"Institutionalization of WPS principles enhances our operational effectiveness..."

Women, Peace and Security

U.S. Northern Command's (USNORTHCOM) Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Program is part of an international effort to promote the meaningful contributions of women in the defense and security sectors at home and around the world. USNORTHCOM seeks to institutionalize WPS across USNORTHCOM missions and functions to improve operational effectiveness, promote opportunities for the meaningful participation of women in decision-making across the command, and ensure safety, security and human rights for all.

OUR APPROACH (PDF)

Our Program
Our Framework
WPS History
WPS Today
WPS Resources

Our Program

USNORTHCOM’s WPS approach is anchored in two decades of practice, in U.S. national law, U.S. strategy, and DoD and USNORTHCOM commander’s implementation guidance. WPS is founded upon abundant evidence showing that women’s safety and security is directly linked to a country’s stability, and that persistent barriers to women’s advancement in defense undermines organizational effectiveness and national security. WPS provides unique opportunities, both throughout USNORTHCOM and with our partners, to reinforce women’s empowerment, meaningful participation in decision-making, protection from violence, and access to resources. It is both a values-based approach, and also a practical one. When USNORTHCOM and our partners advance the principles of WPS, we not only strengthen our security and defense institutions and interoperability, evidence shows it also leads to more stable and resilient societies.

Our Strategic Framework

Implementation of the WPS program is a USNORTHCOM priority. WPS at USNORTHCOM is guided by the following WPS mission, vision and end states which are implemented internally within the command and externally with partner nation militaries.

Mission – USNORTHCOM integrates WPS principles into its strategies, plans and operations to better defend the homeland, strengthen partnerships, and provide flexible response to civil authorities.

Vision – Institutionalization of WPS principles enhances the operational effectiveness of USNORTHCOM and our partner militaries.

End States

Exemplify a diverse, resilient, flexible organization
Ensure the safety, security, and human rights of women/girls, especially during conflict and crisis

History of WPS

In 2000, the United Nations (UN) Security Council adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, the first resolution to address the disproportionate and unique effects of armed conflict on women and girls.

In 2011, the United States published the first U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, in accordance with Executive Order 13595.

In 2017, the president signed into law the Women, Peace and Security Act (Public Law 115-68), making this the first legislation of its kind in the world to acknowledge the multifaceted roles of women throughout the conflict spectrum and call on the U.S. government to promote the meaningful participation and protection of women globally.

In June 2019, the U.S. government released the U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace and Security, making the U.S. the first country in the world with both a comprehensive law and whole-of-government strategy on WPS. The strategy compelled the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of State, and Department of Homeland Security to develop WPS implementation plans.

The requisite DoD Women, peace, and Security Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan was signed June 2020.

A graphic illustrating the history of WPS implementation.

WPS Today

Although Women, Peace, and Security is two decades old, as a government and a military, our understanding of the scope and value to our organizations and operational effectiveness of gender integration into everything we do, continues to expand and evolve.

Data, analysis and new tools for understanding the value of addressing (and the detrimental impact of ignoring) gender dynamics are being developed and tested across our defense and security efforts. For example, practical lessons on the value of applying gender analysis and perspective in operations were gained in stabilization operations, such as in the form of female or mixed-gender engagement teams in Afghanistan and Iraq, and in peacekeeping operations such as in Haiti. UN data shows that increasing female representation within a peacekeeping formation to 30 percent or higher had a civilizing effect on peacekeeping forces and helped mitigate instances of sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated by peacekeeping troops.

Today, in the era of emerging, diverse, and often concurrent security threats – such as cyberattacks, violent extremism, terrorism, climate change, natural disasters, global pandemics, and strategic competition – it is necessary to harness the strengths and perspectives of our entire population to successfully address these challenges and mitigate their effects.

No military commander would ever choose to make a decision with only 50 percent of the information. WPS is about the force multiplying effect of women and the ability to employ the full scope of our human capital to address the complex challenges of today, and those of tomorrow

WPS Resources

Non-Governmental Organizations
North Atlantic Treaty Organization -
UN Women -
United Nations Peacemaker -
UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs -
United States Institute of Peace -
International Peace Institute -
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom -
Working Group on Women, Peace and Security -
The WomanStats Project -

WPS News

May 5, 2023

WHINSEC conducts WPS symposium

WHINSEC conducts its sixth-annual Women, Peace, and Security symposium.

May 5, 2023

USNORTHCOM hosts WPS Barrier Analysis Focus Group

In its continuing effort to expand and evolve the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) hosted a series of WPS barrier analysis focus groups for command members from Feb. 28 to Mar. 3, 2023, at the North American Aerospace Command and USNORTHCOM headquarters on Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.

Sept. 30, 2021

Female engagement team continues to evaluate female evacuees needs at Fort Bliss’ Doña Ana Complex

Afghan evacuee women at Fort Bliss’ Doña Ana Complex in New Mexico meet weekly with female leaders to address their concerns and ease their transition into American life.

Partner News

May 10, 2023

Department of the Air Force - Women, Peace and Security

Disclaimer: Partner news external links contained herein are made available for the purpose of peer review and discussion. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NORAD and USNORTHCOM, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

WPS Photos

... loading ...

WPS Video

Video by Dee Crawford

T262 Hella Military Working Dog Tooth Extraction

Training Support Activity Europe

Feb. 19, 2016 | 1:11

On 11 February 2016, MWD Hella T262, a 5.5 year old, female, spayed Belgian Malanios presented for a routine dental cleaning. During this cleaning, incisor 302 (one of the front teeth on the lower jaw) was found to be fractured and the root was exposed. Radiographs were taken, and an area of lucency (lighter area compared to the surrounding bone and tooth) was found at the base of the tooth below the gumline indicating a possible root abscess (infection). On 19 February, Hella T262 presented to the VTF to extract that fractured tooth. When she first arrived, her temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate were measured and the veterinarian performed a physical exam to make sure she was ok to undergo another anesthetic event. She was then given a sedative/pain medication combination to help take the edge off and to have pain medication on board before the potentially painful event begins. Once she was sedate, a catheter was placed in her right front arm to provide fluid therapy during the anesthetic event. She was then induced for anesthesia and an endotracheal tube was placed in her trachea. This allows us to deliver oxygen and the anesthetic gas directly into the lungs of the animal. After the tube was placed properly, the anesthetic gas was delivered to the patient throughout the procedure. The veterinary technician and Hella’s handler connected several monitoring devices to her body which included a rectal thermometer, non-invasive blood pressure, end-tidal CO2, echocardiograph and heart rate leads, and the veterinarian administered a local anesthetic for that tooth. After the local set in, the veterinarian started the tooth extraction. Several different sized and shaped elevators were used to slowly break down the periodontal ligament. This ligament is almost like a zipper that surrounds the entire tooth, holding it in place. To remove the tooth, these zipper-like connections have to be broken. The elevators help in this process. Eventually, the periodontal ligament was broken enough to pull the tooth out. The hole was flushed with sterile saline and packed with an absorbent material to facilitate clotting. Radiographs were taken to make sure the entire tooth was removed. It was. The absorbent material was removed and the hole was closed with two small stitches. The anesthetic gas was discontinued, and when the patient was swallowing on her own, the endotracheal tube was removed. When she started to lift her head, additional pain medication was given, and she also went home with a supply of pain medication. Recovery was uneventful, and Hella T262 is back at work, happy and healthy.(U.S. Army Video by Visual Information Specialist Dee Crawford/Released)