UN Security Council meeting on women and peace and security

For today’s debate on “Women and peace and security: responding to the needs of women and girls in post-conflict situations for sustainable peace and security”, the Security Council had before it a “concept paper” (document S/2009/490), submitted by the Permanent Representative of Viet Nam.

The paper states that with the adoption in 2000 of resolution 1325, the Council recognized the importance of gender mainstreaming at all stages of peace processes, including peacekeeping, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. Further, resolution 1820 (2008) and other documents emphasizes that, for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, actions has to be undertaken to address women’s needs and ensure women’s equal participation in mediation and negotiation processes, in all aspects of peacekeeping, in the management of humanitarian assistance and in post-conflict reconstruction.

There have been significant gains towards implementing those resolutions, the paper states, particularly in enhancing the protection of civilians in armed conflict, including women and girls, and promoting the participation of women in peace and security processes. Gaps and challenges remains, however, in the post-conflict period, in which women’s potential contribution is constrained because of their exclusion from decision-making processes and inadequate recognition of their needs and how they could be financed.

The paper notes that the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) reports that of almost 17,000 projects for 23 post-conflict countries over 2006 to 2008, less than 3 per cent targeted gender issues. Women accounted for just 7 per cent of negotiators.

In order to enhance an effective response to women’s needs in post-conflict reconstruction, women’s participation in peacebuilding, planning and monitoring must be prioritized and supported from the earliest possible stages, according to the paper. Neglect of women’s needs in planning processes in conflict and post-conflict situations, in particular regarding physical security, productive asset and income control, access to basic services and access to decision-making, could impose serious costs on recovery and undermine efforts to reassert the rule of law and restart the economy. For women’s essential role in peace processes, women’s needs, priorities and concerns in conflict situations must be addressed and resourced in a timely and systematic way.

The paper suggests that participants in today’s debate may discuss, among other things, evaluation of the impacts of conflicts on women and girls and assessment of their needs in post-conflict situations; identification of ways and means to promote and sustain women’s roles in post-conflict reconstruction and reintegration, election, justice and security sector reforms; and women’s participation in nation-building, governance and policymaking bodies for socio-economic development.

In addition, delegations may consider coordinated and coherent United Nations support for national capacity-building initiatives in addressing the security, recovery and development needs of women and girls; and the role of Member States in ensuring women’s empowerment, both political and economic, the protection of women’s and girls’ rights and measures to promote women’s participation in all post-conflict activities and gender mainstreaming in post-conflict strategies.

Also before the Council was the Secretary-General latest report on women peace and security (document S/2009/465), which observes, among other things, that United Nations entities and Member States have made progress in some areas of implementation of Council resolution 1325 (2000) over the past year, with major strides in training and capacity development, and provision of support for developing national action plans.

It notes that achievements has occurred in training women in leadership, and in carrying out civic and electoral responsibilities, with the consequence of increasing the number of women in public office in some post-conflict contexts. Close collaboration is developing between the United Nations system, Member States and civil society organizations in implementing the resolution.

However, the Secretary-General’s report also stresses that a number of implementation difficulties persist, including how to reverse the extent of sexual violence. Specific and concrete interventions are needed to address sexual violence, which continues to assail women and girls virtually everywhere armed conflict occurs. Legislation to end impunity and reform designed to support greater participation of women in all peace, humanitarian and reconstruction processes are needed.

The report goes on to propose a number of specific actions to be taken, including, among others, that the Security Council should reiterate its commitment to the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000); Member States must not only condemn violations of the rights of women and girls during armed conflict, but also take swift action in prosecuting those who commits gender-based violence in the context of armed conflict, and, where necessary and appropriate, use all existing provisions under international law.

It also proposes that the Security Council should vigorously pursue a strategy to ensure an increase in women’s participation in all peace processes, particularly in negotiation and mediation, as well as in post-conflict governance and reconstruction, including an increase in the number of women Special Representatives of the Secretary-General, as well as in peacekeeping missions as military, police and civilian members.

The Council last considered the issue of “women and peace and security” on 7 August (see Press Release SC/9726). On 30 September, the Council adopted unanimously resolution 1888 (2009) on protection of women and girls from sexual violence in armed conflict (see Press Release SC/9753).

Briefings

ASHA-ROSE MIGIRO, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, speaking on behalf of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said the Security Council’s “milestone” resolution 1325(2000) provided a global framework for mainstreaming gender in all peace processes, including peacekeeping, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction, as well as in the general maintenance of international peace and security.

She also underlined the importance of “seizing the opportunity created by a cessation of hostilities. “Addressing those needs is critical for long-term peace. So too, is empowering women and girls in order that they can play their rightful role in conflict prevention and peace-building”, she said. In nine years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), not enough had been accomplished in that area. Only 16 countries had adopted national action plans for its implementation.

With the tenth anniversary of the resolution and the review of its implementation fast approaching, she encouraged all Member States to take action and called on the Council to demonstrated leadership in creating effective monitoring. Attention must be given to safeguarding the newly acquired roles that women were playing during conflict, including decision-making.

She added that “a cessation of conflict should not result in the marginalization of women and girls nor their relegation to stereotypical roles”, stressing that any exclusion of women in peace negotiations and mediation should not continue into the implementation of a peace settlement, affirming that women’s participation was crucial in that context.

RACHEL N. MAYANJA, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on women and peace and security (S/2009/465), which she said identified progress in implementing resolution 1325 (2000), outlined challenges and provided recommendations for addressing them. She affirmed that women and girls continued to be victims of gender-based violence, not only during conflicts, but also where open hostilities had subsided, and thus were outside of the radar screen of the international community.

Progress, she said, was evident in the areas of training and capacity-development and, as a result, women’s participation had been strengthened in some situations in mediating and negotiating peace, in searching for justice, in fostering reconciliation, in supporting disarmament and demobilization, in rebuilding national institutions and in furthering mine action. She welcomed the adoption, by many Member States, of national action plans to guide implementation of the resolution, but cautioned that such plans must still be implemented and must be backed by resources.

Commending the Council for its adoption of resolution 1888 (2009), she said it was critical for that body to continue playing a strong advocacy role to root out sexual violence in conflict and to be relentless in its insistence on women as peacekeepers, peacebuilders and decision-makers. She informed the Council that preparations were under way for the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of resolution of resolution 1325 (2000). It was expected that the Council would convene a ministerial-level meeting next year to review progress to date and to take action to reinvigorate efforts towards the full implementation of the resolution. Greater resolve was required from all for that to happen, she said, stressing that warring parties and other violators must be held accountable.