This set of Case Studies - Assessing UK Government Action on Women Peace and Security in 2024 complements GAPS’ 2024 Shadow Report by grounding its analysis in the lived experiences of women and girls in conflict-affected contexts. Focusing on Ukraine, the…

There has been a critical escalation of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) over the past few weeks, with Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 seizing control of Goma. The heightened risk of sexual violence has been reported by organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, who have said more than 1 in 10 young women in camps reported being raped between November 2023 and April 2024.

More than 30,000 Syrians have returned home since the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024. The UK has now paused its decision over Syrian asylum-claims. As of December 2024, 6,502 Syrians are waiting the outcome of their asylum claim in the UK. Nadia Hardman, a researcher in the Refugee and Migrants Rights Division of Human Rights Watch, outlined…

The Security Council held its annual debate on women, peace and security in New York this month, titled:  “Women Building Peace in a Changing Environment”. UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, spoke to the contexts of Gaza, Sudan, Afghanistan and Yemen, emphasising that we must 'reinforce our resolve to support women advocating for their rights, agency and inclusion at every opportunity'.

Israel strikes on Southern Lebanon The Lebanese health minister reported 569 people have been killed and 1,835 wounded since last Monday in Israeli strikes across Southern Lebanon. Hezbollah confirmed the death of its senior…

19 August marked International Humanitarian Day:

Civil society demonstrated their support for the day, including aid workers in Gaza who paused for a moment of silence, in solidarity with fellow humanitarians and to honour the 289 colleagues killed since October 2023. GAPS joined the calls to #ActforHumanity to ensure the protection of civilians, including humanitarians, in conflict zones & ensure accountability for violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law. Read the full thread here. 

The UK Government has been elected and new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed his new cabinet with David Lammy as Foreign Secretary and Anneliese Dodds as a Minister in the FCDO as well as a Minister for Women and Equalities in the Department of Education.

With the release of the party manifestos over the past weeks and upcoming UK General Election, this month has been filled with anticipation and opportunity. As a penholder for UNSCR 1325, the incoming Government holds the responsibility to re-commit, reform and propel the WPS agenda forward, to enact the meaningful change that has, so far, been underwhelming. 

March 2024 marks one year of implementation for the National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security. To recognise this, GAPS has developed an assessment of UK Government progress on WPS in 2023. This report, informed by four case studies co-created by women’s rights organisations (WROs), women human rights activists and GAPS member organisations, considers the progress and learnings for the UK Government to take forward into the proceeding years of NAP implementation.

Read our report: Assessing UK Government Action on Women, Peace and Security in 2023.   One year on from the launch, GAPS analyses the UK Government’s implementation of the fifth National Action Plan (NAP) on Women Peace and Security (WPS) undertaken…

In February, with the continuation of the genocide, GAPS continued through its feminist mandate to call for an immediate and full ceasefire in Gaza and end to the occupation in Palestine. The UK Government continually fails to uphold its commitments the protection of women and children, as outlined in the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, through its inconsistent and incoherent response to Gaza.

Welcome to GAPS January wrap up. It has been over one week since the ICJ delivered its provisional measures orders in response to South Africa’s genocide case against Israel. Despite no measures ordered of halting military operations in Gaza, it…

This month, the GAPS team was in the Hague for LEAP4Peace, of which we are a proud member. Alongside organisations from Burundi, Colombia, Myanmar, and the Netherlands, we work nationally and globally to support the…

Welcome to GAPS May wrap-up.  GAPS attended the 2023 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development organised by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This year's theme focused on ‘Seeking Solutions for Turbulent Times’ and explored lessons and experiences from past…

Assessing UK Government Action on Women, Peace and Security in 2022. In this shadow report, GAPS assesses the 2022 Annual Report to Parliament by the UK Government and considers overarching lessons learned from the 4th National Action Plan (NAP), which ran from 2018 to 2022. It also considers key recommendations for His Majesty’s Government (HMG)’s 5th NAP, which will run from 2023 to 2027.   

GAPS March Newsletter Welcome to GAPS March wrap up.  It was a very busy month for GAPS!  The sixty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) took place in New York this month, which saw women-led civil…

GAPS February Newsletter Welcome to the GAPS February wrap up.  On the 23rd of February, GAPS attended the launch of the fifth UK National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security (NAP) at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Our…

January has been an opportunity for GAPS to prepare and plan for the year ahead, with key national and global moments upcoming, including…

Welcome to our December and 2022 wrap-up. It has been an eventful and busy year for the GAPS Team, and as we draw an end to 2022, GAPS is looking forward to celebrating the holidays with friends and family, and…

Welcome to our November wrap-up. November has been a busy month as COP27 in Egypt came to a close, and GAPS took part in the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) Global Conference happening in London. Ahead of COP27, GAPS released a…