Information Brief. Gender, Peace and Security Commonwealth Women Keeping the Peace

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1 Information Brief Gender, Peace and Security Commonwealth Women Keeping the Peace

2 Cover photo: All-female Formed Police Unit from Bangladesh arrives in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to assist with post-earthquake reconstruction. The unit served under the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Photo: UN.

3 Commonwealth Secretariat Information Brief COMMONWEALTH WOMEN KEEPING THE PEACE As peacekeeping has evolved over the years, from creating lasting peace to the broader approach of nation building, so too has the role that women play. Although women are still very under-represented, there has been an increase in the percentage recruited as peacekeepers, from 1 per cent in 1993 to 4 per cent in 2010/11. The recruitment of women is now seen as a necessity and is based on the theory that women employ distinctive social skills that add a civilising effect in a man s world. This Information Brief highlights the important contribution of Commonwealth member states in peacekeeping and peace-building missions around the world. Even though the Commonwealth does not have a Standby Force, the contribution of troops from member countries should not be underestimated, particularly the effective role of women as peacekeepers. Women s participation in peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions The Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality draws on international commitments for the realisation of women s rights enshrined in various international agreements. The most comprehensive of these are the 1979 Women s Convention known as CEDAW, the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action agreed at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women and the Millennium Development Goals. The Plan of Action calls on governments to promote women s full, equal and effective participation at all levels and stages of peace-building processes including formal and informal negotiations and agreements. It encourages member states to mainstream gender equality into the training of peacekeepers, disciplined forces, and law enforcement personnel and their partners to ensure appropriate codes of conduct. It also promotes the implementation and monitoring of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) and its follow-up resolutions (1820, 1888, 1889 and 1920), which specifically address women s role in leadership, peacemaking, peacekeeping, conflict prevention and sexual violence in conflict situations. 1 1

4 Gender, Peace and Security Women and men experience conflict differently; with limited resources, women usually have very little control over their environment. In times of peace women and girls are subjected to gross sexual abuse and other violations of their personal integrity in the home, community and society, including punitive traditional practices such as genital mutilation. This situation is exacerbated in situations of armed and violent conflict. Indeed, where incidents of atrocities committed against women and girls were once considered a by-product of war, there has been a shift and women and girls are now being targeted in conflict situations, with little protection against sexual exploitation and human trafficking. In most cases men are the perpetrators of war and violent conflict, yet they are usually the first to sit at the negotiating table, where they make decisions on issues that affect women. 2 An analytic study of 585 peace agreements signed between 1990 and 2010, found that only 16 per cent contained references to women and that these tended to be weak in qualitative terms. 3 While women are not allowed in specific situations to sit at peace tables, they have become an effective part of peace-building initiatives, engaging in post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation, playing active roles in peace processes in Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri-Lanka and Uganda. To enable women to participate effectively in the peacemaking and peace-building processes, there is an urgent need to challenge gender relationships that contribute to their oppression, and to sensitise and empower them to play greater leadership roles. 4 Despite indications of women being involved in peace and security issues as peacekeepers, there is little evidence of women s role in peace-related negotiations and decision-making committees or bodies. 5 This is partly due to the fall in armed and violent conflicts across the Commonwealth. Currently only three Commonwealth countries are in post-conflict: Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka. (Fiji, which is also in post-conflict, is currently suspended from the Commonwealth). The contribution made by Commonwealth member countries is enormous (Figure 1). Of the top five contributors of military and police to UN peacekeeping forces in 2010, four were Commonwealth member countries, namely Bangladesh, India, Nigeria and Pakistan, with Egypt being the fifth. Moreover, the governments of many Pacific island countries have recognised the importance of consulting women in conflict prevention and resolution and peace building as well as in understanding their needs and priorities. 6 Women s participation in conflict resolution, peacemaking, peacekeeping, peace building and post-conflict reconstruction is expanding. UN peacekeeping missions today include more non-military/civilian components for preventive diplomacy, conflict resolution, peacemaking and post-conflict peace building. However, women are largely excluded from military and police roles in peacekeeping operations and have limited participation in the civilian components of peacekeeping missions. 7 2

