The Australian government is a committed global champion of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. The government wants to ensure that Australia continues to promote gender equality, protect the human rights of women and girls, and secure their full, equal and meaningful participation in peace and security processes.

Australia’s actions to implement these commitments across government will be guided by this second national action plan, a whole-of-government strategy developed in consultation with a host of civil society organisations. Building on the work of the first action plan, this second plan aims to deliver on four outcomes:

1. supporting women’s meaningful participation and needs in peace processes
2. reducing sexual and gender-based violence
3. supporting resilience, crisis, and security, law and justice efforts to meet the needs and rights of all women and girls
4. demonstrating leadership and accountability for WPS