The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda is more relevant than ever in humanitarian action, as the sector grapples with funding cuts and the ‘humanitarian reset.’

The WPS agenda promotes women’s participation in conflict-related decision-making; protection from gender-based violence; and crisis response, all while supporting women’s rights and local peace initiatives. The 25th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325—the resolution that brought about the WPS agenda—comes at a pivotal time for the humanitarian sector. The number of people affected by conflict and requiring humanitarian assistance is increasing, with more state-based conflicts taking place in 2024 than in any other year since World War II. Globally, more than 305 million people need humanitarian assistance. Yet funding to meet these needs is decreasing, especially in the areas of gender equality and protection.

The abrupt withdrawal of humanitarian and development funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in January has thrown the sector into chaos. Meanwhile, other traditional donors are reducing their funding to humanitarian, development and peacebuilding programs while increasing defence spending.

A humanitarian reset is now underway, promising a reimagined and more efficient humanitarian system, though the results remain to be seen. As the sector grapples with these changes, the WPS agenda offers a framework for locally led responses that value the experiences and leadership of women and women-led organisations, address gender inequalities and bridge humanitarian-development-peacebuilding siloes in a way that doesn’t undermine humanitarian principles.