Latin America Strengthens the Women, Peace and Security Agenda from Montevideo

^{Photo: Isabel Alonso Martín/UN Women}

Montevideo, May 21, 2026 – In a region marked by challenges such as armed violence, insecurity, human mobility, and the impacts of climate change, representatives from governments, civil society, and international organizations gathered this week in Montevideo to strengthen an agenda that places women at the center of peace and security solutions.

Over the course of three days, the National Action Plan Academy on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), organized by UN Women and Our Secure Future, brought together delegations from Colombia, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay at the Artigas Institute of Foreign Service (IASE) of Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to exchange experiences, strengthen capacities, and advance public policies that promote a more inclusive, sustainable, and effective peace.

^{In picture: Carina de los Santos, UN Women Uruguay Women, Peace and Security Project Coordinator, and Magdalena Furtado, UN Women Representative in Uruguay, during the opening of the third NAP Academy. Photo: Isabel Alonso Martín/UN Women}

“When processes are coordinated between the State and social organizations, the results are far more sustainable,” said Magdalena Furtado, UN Women Representative in Uruguay. “Hopefully participants will leave in a better position than when they arrived, and with a roadmap as well.” 

^{In picture: Ambassador Noelia Martínez, Deputy Director-General for Political Affairs at Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, opened the three-day workshop in Montevideo. Photo: Isabel Alonso Martín/UN Women} 

“Women must be active participants in this agenda, not merely spectators, victims, or observers,” stated Ambassador Noelia Martínez, Deputy Director-General for Political Affairs at Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warning that “even if our region is considered a zone of peace, that does not mean it is free from conflict or violence.” 

The Women, Peace, and Security agenda, promoted by the United Nations since 2000, recognizes that conflicts, violence, and crises affect women and girls in a differentiated and disproportionate way, and that their participation is key to preventing conflicts, building peace, and strengthening the security of communities. National Action Plans (NAPs) are the main tool available to States to translate these commitments into concrete measures, promote inter-institutional coordination, and create spaces for participation by civil society, academia, and international organizations. 

“As governments increasingly focus on implementing Women, Peace and Security commitments, the Our Secure Future National Action Plan Academy has become a unique and practical space for peer learning and technical support. We work closely with high-level decision-makers to strengthen internal coordination and develop more effective WPS National Action Plans. Our approach is unlike most others because we engage civil society and regional partners, alongside their government counterparts to foster regional sharing and best practices.” highlighted Sahana Dharmapuri, Vice President of Our Secure Future.

The event was inaugurated by authorities from Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN Women, and the British Embassy in Uruguay, who highlighted the need to strengthen coordinated regional responses to current peace and security challenges.

^{In picture: British Ambassador to Uruguay Mal Green reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to advancing the WPS agenda in the region. Photo: Isabel Alonso Martín/UN Women} 

“The United Kingdom remains firmly committed to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, and through the British Embassy we have worked closely with Uruguay since the development of its first National Action Plan. We are particularly pleased to support the delivery of the NAP Academy, which promotes interinstitutional collaboration with countries across the region,” said Mal Green, British Ambassador to Uruguay.

Throughout the NAP Academy, delegations shared experiences on how to advance policies that promote women’s participation in decision-making spaces, help prevent violence, and improve institutional coordination in response to increasingly complex security challenges.

The sessions also addressed emerging issues in the region, including the impact of climate change and human mobility on women’s security, as well as the relationship between armed violence and gender inequality. One thematic session, facilitated by UNLIREC, explored how to integrate arms control approaches into Women, Peace and Security policies to prevent violence and strengthen community security.

In addition to technical exchanges, participants worked on practical exercises to develop roadmaps adapted to their national contexts, identifying priority actions, coordination mechanisms, and opportunities for regional cooperation.

^{Representatives from various government institutions of the governments of Colombia, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay participated in the three-day workshops. Photo: Isabel Alonso Martín/UN Women} 

The Academy promoted dialogue among governments, civil society organizations, and international partners, reaffirming that peace and security policies are more effective when they incorporate women’s experiences, needs, and leadership.

This edition in Uruguay is the third Academy held in the region, following previous experiences in the Caribbean and Panama. In the Caribbean, the initiative contributed to strengthening the capacities of representatives from Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica, as well as CARICOM, promoting dialogue spaces on the issue in several of these countries and opening the possibility of advancing toward a regional vision from a public health perspective, which resulted in Trinidad and Tobago’s first WPS NAP.

Meanwhile, the regional meeting in Panama supported and strengthened the processes of Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama toward developing their first National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security, leading to the launch of Bolivia’s first NAP. These experiences have demonstrated how cross-country exchange and technical cooperation can accelerate concrete progress in implementing this agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Learn more about the Academy of Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security here.

Press Contact

UN Women Uruguay Office – andrea.zabotinsky@unwomen.org 
Latin America and Caribbean Office – miguelangel.trancozo@unwomen.org