Backlash and Progress in a New Geopolitical Reality: Women, Peace and Security and the Ambiguous Role of the UN Security Council

The document analyzes the evolution of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in the UN Security Council, noting a shift from consensus-based norm expansion to a period of 'backlash' and 'pushback' since 2019. It identifies specific threats to norms regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and women's civil society participation, often driven by actors like Russia, China, and the US (under the Trump administration). Despite these challenges, the authors highlight the role of elected members (E10) in maintaining progress through 'shared commitments' and the integration of WPS language into day-to-day Council decisions. The paper argues that while the Council's overall legitimacy is declining due to stalemates over conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, it remains a critical arena for defending women's rights against global authoritarian trends.

• Since 2019, the UN Security Council has experienced 'backlash'—defined as counterassaults on women's rights and the promotion of a conservative gender order—specifically targeting norms related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
• The document distinguishes between 'backlash' and 'granular pushback,' the latter being consistent opposition to expanding agreed WPS language, particularly regarding the participation of women's civil society organizations.
• Geopolitical tensions and democratic backsliding have led to a 'Council stalemate' following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the 2023 conflict in Gaza, which has limited the space for WPS negotiations and weakened the Council's legitimacy as a platform for norm generation.
• Elected members of the Security Council (E10), including Ireland, Kenya, Norway, Mexico, Slovenia, Sweden, and Sierra Leone, have countered backlash by forming alliances and using 'shared commitments' to integrate WPS language into regular resolutions.
• There has been a measurable increase in the representation of women as expert briefers to the Security Council; for instance, the Council invited 60 civil society women in 2022, compared to only 25 such women between 2000 and 2015.
• The UN Security Council's thematic WPS resolutions serve as a foundation for national policies; as of May 2024, 109 countries had drawn up National Action Plans that reference these resolutions to avoid costly renegotiations.
• The authors argue that maintaining the UN Security Council as a negotiation arena is essential for defending women's rights against a global 'authoritarian wave' and increasing militarization, despite the Council's inherent limitations.

APA

Olsson, L., & Tryggestad, T. L. (2026). Backlash and Progress in a New Geopolitical Reality: Women, Peace and Security and the Ambiguous Role of the UN Security Council. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e62863f8-8cef-485c-b8e8-ebbf4900741e/978-3-032-10853-1_2.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Olsson, Louise, and Torunn L. Tryggestad. Backlash and Progress in a New Geopolitical Reality: Women, Peace and Security and the Ambiguous Role of the UN Security Council. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2026. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e62863f8-8cef-485c-b8e8-ebbf4900741e/978-3-032-10853-1_2.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Olsson |first1=Louise |last2=Tryggestad |first2=Torunn L. |title=Backlash and Progress in a New Geopolitical Reality: Women, Peace and Security and the Ambiguous Role of the UN Security Council |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2026 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e62863f8-8cef-485c-b8e8-ebbf4900741e/978-3-032-10853-1_2.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{olsson2026backlash, author = {Olsson, Louise and Tryggestad, Torunn L.}, title = {{Backlash and Progress in a New Geopolitical Reality: Women, Peace and Security and the Ambiguous Role of the UN Security Council}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2026}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e62863f8-8cef-485c-b8e8-ebbf4900741e/978-3-032-10853-1_2.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }