Southeast Asian Countries Give Priority to Women and Peace Agenda in Vision for 2045

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is placing at the forefront of ASEAN Vision 2045 a plan to elevate the participation and leadership of women in preventing conflicts and maintaining peace. The bloc’s 10 Member States reaffirmed commitment to their Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security at the ASEAN Women, Peace and Security Summit on 9-10 September in Kuala Lumpur.

The summit is organized under the leadership of ASEAN Committee on Women Malaysia represented by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. It is funded by the Governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and UN Women.

Launched in 2023, the biennial summit is the ASEAN region’s largest platform for dialogue on peace and security.

This year’s summit is taking stock of progress in implementing the ASEAN Regional Plan and charting the path forward as the women and peace agenda becomes one of the top priorities under the newly adopted ASEAN Vision 2045.

“Here in Malaysia, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has long worked to embed the spirit of the WPS agenda into our national policies and programmes. From strengthening protection against gender-based violence, to supporting women as leaders in community resilience, to creating spaces for women’s participation in decision-making, our efforts are aimed at ensuring that women are not only safeguarded in times of crisis, but also empowered as agents of peace and stability. As such, Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 which carries the theme “Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable ASEAN Community” signifies that inclusivity and sustainability are not abstract ideals but essential foundations of resilience. In this context, the WPS agenda remains central. There can be no sustainability without peace, and no peace without women’s full participation,” emphasized H.E. Datuk Dr. Maziah binti Che Yusoff, Secretary-General, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and ASEAN Committee Women Leader Malaysia in her opening remarks.

The 2025 ASEAN WPS Summit comes on the 25th anniversary year of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, considered the most progressive blueprint for achieving gender equality for all women and girls.

Representatives of groups from around the region, including ASEAN governments, civil society, United Nations agencies, and development partners is gathering at the 2025 ASEAN WPS Summit to discuss:

• progress made in the region on national action plans on Women, Peace and Security (WPS);
• non-traditional peace and security challenges facing the region, such as climate change and cybersecurity;
• advances in regional conflict/crisis prevention mechanisms from the women, peace and security perspective, led by the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights;
• the launch of the ASEAN Women, Peace and Security Community of Practice, a multilateral platform to exchange good practices and foster innovation;
• strategizing on integration of women and peace agenda into ASEAN Vision 2045 and its three pillars — political-security, economic, and socio-cultural; and
• the launch of Malaysia’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

“The Women, Peace and Security agenda is not a peripheral gender equality issue. It is essential to our future and the next generations. WPS is about more than inclusion. It is about transforming how we approach peace and security decision-making and policy. As we celebrate 25 years of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, we must move beyond the symbolic to more action that will advance the transformative goals of the WPS agenda, recognizing women’s equal role and contributions in peace and security,” commended Ulziisuren Jamsran, UN Women Indonesia Country Representative and ASEAN Liaison.

Representatives from Canada, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, New Zealand and Australia reaffirmed support for the ASEAN Regional Plan.

“Canada is proud to support the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, led by Malaysia as ASEAN Chair 2025. Canada continues to champion women’s leadership in addressing both traditional and emerging challenges, such as climate resilience and cybersecurity. By collaboratively working together, we can better understand the evolving dynamics facing women’s engagement in peace and security avenues and address barriers through evidence-based initiatives. As an ASEAN Strategic Partner, Canada is proud to work with ASEAN to promote a more equitable and stable region,” said Ambra Dickie, Ambassador of Canada to ASEAN.

“The UK has been a strong supporter of Women, Peace and Security since championing the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000. It is great to be working with UN Women and the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation to support ASEAN’s Regional Plan of Action. As we mark 25 years of WPS, we are proud to be working with ASEAN to make a positive impact and ensure that women have a real voice in building peace and security,” said Helen Fazey, United Kingdom Ambassador to ASEAN.

“Australia congratulates ASEAN’s Chair Malaysia and the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, Malaysia on convening the 2025 ASEAN Women, Peace and Security Summit. It is an honour for Australia to support the ASEAN WPS Summit to showcase the extensive cooperation and joint research we are delivering together to advance the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security. Australia is committed to working with ASEAN to shape a region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, with ASEAN and ASEAN-led institutions at the centre,” conveyed H.E. Tiffany McDonald, Australian Ambassador to ASEAN in a statement.

“New Zealand shares ASEAN’s commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda and to accelerating action that ensures women’s participation is central to peacebuilding and conflict prevention initiatives in the region. Through our AMPLIFY program in partnership with The Asia Foundation, we are supporting policy outcomes, forging platforms for women’s civil society to advocate for their needs and priorities, and building women’s leadership in insecure border communities where support is most needed,” said Mike Walsh, New Zealand High Commissioner to Malaysia.

For further information

Ms. Ayunni Ayub
Assistant Secretary, International Relations Division, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development
ayunni@kpwkm.gov.my

Ms. Yoomi Jun
Communications and Advocacy Analyst, UN Women Indonesia
yoomi.jun@unwomen.org

Selection of photos from morning of 9 September 2025 at the 2025 ASEAN Women, Peace and Security Summit:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NfutjnVlllyJH9bKbKaP_TNYQ0ScT8OB?usp=sharing