The Future of Security Is Here

This International Day of Peace, hear the powerful perspectives of your World Pulse sisters.

The way forward can only be found by listening to those who bear the brunt of these threats and acting on their recommendations.

Last fall, World Pulse joined hands with Our Secure Future and Women's Alliance for Security Leadership to crowdsource your stories, experiences, and expertise in order to democratize peacebuilding and security efforts. The World Pulse community shared more than 150 personal narratives on what peace and security mean to you, and nearly 350 women responded to the survey.

On this International Day of Peace, we invite you to hear the voices and powerful perspectives of your World Pulse sisters, presented here in the Future of Security Is Women report.

Your voices are needed to bring about true global security. When much of the world’s population cannot fulfill their potential due to violence, poverty, ill health, and exclusion from power and decision-making, there will never be true peace and lasting security. The way forward can only be found by listening to those who bear the brunt of these threats and acting on their recommendations.

The insights in this report come from women from over 60 countries. Some respondents, like those in Cameroon, are in the midst of active conflict. Others, like those in the Philippines, are experiencing the immediate threats of climate change. Still more, like those in India, Nepal, Nigeria, the US and more are up against daily threats of harassment, assault, and limitations placed upon them due solely to their gender.

These messages are urgent; these recommendations invaluable. Taken together, they call for nothing less than a fundamental redefinition of global, national, and human security. They also propose practical steps to resolve the complex, interconnected root causes that sabotage it. This reframe is not idealistic. It is realistic. It is not impractical, but sensible and sure.

These recommendations are a compass for governments, businesses, and civil society leaders. Twenty years after the passage of UNSCR 1325, which aims to elevate women’s role in peacemaking, too many women are still on the outside of decision-making and peace tables. Progress will come from genuine inclusion instead of lip service and rhetoric. This report also makes clear that women are powerful agents of change in their own right. Participants in this project shared about the work they are doing on the ground, in their homes, and in local governments to usher in a future that is truly secure. These efforts deserve strengthening and resourcing to hasten peace everywhere.

When you read these recommendations, when you promote their weight and take action, you will be a part of reforming narrow, ineffective security strategies and creating a new, inclusive, and peaceful reality for us all.

How to Get Involved

Download the report to read the full study, which includes women's recommendations for addressing security issues and three full length stories from Featured Storytellers.



Explore World Pulse's new Peace and Security hub and connect directly with your World Pulse sisters who are speaking out on peace and security issues every day.



Add your voice to the ongoing conversation. We're always here to listen.