The recognition that conflict disproportionately affects women is well documented in the conflict and peace-building literature. Given the rise of internal conflicts in particular, women’s non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and concerned governments worked together to place this issue, as well as acknowledgement of the part women play in conflict prevention and as advocates for peace, on the international agenda. The adoption of five UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) dealing with women, peace and security – 1325, 1820, 1888 1889 and 1960 – was an attempt to meet the call for more nuanced understandings of the various ways in which conflicts affect women, to provide greater protection for women in conflict situations and to ensure that women are included in all aspects of peace-building and conflict resolution processes. In addition, the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005–2015 (PoA) outlines a variety of closely linked objectives designed to attain gender equality more generally, while one of its four areas of focus is gender, democracy, peace and conflict. Although these resolutions and the PoA are far-reaching in scope, to date their effectiveness is hindered by low implementation.