5 Commonwealth Secretariat Information Brief Figure 1 Created from Ranking of Military and Police contributions to UN Operations (30 September 2010), The contribution of Commonwealth female troops Nine per cent of the 14,000 police officers and two per cent of the 85,000 military personnel are women. In contrast, the percentage of women deployed as civilians in peacekeeping operations has reached 30 per cent. In leadership positions, there is one woman Deputy Force Commander while three women lead peace operations as Special Representatives of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and three women are Deputy SRSGs. 8 Women from across the Commonwealth are serving the UN as military and civilian peacekeepers, police and military observers, and humanitarian and medical personnel, with the Commonwealth contributing nearly two thirds of all female troops deployed in 2010 (Figure 3). Out of 30 Commonwealth countries contributing troops to peacekeeping and peace-building operations around the world, only two countries Brunei and Papua New Guinea have not contributed female troops. Nigeria ranks highest in contributing female troops, followed by Ghana, South Africa, Bangladesh and Rwanda. In 2007, India deployed the first all-women contingent to serve in the UN operation in Liberia. Since then, three more all-female UN police units have been deployed from Commonwealth countries: the Bangladesh Unit in Haiti, Samoa Unit in Timor and Rwanda Unit in Sudan. 9 Six Commonwealth countries are among the top 10 Troop-Contributing Countries to UN peacekeeping operations in the world namely, Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Rwanda and South Africa. Ten percent of all Canadian Police deployed to peacekeeping and peace-building missions are women. Women from Namibia have participated in peacekeeping missions in various countries such as Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and Vietnam. 10 3

6 Gender, Peace and Security Figure 2 Created from Ranking of Military and Police contributions to UN Operations (30 September 2010), Women from the Nigerian army and police are regularly deployed to peacekeeping missions, with Nigeria taking the lead in providing women police officers to the UN Police. By the end of 2006, 49 out of the 454 women police officers in peacekeeping missions were from Nigeria. Since Jamaica adopted Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, the number of women in its contingents to UN peacekeeping forces has risen steadily to almost 50 per cent. They have been engaged in tasks such as promoting reconciliation, strengthening the security sector and the rule of law and supporting democratic elections. Further, women are included in six of the seven peacekeeping missions in which Jamaica is participating Darfur, Haiti, Lebanon, Liberia, Sudan and Timor-Leste and the Contingent Commanders in two, Liberia and Darfur, are women. 11 In the Pacific region, Australia, New Zealand and Samoa have contributed women troops. Women troops from Tonga were involved in peacekeeping forces in the Solomon Islands while women peacekeepers from New Zealand boosted the security presence and engaged in activities in support of local police, such as patrolling. 12 A Canadian woman, Tiffany Eastham, was the 2012 recipient of the Civilian Peacekeeper of the Year Award for her support to the people of South Sudan under exceptionally difficult circumstances. The annual award is made by the international NGO, Nonviolent Peaceforce, and was presented on March 8, International Women s Day. 13 4

7 Commonwealth Secretariat Information Brief Figure 3 Created from Ranking of Military and Police contributions to UN Operations (30 September 2010), The role of women in peacekeeping Although few in number, women in post-conflict situations have had a significant impact because they bring new dimensions to peacekeeping and peace building. Women peacekeepers are best placed to carry out a wide variety of tasks ranging from interviewing victims of sexual and gender-based violence and working in women s prisons, to assisting female ex-combatants during the process of demobilisation and reintegration into civilian life and mentoring female cadets at police academies (Box 1). Research has shown that when women participate in peace negotiations aimed at producing a settlement they often adopt a problem-solving approach and seek to foster harmony by mutual understanding. In the Northern Ireland conflict, analysis reveals that where women where involved in the peace negotiations between the Irish Republicans and Britain the outcome was positive. In particular, women s contribution to the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement (1998) is often cited. Tired of the effects of war and wanting to ensure that the settlement recognised their concerns for human rights, equality and inclusiveness, women formed the Northern Ireland Women s Coalition (NIWC). The Coalition contested the elections in 2006 and was able to secure parliamentary seats, thus ensuring the inclusion of women in the political process. 14 Some of the contributions of women peacekeepers include: Improved intelligence gathering Theorists agree that all-women military battalions improve intelligence gathering. One such battalion from Ghana befriended and worked with local women in Sierra Leone. 5

