Women, peace and security: Defending progress and responding to emerging challenges

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This is the third year ASPI has run a series on The Strategist to coincide with International Women’s Day and examine Australia’s approach to women, peace and security (WPS).

The series offered a timely opportunity to assess progress and identify some of the challenges that need further examination as the international community prepares to mark twenty years since the adoption of the first UN Security Council resolution on women, peace and security, and as Australia approaches the release of its second National Action Plan on WPS.

The range of topics and themes canvassed in this year’s collection of articles reminds us that we cannot afford to be complacent. There have been significant challenges to the agenda in high-level multilateral fora over the past year, which risk reversing some of the normative and practical gains that have been made in recent decades. Considering this, several of the contributors note that it is important we not only respond to emerging challenges but also revitalise the agenda moving forward. This Strategic Insights paper subsequently offers insights and recommendations for the Australian government, private sector, civil society and other interested stakeholders to address some of the emerging challenges in women, peace and security.

Last years report is available here: Women, peace and security: Addressing the gaps and strengthening implementation.

Australia-China law enforcement cooperation

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Australia and China have an extensive and growing economic relationship underpinned by diverse people-to-people connections. China is Australia’s largest two-way trading partner in goods and services (A$195 billion in 2017–18). Chinese investment into Australia’s real estate industry increased by 400% in the five years to 2015, to A$12 billion in 2014–15. Money flows from China into Australia almost doubled between 2011–12 and 2015–16, from A$42 billion to almost A$77 billion. China is Australia’s largest source of overseas students (over 157,000 studied in Australia in 2016) and second largest and highest spending inbound tourism market (with 1.2 million visits in 2016).

This economic relationship is mutually beneficial, but it also creates opportunities for criminals. The large volume of money, goods and people moving between the two countries makes it easier to conceal crimes, such as trafficked drugs or laundered money. Much activity also takes place online, making the cyber realm a major vector for cross-border criminal activity. It’s therefore important that the two governments work together to fight transnational crime where there are links between Australia and China, or where either’s citizens play key facilitator roles.