Operationalizing Gender in Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan

Transcription

1 Operatinalizing Gender in Prvincial Recnstructin Teams in Afghanistan Afghan Wmen s Netwrk awn.kabul@gmail.cm August 2007

2 Afghan Wmen s Netwrk Main Street (between 8 and 9) Tahmani Watt Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: / Awn.kabul@gmail.cm Prepared by Audrey Rberts The Advcacy Prject 2007 Peace Fellw Afghan Wmen s Netwrk Rberts.audrey@gmail.cm Funded in 1995, Afghan Wmen s Netwrk is a nn-partisan netwrk f wmen and wmen s NGOs wrking in Pakistan and Afghanistan t empwer Afghan wmen and ensure their equal participatin in sciety. The members f the Netwrk als recgnize the value and rle f children as the future f Afghanistan and, as such, regard the empwerment and prtectin f children as fundamental t their wrk. The Netwrk seeks t enhance the effectiveness f its members by fstering partnerships and cllabratin between members, undertaking advcacy and lbbying, netwrking, training and capacity building.

3 As written by Wazhma Frgh, Gender and Yuth Advisr, Initiative t Prmte Afghan Civil Sciety (I-PACS), Cunterpart Internatinal. it s hard t engage wmen in such military effrts but it isn't impssible. Pakistani and Afghan delegatins in last weeks [9 August 2007] Peace Jirga supprted wmen's participatin in the Jirga and peace prcesses in the cuntry. I was amazed n the thrugh analysis f many men in this Peace Jirga n hw wmen have been affected by war and instability and hw in mst instances it's the wmen wh pay the higher price f war and turmil in the cuntry. Intrductin At the beginning f 2007, the Afghan Wmen s Netwrk entered int a dialgue with NATO-ISAF a dialgue that has been nging frm multiple frnts with multiple actrs fr years t address the frequent exclusin f issues f gender, wmen s participatin and gendered insecurities perspectives in Prvincial Recnstructin Teams strategies and peratins. 1 In this paper we set ut t d just this by utlining the imprtance and utility f unremittingly integrating gender issues, intrducing sme pints f discussin and prviding sme recmmendatins sme mre abstract than thers and practical examples f hw AWN might help this prcess as we represent a netwrk f stakehlders and a partner. 2 AWN, unlike many members f civil sciety, believes it is imprtant t engage with NATO ISAF s PRTs s PRT peratins first and fremst make cntributins t Afghanistan that are in the maximum interest f the Afghan peple, with that interest being defined by the Afghan peple, and, in s ding, enhancing PRT peratinal effectiveness. Why is this Imprtant fr PRTs? PRTs will make well-infrmed, judicius, balanced decisins; Enhance situatinal awareness; 3 Better effectiveness in CIMIC activities; 1 ISAF s rle is t assist the Afghan gvernment in extending its authrity acrss the cuntry; cnduct stability and security peratins in c-rdinatin with the Afghan natinal security frces; assist the Afghan gvernment with the security sectr refrm prcess; mentr and supprt the Afghan Natinal Army; and supprt Afghan gvernment prgrams t disarm illegally armed grups. In practice these peratins take the frm f cnducting patrls, embedding advisrs within the Afghan Natinal Army units and verseeing the peratin f 25 Prvincial Recnstructin Teams (PRTs) lcated thrughut Afghanistan. Described as the leading edge f NATO effrts in Afghanistan, PRTs cmbine civilian and military persnnel t crdinate and enable security and recnstructin effrts fr the surrunding area, in s ding assisting the gvernment f Afghanistan t extend its authrity acrss the cuntry. 2 Plicy Nte 1 PRT Engagement in Prvincial Develpment, Develpment f Prvincial Develpment Plan (PDP), PDPs shuld capture all stakehlder delivery thrugh GA, IO, NGO, private investment and PRT. PRT prjects shuld attempt t fill sme f the gaps between stakehlder interventin. (PRT Handbk, B42) 3 CIMIC Centre f Excellence, 2007.

