Policy Analysis and Practitioner Documents
Source: Karen Barnes and Minna Lyytikäinen, Initiative for Peacebuilding/International AlertThis report by the European Commission (EC) outlines the findings from the recent study “Enhancing the EU Response to Women and Armed Conflict” commissioned by the Slovenian Presidency of the EU, and lists the recommendations towards enhancing women’s role in peacbuilding to the European Commission Headquarters and the Commission Delegates. The report discusses five priority areas of action for the European Commission, which include: enabling strategic prioritization; developing thematic and context-specific expertise; consulting with partners; providing adequate resources; and integrating monitoring and accountability measures, and lists the recommendations and a mapping of the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 with examples of what the EC has accomplished thus far and guidelines for future action. The report argues that despite the growing awareness towards women in peacebuilding, EU efforts in conflict-affected areas continue to lack clearly defined measures to prevent the marginalization of women in peacebuilding activities, but concludes by emphasizing that the European Commission must “build a more coherent and targeted approach to gender and conflict” and can “become a leader amongst regional bodies on gender and peacebuilding.”
Source: UNDP, Crisis and PreventionThis agenda details the most practical steps needed to successful incorporating of women in post-conflict peace processes. The agenda lays out goals for women’s engagement in post-conflict recovery through fostering women’s empowerment and participation in peace processes, encouraging gendered justice, political participation, and government and social change.
Source: Cindy Hansen and Kate McInturff, Gender and Peacebuilding Working Group, OxfamThese guidelines were developed by the Gender and Peacebuilding Working Group (GPWG) of the Canadian Peacebuilding Network and Oxfam Canada and were the result of a two-day workshop held in Ottawa in January 2008. The workshop, which was comprised of participants from national and international organizations, convened to examine the state of gender training in the context of security and fragile states. In light of the United Nations Security Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, the priorities developed in this conference provide direction for policy, guidelines, methodology and materials in the area of women and gender training in fragile states. Recommendations are made for funders, organizations and workshop trainers looking to train women in peacebuilding.
Source: UN-INSTRAW, DCAF, OSCE/ODIHRDespite the recognition of the importance of integrating gender issues in SSR, there has been a lack of resources on the topic. This toolkit is an initial response to the need for information and analysis on gender and SSR, It is designed to provide policy makers and practicioners with a practical introduction to why gender issues are important in SSR and what can be done to integrate them. Each SSR context is unique. As such, the strategies and recommendations provided in the Toolkit may not always be directly applicable, and should always be adapted to the local context. The topics of the 12 Tools and corresponding Practice notes are: “Security sector reform and gender;” “Police reform and gender;” “Defense reform and gender;” “Justice reform and gender;” “Penal reform and gender;” “Border management and gender;” “Parliamentary oversight of the security sector and gender;” “National security policy-making and gender;” “Civil society oversight and gender;” “Private military and security companies and gender;” “Monitoring and evaluation and gender;” Gender training for security sector.”
Source: Kristin Valasek, United Nations“This tool is designed to provide a basic introduction to SSR and gender issues for the staff of national governments (including in donor countries), security sector institutions, and regional and international organisations, responsible for the development of SSR policy and programming, as well as civil society organisations, academics and researchers working on gender and security matters.” This tool covers, “an introduction to SSR and gender, the rationale for why integrating gender issues strengthens SSR processes, practical ways of integrating gender into SSR policy and programme cycles, and an overview of specific gender and SSR issues in post-conflict, transitional, developing and developed country contexts.”
Source: Jennifer Klot, UNIFEM and PBSOThis independent expert paper explores the Peacebuilding Commission’s ability to integrate a gender perspective in its work. This paper assess the Commission’s efforts to fulfill its gender mandate, examining three key strategies for mainstreaming gender equality into peacebuilding: addressing the impact of gender based violence and sexual violence on women’s post-conflict recovery; supporting women’s meaningful participation in the peacebuilding and recovery process; and ensuring that national priorities for recovery contribute to gender equity and redress past inequalities. Recommendations encompass: democracy and governance; employment; macro-economic recovery; strengthening institutional capacity; introducing gender mainstreaming and creating specific UN targets for women’s involvement in peacebuilding projects.
