From Rhetoric to Resourcing: Why the Quad Must Build a Robust Women, Peace, and Security Program Now

Abstract

The Quad has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, yet financing patterns across the Indo-Pacific remain fragmented, short-term, and politically volatile. This policy brief argues that the central obstacle to effective WPS implementation is not lack of endorsement, but institutional design, specifically, how power and resources are structured. Drawing on feminist political economy and evidence from peacebuilding and humanitarian financing, the brief shows how project-based funding and compliance-driven accountability contribute to policy evaporation, weakening transformative impact. It proposes a shift toward feminist financing as redistribution: embedding multi-year core funding, establishing regional pooled mechanisms, strengthening crisis-response modalities, and supporting knowledge production led by Indo-Pacific actors. By redesigning financial architecture rather than reiterating commitments, the Quad can build a more durable, credible, and politically grounded WPS program.