Understanding and applying United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 as a theory of human security offers Australia an edge in its regional engagement. Second, the resolution’s development alongside the concept of human security gives it great relevance to Australia’s defence planning. This is because ‘human security’ reconfigures ‘security’ within a broader, non-traditional framework. A human security model, acknowledging and addressing risks across whole populations, could be this competitive offering. In this capacity, the WPS agenda contributes directly to the ADF’s directed requirement to protect Australia’s economic connections and, by implication, regional economic development.