As the Security Council considers a report on the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and in the context of the forthcoming Informal Experts Group on Women, Peace and Security (IEG) meeting on Mali, the Council must ensure that progress has been made by the mission on mainstreaming gender as a cross-cutting issue, including by supporting government efforts to ensure women’s participation at all levels, particularly in implementation of peace agreements (SCR 2295 (2016), OP 26) and efforts to counter violent extremism (SCR 2242 (2015), OP 13). In addition, the Council should ensure the mission is fully equipped with its intentioned gender capacity and expertise, including through the full deployment of WPAs (SCR 2295 (2016), OP 19(c)(iii)) and is consulting with women’s civil society organizations on a consistent basis (SCR 2295 (2016), OP 9(a)(v)). The Council should also inquire into mission efforts to take into account the needs of women associated with armed groups and to provide for their full access to disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programmes, including in the provision of trauma and reintegration services and the establishment of protection mechanisms for women in cantonment sites (SCR 2106 (2013), OP 16(a)). As part of its implementation of the WPS agenda and in order to strengthen the information and analysis it is receiving on the gender dimensions of the situation, the Council should invite women civil society representatives and the Executive Director of UN-Women to brief the Council (SCR 2122 (2013), OP 1(a)(c)).