Mainstreaming cultural heritage protection in the context of peacekeeping operations. What role for the women, peace and security agenda?

The protection of cultural heritage has increasingly been recognised as a matter of international peace and security. Yet its systematic integration into peacekeeping operations remains limited. This chapter critically examines the potential of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda as a normative and operational framework for mainstreaming cultural heritage protection in peacekeeping contexts. It argues that cultural heritage, far from being a peripheral concern, constitutes a strategic asset for conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery. The deliberate targeting of cultural heritage often serves as a tactic of war aimed at erasing identity and severing social continuity. Conversely, its protection and restoration can foster dialogue, reconciliation, and social cohesion, thereby contributing to sustainable peace. Within this framework, the WPS Agenda provides a valuable entry point for rethinking the role of cultural heritage through a gender-sensitive lens. By emphasising participation, protection and prevention, the WPS Agenda aligns with the imperative to safeguard cultural heritage as both a human rights concern and a peacebuilding tool. The chapter contends that a gender-responsive approach to cultural heritage protection not only enhances the operational effectiveness of the WPS Agenda but also reinforces the broader goal of achieving a sustainable and durable peace. In light of these intersections, the contribution calls for a recalibration of gender-oriented peacekeeping mandates to mainstream cultural heritage protection as a core element in maintaining international peace and security.