There has been increased recognition by the international community in recent years that addressing women’s rights is integral to the ways that post-conflict transition is advanced, and crucial to its overall success. This includes acknowledging and confronting the violence against women and girls (VAWG) that occurs both during the conflict itself and during the transition to peace. Despite the considerable attention given to this issue, both the theory and practice of post-conflict state-building and peace-building (SBPB) processes routinely ignore issues of gender equality and VAWG. This inattention misses a window of opportunity to advance women’s rights presented by the cessation of armed conflict and the re-establishment and further development of state structures in the post-conflict period. It is critical that policymakers and other key stakeholders capitalise on this opportunity, as harmful gender roles and inequitable power relations remain resilient after conflict ends.