Source: Nahla Valji, Berlin: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) This paper examines how women’s experiences of conflict and transition differ to that of men because of inherent gendered power relations and that, as a result, women’s experiences of violence and needs for justice have until recent times largely been ignored. It speaks to gender justice as the protection of human rights based on gender equality and explores two such tenets: the acknowledgement of and seeking justice for women’s experiences of sexual violence in conflict situations; and the securing of increased representation of women in policy- and decision-making bodies on post-conflict issues and transitional justice mechanisms. The paper then goes beyond these tenets to discuss the specific needs of women within post-conflict systems that are male-orientated, and examines the assumptions of the transitional justice field from a gendered perspective. An examination of truth commissions is used to highlight the advances that have been made in securing redress for gender-based crimes, as well as the limitations. In particular, the article highlights the need to move beyond a focus on individual incidents of sexual violence in conflict to addressing the context of inequality which facilitate these violations as well as the continuum of violence from conflict to post-conflict which becomes visible through a gendered analysis. The author concludes by suggesting a range of policy recommendations for gender justice and equality in the transitional justice field. She stresses the fact that “engendering the field of transitional justice will entail a fundamental rethinking of the goals, structures and foundational assumptions upon which the field is built as well as the future incorporation of a gendered perspective in all levels of planning and implementation.”
Source: UNIFEMThis paper is a review of community-based peace-building initiatives aimed at informing UNIFEM’s program “Supporting Women’s Engagement in Peace-Building and Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict: Community Led Approaches” part of its efforts to implement SCR 1325. “Successful approaches implemented by women include coalition-building, promoting the use of digital technologies and new funding mechanisms, as well as efforts that combine traditional and modern conflict resolution approaches and strive to facilitate women’s participation in local decision-making processes.” Each subsection provides examples of both barriers to women’s participation as well as examples of women’s successful engagement in peace-building. Elaborating upon differing reconciliation mechanisms, these guidelines include: raising awareness, engendering processes; and incorporating women’s perspectives into conflict resolution and judicial reforms.
Source: Ed. Margret Verwijk. The Hague, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs“This paper briefly examines the current situation with regard to gender and security sector reform and underscores the importance of devoting attention to equal rights and opportunities for both men and women within the security sector.” The paper describes reforms within the security sector with a closer look at how reforms to: police services; armed forces; intelligence and security services; paramilitary groups, the legal and justice system; the prison system and probation services; border control and customs services; and oversight agencies can be designed in ways that promote gender equity and stable peace. It concludes with recommendations on applying a gendered and human rights perspective to security sector reforms.
Source: UNDPThis UNDP study focused on past gender sensitive police reforms in post-conflict societies drawing lessons learned from reform programs in Kosovo, Liberia and Sierra Leone. “The study’s findings show that gender-sensitive police reform constitutes a vital instrument in advancing the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325, and implementing women’s human rights entitlements under the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).” It further concludes that gender sensitive police reforms are an excellent way to establish accountable, equitable, effective and rights-respecting police services for all. In addition they are better able to deliver effective police services to women in crisis and post-conflict situations. The document outlines key elements of gender-sensitive police reform, based on “findings from this inter-agency study and lessons emerging from UNIFEM and UNDP programming in other countries.”
Source: Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, UNThis publication offers aims to highlight and provide the appropriate mechanisms relevant to initiating community dialogue, participation and inclusion in post-conflict society. Primary issues include developing and illustrating strategies that have resulted in increased access to decision-making posts for excluded populations; highlighting concepts and terms as well as guidelines for the roles of various actors in aiding social integration; linking peace and development with social integration and providing emerging principles and dialogue for future research. The authors argue that participatory dialogue and social integration are intrinsic for successfully establishing a peaceful post-conflict society with the integration of all people including the disabled, the sick, and the elderly. The authors conclude with extensive guidelines and tools for participatory dialogue and inclusion in post-conflict situations.
Source: Vasuki Nesiah, International Center for Transitional JusticeEmerging from the notion that women’s experiences with political violence are disregarded in transitional justice, the ICTJ has developed the first of a series of handbooks aiming at specifying the entry points for the protection, inclusion and empowerment of women in transitional justice. Through these recommendations and guidelines, the handbooks aim to create policies and institutions where women’s experiences are taken into account, where gender mainstreaming is enforced and where gender justice is served. The handbooks are aimed at those who are organizing and administering truth commissions to clarify ways of incorporating gender mechanisms into the commissions and creating proper transitional justice instruments that protect and enforce women’s rights.
Source: AusAIDAusAID’s gender guidelines for peace-building are intended as a reference guide to aid desk and post officers, contractors and consultants understanding of gender equality in peace-building work. Guidelines are to be used as a supplement to AusAID’s Guide to Gender and Development and are divided into two sections. Section one lays out the general gender and peace-building guidelines, to be utilized during the situation analysis, identification, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation stages of any interventions taking place in a conflict-prone setting. Section two contains gender and peace-building guidelines that identify the key gender issues for each of the following sectors: conflict prevention, peace-building, peace negotiations and agreements; reconciliation processes, disarmament demobilization and reintegration; governance and electoral processes; judicial reform and access to justice; economic reconstruction, education and health.
