughout the process rather than treated merely as an end goal.

Hosting the conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina—three decades after its Peace Agreement—further confirmed the country’s role as a regional leader in implementation of the WPS agenda.

The conference was opened by Sevlid Hurtić, Minister for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH: 

“BiH society has endured the heavy toll of war, and the journey of building peace and democracy has been—and remains—a complex and challenge. A key lesson from this experience is that without gender equality and women’s participation, there can be no sustainable peace. BiH was the first country in Southeast Europe to adopt a National Action Plan for Resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council, setting an example for others. This conference offers a valuable opportunity to learn from one another, exchange knowledge and experiences, and shape policies together that will have real impact on women’s lives.”

Pramila Patten, Under-Secretary-General and the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, highlighted: 

“The costs of lawlessness are starkly evident in terms of failures of justice and impunity for crimes of sexual violence in conflict. While States bear the legal responsibility to end impunity and to prosecute all those responsible for crimes of conflict-related sexual violence, very few perpetrators are brought to justice—so that impunity remains the norm and accountability the rare exception.”

Awa Dabo, Director and Deputy Head of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office, added

“It is an honor to be in Sarajevo—standing with women peacebuilders whose leadership is shaping a more just and peaceful future in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond. As we mark 25 years of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, we are reminded that the Women, Peace and Security agenda is not about inclusion for its own sake. It is about transforming how peace is built and sustained. Through the UN Peacebuilding Fund, we are investing in this transformation—supporting the joint programme ‘Women Lead the Way towards Peace and Security’ in BiH to ensure women’s voices are not only heard but drive the peacebuilding agenda.”

Through six thematic panels and workshops, participants analyzed achievements and challenges in implementing the WPS agenda since 2000. Sessions on access to justice included powerful testimonies from survivors of sexual violence and insights from experts in BiH, Ukraine, and other conflict-affected regions. Survivors stressed that justice must extend beyond prosecutions to include recognition, reparations, psychosocial support, and societal acknowledgment.

A key outcome of the conference was the Sarajevo Pledge, a document defining concrete steps and calling for action over the next 25 years. Participants were invited to sign the pledge, reaffirming their commitment to the WPS agenda: “We will not wait another 25 years. We will act now to ensure that women’s leadership, gender-responsive justice, protection, and recovery remain at the heart of every peace effort—in every country, for every generation.”

Parallel to the conference, on 12 June a seven-day cultural and educational program,“Women Lead. Peace Follows.”, opened at the European House of Culture and National Minorities in Sarajevo. Through art, storytelling, and public dialogue, this program amplifies women’s voices in the Women, Peace and Security context. The “SPEAKING OUT” exhibition by the War Childhood Museum, dedicated to survivors of sexual violence and children born of war, opened the programme and will remain open to the public until 18 June.

The conference underscored the importance of multi-level partnerships for advancing the WPS agenda. Expected outcomes include renewed political commitments, a strategic roadmap for implementation, and new alliances linking local and global actors—UN agencies, governments, civil society, and regional organizations.

Over two days of dialogue and cultural events, Sarajevo’s City Hall became a nexus of inspiration, solidarity, and responsibility for the global community. From mediators and activists to government representatives and UN officials, all voices sent a single message: sustainable peace is possible with the full integration of women’s rights, experiences, and leadership.

The conference was organized by the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH and the United Nations in BiH, as part of the five-year project “Women Lead the Way to Peace and Security in BiH”, implemented by UN Women, UNFPA, and IOM with support from the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF). The event also received support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark.