Gender Action for Peace and Security is pleased to launch our latest Shadow Report 'Stalled at the Midpoint: Assessing UK Government Action on Women, Peace and Security in 2025'.
As the UK's civil society network on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), GAPS works to advance the WPS agenda, monitor the implementation of UK Government commitments and hold the UK Government accountable for delivering on them. Since 2011, our Shadow Reports have independently assessed progress and highlighted where further action is needed.
This year's report comes at a pivotal moment, ahead of the Government’s planned refresh of the UK’s National Action Plan (NAP) on WPS. It asesses progress in 2025, including the implications of cuts to UK aid, reforms to the FCDO, and changes in ministerial leadership.
The central finding is clear: the UK does not lack commitments on Women, Peace and Security; it lacks a sufficiently transparent, funded and accountable system to translate those commitments into actions.
The report sets out ten key tests for the forthcoming NAP refresh and immediate recommendations for Government, including calls to:
Strengthen transparency and accountability by publishing WPS expenditure and impact data, establishing a robust monitoring framework, and restoring annual reporting to Parliament.
Ensure adequate and sustainable funding through a costed NAP implementation plan and predictable, flexible, multi-year support for women's rights organisations and women peacebuilders.
Prioritise conflict prevention and women's meaningful participation in peacebuilding, mediation and security decision-making.
Ensure meaningful civil society participation in the design, implementation, monitoring and review of the NAP.
We encourage you to read the attached report and share its findings and recommendations with your networks.