IWTC WOMEN’S GLOBAL NET # 364

IWTC WOMEN’S GLOBALNET # 364

ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES OF WOMEN WORLDWIDE

February 17, 2010

SCR 1325 UPDATE: INCREASED DEMANDS FOR CONCRETE ACTIONS ON 1325

By Caroline Klæth Eriksen

1. NEW SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT APPOINTED

2. THE NGO WORKING GROUP ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY LAUNCHES NEW MONTLY POLICY NOTE: MONTHLY ACTION POINTS (MAP)

3. THE EU AND NATO MEET ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY

1. NEW SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL (SRSG) ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT APPOINTED

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon recently appointed Sweden's Margot Wallström as SRSG as requested in Security Council Resolution (SCR) 1888. Ms Wallström will head the UN’s work to combat sexual violence against women and children in conflicts zones. ‘Violence against women is the most common but least punished crime in the world’, she said upon her appointment, and stated that she will lobby for the recognition of sexual violence in war as a war crime. She also added that that increasing the role of women in decision-making processes will be a priority for her. ‘In far too many parts of the world women are excluded from the decision-making process and from conflict resolution and peacemaking. This absolutely has to change and I am determined to play my part in making that change happen.’ (Statement by Ban Ki-moon, Statement by Margot Wallström)

A Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) is appointed by the UN Secretary General to represent him on a certain issue or in a region of particular importance to the work of the UN. The role of an SRSG is not specifically defined in the UN Charter, and has evolved throughout the history of the UN. For example, SRSGs have been appointed for fact-finding missions on matters that may threaten international peace and security, they have been mediators in peace accords, and often serve as the representative of the Secretary General on the ground in a conflict situation. For gender justice advocates, this SRSG appointment opens a vital channel of communication to the UN Secretary General as SRSGs often conduct widespread consultations with various stakeholders and hold meetings where interested parties, such as local groups and NGOs, can raise concerns or bring a pressing issue to their attention.

Ms Wallström brings to this position considerable expertise and experience. She is the outgoing Vice-President of the European Commission, and a former Swedish Member of Parliament and Minister, who has shown a commitment to the challenges faced by women around the world. (Margot Wallstöm’s Bio)

FYI: There are currently around 90 Special Representatives and Special Envoys to the Secretary General in the UN system. See the full list here.

2. THE NGO WORKING GROUP ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY LAUNCHES NEW MONTLY POLICY NOTE: MONTHLY ACTION POINTS (MAP)

In the lead up to the 10^th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325, the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security has launched a new monthly policy note, called Monthly Action Point (MAP). Each month, the MAP provides members of the Security Council with analysis and recommendations, alerting them of opportunities to take action on issues regarding women, peace and security.

The MAP Project, which will continue until October 2010, highlights how each Security Council President can provide leadership on women, peace and security, and demonstrates how the Security Council as a whole can systematically meet its obligations to women in conflict.

The February MAP includes an appeal to France, which currently holds the Security Council Presidency, to honor its stated commitments to ensure that women’s rights are upheld. It also lists a number of upcoming reports on conflict areas such as the Central African Republic/Chad, Darfur, Guinea, Iraq, Liberia, and East Timor, and point to ways in which these reports should include important considerations relevant to the protection of women’s rights. For instance, with regards to the next report on the UN hybrid mission in Darfur, UNAMID, it recommends that the report should articulate a comprehensive strategy regarding sexual violence, including progress on the UNAMID work plan’s call to work with the security sector to improve its response to sexual and gender-based violence.

The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security further recommends continued Security Council and Member State support for the recommendations in SCRs 1888 and 1889, and especially the appointment of a new SRSG on sexual violence in conflict, development of the Team of Experts, as well as the proposals to strengthen the UN response to sexual violence in conflict.

Access the February MAP here and read more about the MAP Project here.

3. THE EU AND NATO MEET ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY

On January 27, more than 400 persons, including witnesses, NGOs, high-ranking military officials and high-level policy-makers, gathered in Brussels to discuss the situation of women in conflict and the further implementation of SCR 1325. They agreed that more concrete action is required to protect women and children from violence and to include women at all levels of crisis management and in peace building processes. The participants further agreed that all actors should:

- use the October 2010 ministerial conference to present a stocktaking of their achievements on women, peace and security and commit to further action in support of the United Nations’ efforts:

- pay more attention to women’s needs in post-conflict reconstruction funding;

- engage with civil society, and especially local women’s groups in countries affected by armed conflict, and support their activities related to women’s rights violations.

Representatives from NATO and EU leadership then spoke on how the two organizations will cooperate to implement resolution 1325. The EU’s efforts will include a stepping-up of the co-operation on women, peace and security with the African Union. The EU will also intensify bilateral efforts towards governments and actors that bear responsibility for the most serious violations of women’s rights, and support capacity building of partner countries to implement resolution 1325. NATO, on the other hand, will proactively work to mainstream gender issues in NATO’s policies, and ensure that all NATO-led operations, in particular in Afghanistan and the Balkans, are compliant with resolution 1325 and related resolutions.

Read more: Outcomes of the EU/NATO High-level event on Women, Peace and Security

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