Security Council Resolution 1325 (SCR 1325) on Women, Peace and Security (2000), represents an important achievement for women and women’s organizations in placing gender and women’s rights as a priority in all efforts focused on conflict prevention and resolution, peace-building, peace-keeping, as well as rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Under its ongoing project in Kosovo, in 2004 UNIFEM supported a group of women leaders from the Balkans region to convene to review and discuss SCR 1325 and to brainstorm on opportunities to advocate for advancing its implementation. As a follow up to that a regional working group was formed, composed of two representatives from each of the countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo). An eRoom was activated to facilitate exchange of information and ideas among the working group that supported preparation of a workshop on SCR 1325 held in October 2004 in Sarajevo, led by the NGO “Zene Zenama” for participants of the regional working group. The workshop contributed to increased knowledge on the resolution and its relevance to women in the region.