8 Gender, Peace and Security Although the women were initially reticent about reporting crimes, they later shared critical information that led to the uncovering of a significant stockpile of weaponry. Security Since it is accepted that men predominate in both war and peacekeeping in post conflict situations, women are often seen as less threatening than men, even when they are trained to carry and operate a weapon. In situations of sexual exploitation or abuse committed by UN personnel, women are less likely to be perpetrators, resulting in a reduction in the overall number of abuses reported. Male peacekeepers tend to be more interested in tackling assaults and armed robberies, whereas their female counterparts tend to be more compassionate. In cases of gender violence, assistance to victimised women and children increases under female troops, as demonstrated for instance by the all-women India and Bangladesh Formed Police Units based in Liberia and Haiti respectively, who introduced self-defence classes for women and night patrols to make them feel safer. 15 Box 1: Importance of Women Peacekeepers At a Glance The increased recruitment of women peacekeepers is critical for: Empowering women in the host community Screening of female ex-combatants Assisting female ex-combatants during the process of demobilisation and reintegration into civilian life Broadening the net of information gathering Performing the cordon and search of women Interviewing survivors of gender-based violence Mentoring women cadets at police and military academies Interacting with women in societies where women are prohibited from speaking to men The presence of women peacekeepers can also help to: Reduce conflict and confrontation Improve access and support for local women Empower women in the community Provide a greater sense of security to local populations, including women and children Create a safer and less fearful environment for women Highlight the UN s commitment to diversity, inclusion and gender equality Expand skills and approaches available within a peacekeeping mission 6

9 Commonwealth Secretariat Information Brief Working in conservative environments In Afghanistan and Somalia the all-women battalions offered value in being able to interact with local women who are prohibited from speaking to men to whom they are not related. Though the all-women battalion was not the only agent of change, it was critical as it ensured women s perspectives and experiences were known. Female peacekeepers serve as role models especially in male-dominated local environments, inspiring women and girls to push for their rights and encouraging their participation in peace processes. What is striking is that even though women are increasingly gaining entry to diverse roles in international peacekeeping, their mobility and ranking are often limited. Many are not being promoted in this boy s club because of weaknesses in the institutional management of peacekeeping including being viewed in relation only to their roles as caregivers. Conclusion There is now a body of evidence to show that the recruitment of more women into peacekeeping operations has led to an improvement in the effectiveness of operational missions around the globe. The need now is to build on these advances. The adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000 recognised, amongst other things, women s right to participate in peace processes. Commonwealth member states support UNSCR Resolution Heads of Governments have made firm commitments to peacekeeping operations in various declarations and resolutions and by the same measure they also support and promote gender equity as a core value of the Commonwealth. However, only five Commonwealth countries have adopted National Action Plan (NAPs) on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, namely, Uganda in 2008 and Canada, Rwanda Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom in Some countries are in the process of adopting National Action Plans, such as South Africa, while other countries have in place gender mainstreaming mechanisms that are effective but are not aligned with NAPs. Through National Action Plans, member countries are mandated to increase the participation of women in peacekeeping and peace-building missions and to provide the required resources, training and capacity-building initiatives for women to participate effectively. Implementation ishould be monitored and evaluated in accordance with key indicators identified in the Action Plans. Penalties for non-compliance should be regulated and made effective through all structures and systems of governance and decision-making levels across all sectors. 7

10 Gender, Peace and Security Box 2: Key Facts and Figures In the 32 years between 1957 and 1989 a total of just 20 women served as UN peacekeepers. In 1993, 11 out of 19 peacekeeping missions had civilian components and women made up one third of civilian staff. Today, April 2012, women constitute around 30 per cent of the 19,800 civilian staffers working in peacekeeping missions. Of the eight Special Representatives of the Secretary-General (SRSGs) and Deputy SRSGs in peace operations who are women, only two are from the Commonwealth: Margaret Vogt from Nigeria is SRSG to Central Africa Republic and Ameerah Haq from Bangladesh is SRSG to Timor-Leste. Two women leaders from the Commonwealth are serving in other high level positions: Radhika Coomaraswamy from Sri Lanka is serving as SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict and Elizabeth Mataka from Botswana as Special Envoy for HIV and AIDS in Africa. Women make up only 9 per cent of the 12,000 police officers deployed by the UN, with contributions from at least 98 UN member states. The UN deploys three all-female police units, the India unit in Liberia, Bangladesh unit in Haiti and Samoa unit in Timor. The UN Police Adviser is a woman who advises DPKO on police-related matters; The top five Police-Contributing Counties (PCCs) and Troop-Contributing Countries (TCCs) are all Commonwealth member states: Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Nigeria and South Africa. India deployed the first all-female police unit to Liberia in per cent of all police Canada deploys to peacekeeping are women. 8

