Women, Peace, and Security: Implementing UNSCR 1325 in Nigeria’s Conflict-Affected Communities

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, adopted in 2000 and reinforced by subsequent resolutions, establishes a comprehensive normative framework requiring the meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping, and post-conflict reconstruction processes. Nigeria's adoption of a National Action Plan for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 represented a significant formal commitment; however, translating this commitment into substantive change in conflict-affected communities remains an enduring challenge. This study examines the implementation status of UNSCR 1325 provisions in selected conflict-affected communities in Anambra and neighboring states, exploring women's participation in local peace mechanisms, security governance, and post-conflict rehabilitation programs between 2021 and 2024. A qualitative methodology is employed, incorporating focus group discussions with women peacebuilders, interviews with civil society organizations and government officials, and review of Nigeria's National Action Plan progress reports. Feminist security studies and the gender and peacebuilding literature frame the analysis. Findings indicate that women in conflict-affected communities demonstrate substantial informal peacebuilding activities, including community mediation, cross-ethnic dialogue facilitation, and market-based conflict de-escalation; however, these contributions remain largely unrecognized and unsupported by formal peace processes. Institutional barriers, including cultural norms restricting women's public political participation and limited resources for women-led civil society organizations, constrain implementation. The study recommends transformative investments in women's leadership capacity and formal integration of women's networks into national peacebuilding architectures. Keywords: women peace and security, UNSCR 1325, peacebuilding, Nigeria, gender