The first editorial I ever wrote for NATO Review stated my wish to see more women involved in the editions. I have to confess, we haven't done enough.

Although we have had contributions from luminaries such as Madeleine Albright, interviews with people like Afghanistan's only female governor and articles from leading female journalists, women still haven't been the focus as often as they should have.

Unfortunately, this situation appears to be a global one. As the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 passes, the advances that it hoped to bring for women in security seem still elusive. Just 20 countries have come up with national action plans to put the resolution into practice. Meanwhile, the terror of women caught in conflict continues in places like Congo, which some have dubbed 'rape capital of the world'.

In this edition, we ask some of the leading women in security how they see progress, what challenges remain and how they would address them. We also ask the man who many see as the architect of the resolution about whether it has lived up to the expectations he had for it.

One of the phrases that struck me most as I prepared this edition was the final sentence in my interview with Margot Wallstrom, the UN Secretary General's special representative on sexual violence in conflict. She finishes the interview by saying simply: 'Without women's security, you cannot build any security'. This may be the clearest lesson of all.

Paul King