Moldova Hosts International Conference Marking 25 Years of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda
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Over 150 government leaders, international experts, and representatives of civil society convened in Chisinau for the two-day International Conference, "Women for Security," to drive the global Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda from international commitment to tangible, local impact. The conference focused on how to transform global commitments into direct actions benefitting people.
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova
The conference marked a double anniversary: 25 years since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and 30 years since the Beijing Declaration. These milestone documents show that women are not only beneficiaries of peace, but also creators of change and promoters of a safer and more equitable world.
Daniela Misail-Nichitin, Minister of Internal Affairs, opened the conference by emphasizing women’s role in consolidating peace, saying “Modern security is built through people - through women and men who choose cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over silence, and responsibility over indifference. That is why the 1325 agenda is more than an international commitment: it is a choice of women to contribute to peace, security, and stability”.
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova
Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement reaffirmed the European Union's unwavering support for the Republic of Moldova and emphasized the central role of women in the European Integration process. “More women in security services raises the bar for everyone. I hope the day will come when we no longer need to talk about 'women in security' – because it will be natural for us to be there”, she stated.
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova
Doina Gherman, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, further reiterated the national dedication to the WPS agenda. “Even though there have been multiple ideological, political and geopolitical obstacles, for the Republic of Moldova the implementation of Resolution 1325 has become an integral part of state policies, of our efforts to modernize, democratize and approach European standards.” “But the real challenge is not just to be included, but to be heard and followed”.
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova
Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Moldova Country Representative, reflected on the 25th anniversary of the WPS Agenda, stating “The 25 years of experience of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 reminds us that we must seek new solutions and fresh approaches that can become instruments of real transformation, not merely formal commitments. We need to move beyond approaches that have delivered limited impact and to embrace a more innovative, technology-driven, and collaboration-oriented model in confronting the complex challenges of our time.”
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova
The conference "Women for Security" underscores the Republic of Moldova’s determination of to advance gender equality, strengthen democratic institutions, and fully harness women’s potential in the fields of peace, security, and sustainable development.
Commitment to Action
The conference concluded with a joint statement reaffirming that sustainable peace and security depend on women’s equal participation and leadership. Participants called for a decisive shift from passive commitments to concrete action. As part of this pledge, signatories committed to embedding gender equality across defense and security institutions, strengthening women’s leadership, actively addressing digital and gender-based threats, and ensuring that the Women, Peace and Security agenda drives real, measurable change over the next 25 years. Read the joint statement in its entirety here.
The conference is organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in partnership with UN Women, the European Union Partnership Mission to the Republic of Moldova (EUPM), the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and the GS Foundation, with the financial support of Sweden and Denmark.