4 Better access t lcal ppulatin. Enhance verall Civil-military relatins. Obstacles This cnversatin has been nging since the first PRT was established in Gardez. PRTs are cnstantly reinventing the wheel; Perceived and real cultural and religius bstacles; The rle and mandate f PRTs are frequently nt understd by the cmmunities r aid cmmunities; It is either unclear wh is undertaking which develpment prject, r wmen are nt infrmed wh is undertaking which develpment prject; Afghan NGOs and individuals ften d nt want t engage with PRTs The Multiple Frnts f AWN s Advcacy Campaign We are advcating NATO-ISAF fr a Plicy Nte n Gender, preferably under the frame f Gender Mainstreaming and nt Gender Equity; NATO PRT persnnel; NATO-Brussels; The Civil-Military Wrking Grup develping the new CIMIC Guidelines fr AFG t incrprate a gender cmpnent, which there has been incrprated in the newest Draft versin at least partially due t AWN s advcacy campaign. The Nrth Atlantic Treaty Organizatin (NATO) and Gender NATO is cnstantly transfrming. As the NATO ISAF-PRT Handbk ntes, The current situatin in Afghanistan presents unique challenges and pprtunities fr civilmilitary cperatin. 4 One f these challenges and pprtunities is the incrpratin f gender int PRT strategies and peratins. A Develpment Officer frm ne PRT tld me that gender was discussed at a PRT Cnference tw years ag, yet he had seen n changes t ISAF r PRT appraches t gender. The time is ripe fr change fr a variety f reasns. First, as stated by General Ramn Sanjse, NATO ISAF Chief f CIMIC, at the August 2007 quarterly PRT Cnference, ISAF s security and stability pillar is advancing much mre than the lngterm pillars, such as gd gvernance and develpment. This imbalance is dangerus. Incrpratin f a gender perspective is key t gd gvernance and sustainable develpment. Secnd, we see lead natins fr their PRTs requesting gender training, such as the newest batch f Dutch PRTs CIMIC persnnel wh will be deplyed sn wh 4 PRT Handbk, ii

5 requested specialized training frm the CIMIC Center f Excellence. 5 This was based n a plitical demand and an peratins requirement t fcus n gender issues, based n recent experiences in the their area f respnsibility. Third, in June 2007, NATO was suppsed t adpt an fficial definitin f gender, which is: The term gender refers t the scial differences and scial relatins between men and wmen. It therefre refers nt t wmen and men, but the relatinship between them, and the way this is scially cnstructed. A persn s gender is learned thrugh scializatin and is heavily influenced by the culture f the sciety cncerned. The gender f a persn: Is scially cnstructed and therefre learned and can be changed (but this des nt mean it is easy r uncmplicated); differs and varies within and acrss cultures and ver time; and results in different rles, respnsibilities, pprtunities, needs and cnstraints fr wmen, men, girls and bys. Finally, the time is ripe fr this discussin because there are nging, crss-sectr discussins abut hw UN Security Cuncil Reslutin 1325 can be implemented n the grund in peace and stability peratins. As the NATO Secretary- General said recently, If we embed a gd standard f gender awareness, in plicy, training and peratins, it will influence and enhance effectiveness. Gender is an issue that never stands alne. It is a crss cutting issue in peace and stability peratins that affects everything frm building a bridge r well; delivering humanitarian relief; security sectr refrm; demining; rule f law; decisin making prcesses; hw pririties are develped fr develpment activities; and s n. A gendered perspective can help identify different vulnerabilities, needs, interests f men and wmen; t mainstream gender int planning and decisin making prcesses; and t maximize their cntributin t the stabilizatin prcess. Gender is ften nly seen in light f gender equality. The predminant frame being used t discuss gender and peace and stability peratins is that f gender mainstreaming. This cncept was mentined multiple times at the August quarterly PRT Cnference held in Kabul, but never defined. Mainstreaming entails mving beynd increasing wmen s participatin and cnsultatin; it means incrprating the experiences, knwledge and interests f wmen and men int the design, implementatin, mnitring and evaluatin phases f plices and prgrammes in all spheres, accrding t UN Security Cuncil Reslutin It is abut gender infrming plicy, implementatin/peratins and evaluatin prcesses. Mst imprtantly, it is abut peratinalizing gender. A gender perspective will cntribute t the achievement f the bjectives and the effectiveness f PRT peratins. As they are perating under UN mandate, ISAF PRTs are bligated under United Natins Security Cuncil Reslutin 1325 t d just this. The PRT Handbk mentins the SCR 1325 Wmen, Peace and Security but nt in terms f its relevance fr PRTs. 6 5 CIMIC Centre f Excellence, PRT Handbk, F41