11 Notes 1. UN Women, Women, War and Peace, accessed from 2. Anderlini, S. and C. Conaway From Combat to Community: Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, 3. Rehn, E. and E. Johnson Sirleaf Women, War, Peace: The Independent Expert s Assessment on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Women s Role in Peace-Building: Vol 1 (Progress of the World s Women 2002). UN Women, (31 July); 4. Hunt, S The Critical Role of Women Waging Peace. Columbia Transnational Law Journal, April 14: Ogunsanya, K. and K. Mngqibisa A Gender Perspective for Conflict Management, Occasional Paper 4/2000, published under the Training for Peace in Southern Africa Project (ACCORD). 6. United Nations Peacekeeping, Women in Peacekeeping, accessed from 7. Sowa, T. (2000) The Gender Implications of Peacekeeping and Reconstruction in Africa, Background Paper, Seminar on Gender Approaches to Peacekeeping in Africa, Mombasa (2000:2). 8. United Nations Peacekeeping, Women in Peacekeeping, accessed from 9. Carvajal, D A Female Approach to Peacekeeping, New York Times, 5 March, accessed from BBC News Channel, Female Peacekeepers reach Liberia, 30 January 2007 accessed from hi/ stm 10. United Nations Peacekeeping Background Note, UNDPO and UNDPI, Feb 2012, accessed from org/assets/file/resources/unreports/wps-pk_gendermainstreamingpkoliberiabestpracticesreport_unmil_sept2010.pdf 11. Peacewomen E-news Jamaican Makes Her Mark as UN Peacekeeper 7 July, accessed from United Nations Ranking of Military and Police Contributions to UN Operations, accessed from Nonviolent Peaceforce Peacekeeper Award goes to Canadian Woman on International Women s Day - 08 March 2012, accessed from Palmer, C The impact of women s involvement in peace negotiations in Northern Ireland and Spain, September 12, Gender Mainstreaming In Peacekeeping Operations, Liberia : Best Practices Report accessed from United Nations Peacekeeping, Women in Peacekeeping, accessed from Ibid.

12 This Information Brief is drawn from the priority action thematic work areas on Gender, Peace and Conflict of the Commonwealth Secretariat s Gender Section. For further information please contact: Esther Eghobamien, Head of Section, e.eghobamien@commonwealth.int Kemi Ogunsanya, Adviser, k.ogunsanya@commonwealth.int Gender Section, Social Transformation Programmes Division, Commonwealth Secretariat RELATED PUBLICATION Gender Peace and Security: Women s Advocacy and Conflict Resolution, by Fredline M Cormack-Hale, presents an assessment of the adoption of National Action Plans by commonwealth countries in accordance with the landmark United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000). UNSCR 1325 urges governments not only to protect women from all forms of violence during armed conflict but also to support women s participation at all decision-making levels for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict as well as expand their role in peacekeeping operations. The Security Council subsequently called on UN member states to develop national action plans (NAPs) or other nationallevel strategies to facilitate the implementation of the resolution. This book aims to contribute to these efforts. It elaborates women s engagement in peace and security and their effective contributions to conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes. It further examines women s efforts in the adoption of NAPs across Commonwealth countries and provides case studies from both Commonwealth and non- Commonwealth countries that have adopted NAPs. In addition, it uses indicators derived from UNSCR 1325 to trace the progress of selected countries in attaining its goals. The findings in the book will inform Commonwealth ministers responsible for women s affairs, all heads of national women s machineries and Commonwealth ministers of foreign affairs. Further the book reflects on good practices and lessons identified that can be replicated or adapted across the Commonwealth. 2012; 50 pages; 15.00; ISBN No: Order this publication online at Or by contacting: Publications Section, Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX, United Kingdom Tel: 44 (0) ; publications@commonwealth.int