Will ASEAN’s Peace Agenda Include Women and Youth?

Published on 29 Jul 2025

“Embracing the language of WPS without its disruptive intent dilutes its core purpose. WPS was never meant to be a branding exercise; it is a call to reimagine peace and security through justice, equity, and participation.”

In Malaysia at the Helm: Will ASEAN’s Peace Agenda Include Women and Youth? Elisa Shafiqah offers a critical look at Malaysia’s upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship and its handling of the Women, Peace & Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace & Security (YPS) agendas. Drawing on firsthand civil society experience, the piece exposes the gap between Malaysia’s inclusive rhetoric and the tokenistic, fragmented policy-making that dominates the WPS process. It contrasts Malaysia’s cautious, welfare-oriented approach with more integrated models in the Philippines and Indonesia, ultimately questioning whether Malaysia will use its leadership moment in 2025 to mainstream inclusion — or merely perform it.