6 That said. Within the NATO system, UN SCR 1325 is recgnized as an imprtant Reslutin. The Cmmittee n Wmen in the NATO Frces NATO POLICY ON GENDER RELATED ISSUES IN DEPLOYMENT was develped by NATO, in cnsultatin with its member states: NATO member states re-affirm their cmmitment t ratificatin, acceptance r apprval f UNSC 1325 and agree: (c) that this plicy is aimed at securing gender awareness t imprve peratinal effectiveness. PRTs aren't trained t "d develpment", but they undertake develpment activities. PRTs play a small part relative t the verall internatinal develpment scheme in Afghanistan; hwever, it is nt insignificant. As f 26 May 2007, there were ver 7,500 PRT develpment prjects wrth ver $630 millin. 7 The ISAF PRT Handbk mentins the imprtance f PRTs t endeavr t have a gender cmpnent because PRT develpment activities are t supprt lcal pririties within the natinal develpment framewrk, such as ANDS. The gender cmpnent remains undefined. AWN can assist in prviding cntext and Afghan vices t help NATO-ISAF s PRTs define this gender cmpnent. 8 Althugh PRTs are meant t have a finite life span, with plans fr PRT expansin in 2008, PRTs will be n the grund fr quite sme time. Operatinal effectiveness fr PRT is measured fr each rtatin, which last between 4 mnths and 1 year, with develpment indicatrs. As Ritchie writes abut the current state f Afghanistan, NGOs remain a massively underutilized resurce that culd assist cst effectiveness and sustainability in meeting basic needs, building up lcal service prvisin and prviding supprt t civil sciety, especially during this critical perid f transitin. 9 There are fundamental differences in the way the civilian assistance cmmunity and military cmmunities cnceive f a secure envirnment, but they share a cmmn purpse ensuring security and stability and prmting the Afghan Natinal Develpment Strategy (ANDS). 10 Thrugh dialgue and cperatin it is pssible t identify cmmn aims, just like we did t bring us all tgether tday, and t devise strategies fr the jint achievement f these bjectives. 7 Figures derived frm a presentatin by Cmmander Carl Shivers, PRT Chief, n AWN premises in July Ritchie, Hlly. (2006) Aid effectiveness in Afghanistan: At a Crssrads, ACBAR Briefing Paper, N

7 Recmmendatins frm AWN PRTs shuld always prmte Afghan wmen s attendance at all prvincial and district level meetings where pssible; 11 PRT Guiding Principles: Lay the fundatin fr lng-term sustainable changes. 12 Part f this is carried ut thrugh Security Sectr Refrm (SSR): Plice refrm, Defense refrm, and Justice refrm, DDR ECT. (with the ANA, ANP and lcal justice system). Gender must be incrprated int all refrm prcesses. Being that PRTs assist with r enable the SSR prcess, gender is an imprtant issue fr them t cnsider in this cntext in rder t make the refrm prcess mre representative, participatry and inclusive. It is imprtant t remember that SSR, which ccurs after cnflict, can als be an pprtunity t fster increased levels f gender equality and inclusiveness with the sectr s structures and prcesses. It can fundamentally braden the debate further n what security within a state lks like. This als begs the questin: Can a gender cmpnent be added after transitin t Afghan wnership and still be effective? It shuld be part f the prcess befre, during and after the transitin t Afghan wnership; Make use f female peratrs t assure better access t wmen; Be aware f the vulnerable grups in yur area f respnsibility; Include rganizatins wh are familiar and experienced in Gender int yur CIMIC activities; Wmen s civil sciety rganizatins are t ften an untapped resurce. AWN wuld like t reinfrce the fact that PRTs cnsulting slely with the gvernment is insufficient. as stated in the PRT Handbk. The Handbk states, PRTs shuld engage in a cnsultative prcess with duty bearers as well as rights bearers. 13 In saying this, I als understand that many NGOs are hesitant t wrk with PRTs and ther parts f the internatinal military presence, but we a netwrk f ver 57 NGOs are willing t d s as it is stated in the PRT Handbk. AWN members can be engaged by PRTs thrugh AWN; 11 Lessn Learned by US PRT, as reprted by US DS, Afghanistan Desk, August PRT Handbk, PRT Handbk, C35

8 PRTs need cmmunity buy-in fr engagement with Afghan wmen; Use dialgue and cmmunicatin as primary tls t address gender issues; 14 The internatinal cmmunity can wrk fr wmen s rights and talk abut gender within an Islamic cntext that is culturally apprpriate, withut feeling like they are trying t fundamentally change a culture; The Executive Steering Cmmittee (which develps plicies fr PRTs) shuld cnsult with civil sciety during the develpment f these plicies; Affirmative plicies such as Plicy Ntes, must be matched by actin and resurces, in additin t implementatin, mnitring and evaluatin; Develp the Plicy Nte n Gender Equity/Mainstreaming; The presence, participatin and prgress f wmen in gvernance structures shuld be a key indicatr by which NATO-ISAF measures missin success because these are indicatrs f stability, develpment and gd demcratic gvernance; Raise public awareness f the mandate, rle and activities f PRTs; Gender perspectives shuld be included in humanitarian relief peratins; Issue Gender guidelines r checklist, which shuld be develped thrugh cnsultative prcesses with civil sciety and MWA. Yu can develp 6 r s key pints and put them smething the size f a credit card and have them distributed t all PRT persnnel. AWN can help with develping this if yu will distribute it; A mechanism must be develped t ensure an enduring institutinal memry. Best practices shuld be cllected, catalgued and discussed as part f the ISAF, and mre generally, NATO, institutinal knwledge base. It wuld be helpful t being cllecting case studies frm bth the PRT and civilian humanitarian actrs t prvide a bdy f evidence n what wrks, where, hw and with what impact. After they are cllected, they shuld be catalged and accessible t all PRT persnnel t enhance reach-back capacity; 15 Unless there is a particularly fcused effrt, such as thrugh the appintment f a gender adviser (as happened in the EUFOR Cng missin 16 ), there have been 14 CIMIC Centre f Excellence, July As stated by General Ramn Sanjse, Chief Civili-military cperatin (CIMIC), at the August quarterly PRT Cnference in Kabul, SHAPE [Supreme Headquarters Allied Pwers Eurpe] has a hard time getting data and metrics t measure effects f PRTs. It s hard t develp a baseline withut data. 16 Final Reprt n Gender Wrk fr EUFOR RD Cng Missin. EU Operatins Headquarters. Chief f

