The Department of State (hereafter the Department) is fully invested in the United States’ commitment to protect and empower women in countries threatened and affected by war and conflict, violence, and insecurity. Given the Department’s leadership role in U.S. diplomatic engagement, its foreign assistance programming, and robust relationships with civil society across the globe, the Department remains a key U.S. government implementer of the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP).

Throughout its third year implementing the NAP and the Department’s corollary implementation plan, the Department integrated a focus on gender equality and women’s issues into its diplomatic, security, humanitarian, and development efforts. Bolstered by growing investments in staff capacity, the Department launched new initiatives, built on ongoing activities, and delivered positive outcomes in bilateral, regional, multilateral, and civil society engagements—all of which showcased the Department’s commitment to the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda. In cases where new challenges to NAP implementation emerged—such as the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) or insecurity that caused a reprioritization of activities and impeded operational flexibility—the Department deployed creative diplomacy to ensure that gender equality and WPS issues remained part of diplomatic and foreign assistance efforts.