Over the last twenty years understanding the effects of gender inequality on inter-national peace and security has led to much study and data collection. This feminist-informed scholarship has deepened collective understanding of the preconditions for lasting peace and security. However, the impact of efforts to reduce gender inequality on sustaining peace and security has received less feminist scholarly attention. The argu-ment that gender equality is not an optional extra but essential for the maintenance of international peace and security still needs to be made.