Summary

We began with a big question: How much do national security policymakers consider the ways policies and programs impact men and women differently?

After a series of in-depth interviews, focus groups and surveys, we discovered an answer: not very much. But for many, it wasn’t for lack of interest. Policy wonks told us that the promise of gender-inclusive policymaking intrigued them, but that they lacked the tools and knowledge to make the case to others within the broader national security community. Here, we offer an introduction to the knowledge and those essential tools for those internal supporters—the foreign policy expert, journalist, commentator, academic, or security professional who understands both the potential usefulness of the women, peace, and security (WPS) lens and the challenges of introducing a new construct into the slow-to-change and highly-gendered U.S. national security establishment.  

• This guide is informed by decades of research from the women, peace, and security community,  and by New America and POLITICO FOCUS’s recent investigation of questions such as: 
• What do policymakers assume when they hear the word ‘gender’? 
• Why is it important to go beyond simply bringing women to the decision making table? 
• Where do writers and journalists fall short when they discuss women and security? 
• How can we make the language of WPS more familiar in national security contexts?

We hope this guide will bridge knowledge gaps, encourage conversations, and spark further questions.

Download – Summary: A Guide to Talking Women, Peace, and Security Inside the U.S. Security Establishment