By Lesley Abdela
Today is the anniversary of a United Nations security council resolution that, if fully implemented, could change the dynamics of war and peace. Eight years ago, the UN security council voted unanimously to pass resolution 1325, their first ever resolution to address the impact of war on women, and women's contributions to conflict resolution and sustainable peace. It calls for equal participation of women in all aspects of conflict prevention, peace building and reconstruction; prevention of violence against women and protection of the human rights of women and girls during times of conflict. A similar resolution was passed by the European parliament in November 2000, with an accompanying recommendation calling for at least 40% women's representation in all levels of decision-making in peace building and post-conflict recovery.