Description
The implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda in the Balkans represents a critical framework for post-conflict reconstruction and sustainable development. Rooted in UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the WPS Agenda underscores the pivotal role of women in peace processes, the necessity of their protection from gender-based violence, and the integration of gender perspectives across all facets of security and governance. In the Balkans, nations such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Montenegro have formulated National Action Plans (NAPs) to materialize this agenda. These NAPs indicate a robust commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment; however, their practical implementation reveals several challenges. These include insufficient financial resources, inadequate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and the need to ensure that women's participation in peacebuilding is substantive rather than merely tokenistic. Enhanced international and regional cooperation is also vital to reinforce these efforts. Despite notable progress, addressing these gaps is imperative for the Balkans to fully harness the transformative potential of the WPS Agenda in fostering resilient and inclusive post-conflict societies. The article will focus on the analysis of the five NAPs in the region and address the progress – or not – that the Agenda WPS brought there.
