Bylines & Frontlines Episode 4: Bylines & Frontlines: 25 Years of UNSCR 1325: Feminist Resilience and the Future of WPS

This special anniversary episode of Bylines & Frontlines, the podcast of Women in International Security – Canada (WIIS-Canada), marks a quarter century since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) — a landmark moment that changed how the world understands conflict, peacebuilding, and women’s leadership. Hosts Dr. Stéfanie von Hlatky and Dr. Vanessa Brown are joined by two remarkable guests: Jaqueline O’Neill, Canada’s first and now former Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security, and Leona Ahn, Canadian Armed Forces officer, law student, and former Vice Chair of WIIS Canada. Together, they reflect on what this milestone means — personally and politically — and what it takes to keep advancing an agenda that faces both momentum and mounting resistance. From “ships passing in the night” in post-conflict Sudan to “feminist resilience” in moments of backlash, their stories bring the WPS agenda to life through lived experience, policy innovation, and leadership in action. The conversation explores: What real change looks like when policies translate into safety and opportunity for women and marginalized groups; How inclusion, leadership, and accountability intersect across defense, diplomacy, and law; The importance of networks — local and global — in sustaining courage and community; and Why the next phase of WPS must embrace intersectionality, dignity, and systemic change. This episode captures both urgency and hope — a reminder that the WPS agenda was never just about representation, but about transforming the way power, peace, and security are understood and practiced.