This collection brings together policy-focused and personal reflections from the Women in International Security UK community, responding to part of this year's Commission on the Status of Women theme: 'ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and addressing structural barriers.'

The reflections take place at a moment when compounding pressures on international security - wars and their resulting humanitarian catastrophes, climate change, and the weakening of both the multilateral system and international law - have reached a crisis point. Against this backdrop, the collection examines what the evidence, both academic and from practice, tells us about the benefits diverse perspectives and experience bring to security at all levels.

Essays address structural barriers to women's participation in security institutions; gender diversity in intelligence analysis; the limits of international gender programming in conflict settings; and the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The collection includes concrete policy recommendations, drawing UK-relevant insights from global stories.