9 difficulties peratinalizing gender mainstreaming within stability and security peratins. Belw is an adaptatin f the successful incrpratin f gender fcal pints int the EUFOR peratin in the DRC: Appint and wrk with gender fcal pints in different PRTs. Similar t the gender adviser the Lithuanian PRT had at ne pint r this culd be part f the CIMIC fficers rle, which is the apprach that the CIMIC Center f Excellence takes when develping CIMIC trainings; The Gender Fcal Pint can be the CIMIC/ Develpment Officer and/r ther civilian experts that have preexisting experience wrking with human rights and gender mainstreaming r that have received training in these sectrs. Gender is an vital part f the envirnment f the CIMIC fficer; Or, due t the fact that ne f the key capacities f the Military Observatin Teams r Military Observatin and Liaisn Teams is t interact with the lcal ppulatin and disseminate infrmatin, cnduct mediatin and identify needs and pririties, a Gender Fcal Pint shuld accmpany these teams r the teams shuld receive fcused training n gender. One lessn learned frm a US PRT, as reprted during a meeting smene frm AWN had with the US Department f State, PRTs shuld always prmte Afghan wmen s attendance at all prvincial and district level meetings where pssible; 17 Anther lessn learned was reprted frm the same meeting but describing the actins f a Canadian PRT. They hired lcal wmen t make the winter unifrms fr Afghan rad wrkers wrking n a PRT rad prject; 18 When perfrming assessments, cllect sex-disaggregated data. This can help determine hw varius frms f insecurity are imprving fr men and wmen; Need a safe space fr engagement between wmen, wmen s rganizatins and PRTs. AWN can help facilitate this. Fr example, NGOs agreed t participate because it was held at UNAMA s ffice; 19 The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Cmmissin culd facilitate the cntact between natinal NGOs and the PRT; 20 Prvincial Cuncils are described in law as linking the peple and civil sciety with the state administratin at the prvincial level. Prvincial Cuncils might be als be cnsidered a safe space fr engagement; Staff. 2 February Lessn Learned by US PRT, as reprted by US DS, Afghanistan Desk, August Lessn Learned by Canadian PRT, as reprted by US DS, Afghanistan Desk, August PRT Handbk, C36 20 PRT Handbk, C35

10 The rle f men in any gender equity/mainstreaming effrts is extremely imprtant. Develp up an institutinal understanding f gender mainstreaming. This pint was reinfrced by Wazhma Frgh during the August PRT Cnference Recmmendatins frm the August quarterly PRT Cnference Questin asked by the US DS representative frm the PRT-Paktika: In Paktika, 75 wmen were invited t the subnatinal cnsultatins, which was based at the Gvernr s cmpund. Nne f them shwed up. Why? Answer prvided by Wazhma Frgh, Cunterpart Internatinal: Afghan wmen dn t g t the Gvernr s ffice, especially nt in insecure envirnments. Wazhma explained that it was a matter f hnr. Encurage the Prvincial Gvernr t wrk with the Department f Wmen s Affairs. PRT Kunduz Cnsult with Dwlas and Prvincial Cuncils t make sure there is n prject verlap. PRT Bamiyan Cntextualizing is very imprtant. There is n such thing as an unique Afghan culture, every place has its wn characteristics even in ne prvince many different cultural behavirs can be fund. Wazhma Frgh, Cunterpart Internatinal Wrk cntinuusly with the peple. Wazhma Frgh, Cunterpart Internatinal With PRTs, its nly ne-way crdinatin. When yu ask fr infrmatin and crdinate, be pen t sharing infrmatin and utside effrts f crdinatin. Wahidi, ANCB.