Source: UNDPKOThis policy directive outlines the recommendations and requirements to ensure that all women, men, boys and girls are equally involved in peacekeeping operations and the ensuing peacebuilding efforts. Beginning from the notion that gender mainstreaming is the pre-cursor to the progress of gender equality in post-conflict societies, these requirements include implementing the notions of inclusion, non-discrimination, and equal rights into all peacekeeping activities. This directive is meant for all actors involved in peacekeeping activities but also for state governments and the national security sectors to ensure compliance with SC Resolution 1325 for the protection and promotion of women within security forces. It especially enforces women’s inclusion to promote a sustainable gender equal environment in post-conflict settings.
Source: United Nations Coordinating Action on Small Arms, A/CONF.192/2006/RC/CRP.3These guidelines, based on research conducted by International Alert and UNDDA in consultation with civil society representatives from all over the global south, spell out gender mainstreaming in action plans and programs on the control of illicit small arms and light weapons, especially through the incorporation of gender perspectives in national programs. Main themes covered are: gender mainstreaming relevance in combating illicit trade of SALW and trafficking; gender mainstreaming and disarmament, demobilization and integration; gender mainstreaming and national and regional focal points; and civil society integration and public awareness initiatives. It concludes that, “it is a fact that gender-oriented policy, continuously and rigorously implemented, will maximize all efforts to ‘Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons In All its Aspects.’”
Source: Ed. Krista Lynes and Gina Torry, NGO Working Group on Women Peace and SecurityThis report is the five-year marking point after the adoption of UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000). Presenting it as a “call to action,” the authors aim at highlighting the developments, efforts, and strategies created towards the implementation of Resolution 1325, as well as the challenges and obstacles yet to overcome. Primary issues covered include highlighting the implementation strategies for 1325, analyzing the roles of Member States in the resolution’s execution, and looking at the role of international, national and civil society in programs and initiatives meant to empower and include women in peacebuilding. Speaking to a wide range of actors, the authors argue that peace “must be made to work for women,” and that only through the cohesion and “mutually reinforcing collaboration” amongst all the actors can women be strongly and effectively implemented into peacebuilding activities. The report concludes that “when peace works for women, it provides a crucial component for creating sustainable peace and development locally and globally.”
Source: Netherlands Institute of International Relations, Conflict Research Unit, Clingendael InstituteThis report examines the role of women in conflict and calls attention to the ways in which a gendered approach will improve DDR of women. After exposing the differing areas of women’s involvement in conflict and post-conflict activities, these guidelines elaborate upon the way women should be incorporated into DDR programs through gender mainstreaming and gender sensitivity training. The guidelines are specific to Dutch policies but are relevant to all work with DDR programs in peacebuilding and include an extensive checklist for donors on gender and DDR.
Source: IASC, UNThese guidelines attempt to encourage a participatory approach to prevention and response in gender-based violence, and serves as “a tool for field actors to establish a multisectoral coordinated approach to gender-based violence programming in emergency settings.” Included in this is an “overview of activities to be undertaken in the preparedness phase; detailed implementation of minimum prevention and response during the early stages of the emergency;” and further, an “overview of comprehensive action to be taken in more stabilised phases and during recovery and rehabilitation.”
Source: IDEAThis handbook is a revised edition of the 1998 IDEA publication on women’s incorporation in government and political forums and brings together the thoughts and initiatives of a wide array of actors. Geared towards international actors working to empower women in political participation, this handbook aims to provide women with guiding information on how to effectively bring about political change with an emphasis on all levels of participation and how to overcome obstacles and bring about concrete and sustainable change. With chapters discussing such topics as electoral systems, quotas, political participation and decision making skills, each section offers examples and guidelines on how to better incorporate women into all levels of government and political activity. Finally, IDEA “hopes that this Handbook will contribute to the creation of a critical mass and the forging of strategic alliances necessary for making a difference to the broader political process—and that this information reflects the realities of women east, west, north and south.” The handbook is especially useful for all forms of peacebuilding activities involving women in decision-making positions.
Source: Hunts Alternatives FundThis toolkit was developed in 2004 and updated in 2007 by The Initiative for Inclusive Security, a program of the Hunt Alternative Fund, in conjunction with International Alert. Hunt Alternatives Fund, established in 1981 by Ambassador Swanee Hunt and her sister Helen, is a private foundation that advocates for the full inclusion of all stakeholders in peace and security processes around the world by provides grants and technical assistance in the field of human service. The Toolkit was developed by women practitioners as a resource for other women peace builders and practitioners looking to promote peace and security. The recommendations, directed at women peace builders and the policy community, cover various components of peace building from conflict prevention to post-conflict reconstruction, highlighting the roles that women play in each phase.
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