Democracy Dies in Darkness

Opinion Women have shown their skill at making peace. Let them work.

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October 31, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. EDT
A. Amhimmid Mohamed Alamami, second from left, head of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces delegation, and Ahmed Ali Abushahma, head of the Government of National Accord military delegation, shake hands next to U.N. Libya envoy Stephanie Williams, center, on Oct. 23 in Geneva. (Violaine Martin/United Nations/AFP/Getty Images) (Violaine Martin/Un Photo Handout/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Jamille Bigio, senior fellow for women and foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, served on the White House National Security Council staff during the Obama administration. Alexandra Bro is a former research associate in the women and foreign policy program at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Twenty years ago this month, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1325, which declared something that should have been self-evident: Women around the world are directly affected by war and violence — so they should have a say in how conflicts are resolved.