Women In International Security (WIIS) is the only global network actively advancing women’s leadership, at all stages of their careers, in the international peace and security field. There are new and expanding opportunities for women’s participation globally, as women are present in greater numbers in foreign and defense affairs and now occupy important positions in governments around the world.
In recent years, the international community has recognized the important contributions of women to peace and security, and has made commitments to include women in peace and security decision-making at all levels. But equal representation of women is not yet a reality, especially at senior levels of policy making. The number of women obtaining degrees in international affairs-related programs is increasing, and in many organizations that work on peace and security issues, women make up almost half of the entry level professional workforce. Yet, in the majority of security policy making institutions, women comprise less than 30 percent of senior leadership positions. Entry into the profession is not necessarily translating into advancement into leadership positions in key peace and security institutions. The lack of female representation in decision-making positions means that the international community is missing the diversity of expertise and perspectives that are desperately needed in this field. WIIS recognizes that all women do not share the same opinions about how to address the world’s security problems. But women often share common experiences and challenges as women, and they often share common, valuable approaches to leadership roles. WIIS’ research demonstrates that women in these positions of authority often share consultative, inclusive, and collaborative leadership styles. The contributions that women have made and could potentially make to international peace and security are just beginning to be recognized. WIIS is working to ensure that recognition translates into leadership opportunities for women around the world.
