House of Commons Report on Women, Peace and Security cites PeaceRep evidence
Thu 26 March 2026
PeaceRep evidence on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) has informed a new House of Commons committee report by the International Development Committee (IDC), produced as part of the IDC’s inquiry into how the UK government is implementing its commitments to WPS amid spending cuts for Overseas Development Assistance.
PeaceRep’s written evidence informed findings and recommendations on the current state of WPS, the UK’s delivery of its commitments on women’s participation in peace processes, and on the need to improve monitoring and evaluation of the UK’s National Action Plan (NAP).
Read the report: Peace under pressure: Protecting Women, Peace and Security
In 2025, the cross-party committee of MPs issued a call for evidence on how the WPS agenda is being incorporated into UK aid programmes, amid plans for the UK’s aid budget to be cut to 0.3% of GNI by 2027.
PeaceRep’s submission to the inquiry set out contemporary challenges in global WPS adherence and used data from the PA-X Gender database to outline recent trends in gender provisions in peace agreements. The submission suggested ways of assessing the UK’s progress in meeting its 2023 NAP commitments to inclusive peace processes, with an emphasis on the importance of robust and transparent data collection for monitoring and evaluation. The UK NAP is currently being refreshed, with publication of a revised NAP expected in spring 2026.
The IDC report finds that “while the UK has made commendable commitments to advancing and upholding the WPS agenda, it has frequently been failing to deliver on these.”
PeaceRep’s written submission draws on the expertise of lead author Laura Wise, PeaceRep Senior Research Fellow, with input from co-authors Allyson Doby, PeaceRep Communications Manager, and Robert Wilson, PeaceRep Research Fellow and Policy Coordinator.
PeaceRep lead author, Laura Wise, said: "The IDC report rightly highlights the gaps between the UK government’s rhetoric and its actions when it comes to advancing the WPS agenda. Despite claiming to be a “global leader” on WPS, the IDC inquiry and subsequent report demonstrates countless mechanisms, platforms, and opportunities through which the UK is falling short of this ambition, at a time when women’s rights and gender equality are facing unprecedented threats. As a WPS data provider, we particularly welcome the Committee’s findings and recommendations on the need for more robust monitoring and evaluation of the NAP, recognising the importance of systematic and transparent reporting for holding governments accountable for their actions."