Gender Advisory Team Annual Progress Report Department of Peacekeeping Operations Department of Field Support

Transcription

1 Gender Advisory Team Annual Progress Report 2010 Department of Peacekeeping Operations Department of Field Support

2 Copyright and credits Peacekeeping Best Practices Section Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training Department of Peacekeeping Operations United Nations Secretariat One UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA Tel.: United Nations This publication enjoys copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. Nevertheless, governmental authorities or Member States may freely photocopy any part of this publication for exclusive use within their training institutes. However, no portion of this publication may be reproduced for sale or mass publication without the express consent, in writing, of the Peacekeeping Best Practices Section, United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Front cover images (clockwise from top right) A woman participates in a reintegration programme held at the National Service Camp in Nyala, South Darfur, Sudan, 1 June UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran. Afghan citizens go to the polls to exercise their constitutional right to vote in presidential and provincial council elections, 20 August 2009, Kabul, Afghanistan. UN Photo/Eric Kanalstein An all-female Formed Police Unit from Bangladesh, serving with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 1 June UN Photo/Marco Dormino A member of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) s Military Liaison Office chats with a group of local Western Saharans, 17 June 2010, Western Sahara. UN Photo/Martine Perret Back cover image A member of the Indian Formed Police Unit of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) deployed on a security detail at the airport, 18 May 2009, Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo. UN Photo/Marie Frechon Design and layout: Rick Jones (rick@studioexile.com) 2 Gender Advisory Team

3 Table of contents Foreword... 5 Message from the Gender Team... 6 Preface... 7 Women in peacekeeping... 8 Civilian Staff 8 Uniformed Staff 10 Overview Gender Mainstreaming 11 Women s Political Participation 13 Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) 16 Security Sector Reform 19 Police 20 Military 21 DDR 22 Training 24 Partnerships 25 Communications and Advocacy 26 Final thoughts Annual Progress Report

4 4 Gender Gender Advisory Advisory Team Team

5 Foreword 2010 marked the 10th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), which has fundamentally impacted the business of peacekeeping operations over the past ten years. The landmark resolution has challenged us and guided our efforts to support women in post conflict societies to participate in the peace process; protect women and girls from sexual violence; ensure women s integration into the electoral process; increase female involvement in security sector reform and create awareness of the need for women s voices to be heard wherever peacekeeping operations are deployed. The anniversary afforded us the opportunity to take stock of the work that has been undertaken and to demonstrate continuing commitment to the principles within resolution 1325 and related resolutions (1820, 1888, 1889, and 1960). As part of the commemoration of resolution 1325, DPKO/DFS undertook a number of activities, including: the Impact Study on Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in Peacekeeping ; the Guidelines for Integrating a Gender Perspective in the Work of the Military in Peacekeeping Operations ; a pilot project on gender budget analysis of one peacekeeping mission; and the co-organisation with UN partners of the Open Days for Peace and Security in missions and the Global Open Day at Headquarters. By demonstrating how gender mainstreaming objectives, policies and guidelines are being translated into practice in UN peacekeeping operations, this report will serve as a useful tool for a wide range of stakeholders, including peacekeeping personnel, UN Member States as well as national and regional nongovernmental organisations. Additionally, the report clearly highlights the comparative advantage and services offered to UN field missions by the Gender Advisory Teams. They assist with activities such as promoting mainstreaming through the establishment and support of multi-agency Gender Task Forces; providing support to women s participation in electoral processes as candidates or voters; advocating for the integration of a gender perspective into corrections and penal management; and promoting greater gender awareness within the military and police through training. Through work like this, the Gender Teams are uniquely positions to support the role of women, girls, boys and men throughout the transition from conflict to peace. Edmond Mulet Assistant Secretary-General and Acting Head Department of Peacekeeping Operations Susana Malcorra Under-Secretary-General Department of Field Support Members of the Bangladeshi Formed Police Unit (FPU), the only all-female FPU serving with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), receive honorary medals, 11 April 2011, Port-au- Prince, Haiti. UN Photo/Logan Abassi Annual Progress Report

6 Message from the Gender Team We are pleased to share with you the Progress report highlighting some of the achievements and challenges faced by the Gender Advisory Teams in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in The Gender Teams spread across 15 missions 1 have collectively defined their main role as policy advisory, a think-tank and a knowledge pool to guide more inclusive and effective peacekeeping practices, with a vision of achieving sustainable peace in a postconflict environment, one conducive to the re-building of a society on equal political, economic rights of all women and men. This underlying principle is very clearly reflected in the critical work undertaken by the gender advisers within their respective missions which resonates with the aspirations and vision of the local community. Over the last few years, since the inception of the Gender Advisory Team at HQ, much work has been assumed to incorporate gender perspectives into the mainstream of peacekeeping policies, programmes and activities. What was once seen as a thematic issue on the edge of peacekeeping operations has become an important integral constituent to the peace and security process. From limited beginnings, to the release of the USG Policy Statement on Gender Mainstreaming in Peacekeeping Operations (2004), the Policy Directive on Gender Equality in Peacekeeping and guidelines for Gender Advisors/Gender Focal Points (2010), the gender framework has evolved quite dramatically in peacekeeping. Last year marked the 10th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women Peace and Security which was commemorated in a number of ways across our missions and at headquarters. The occasion afforded us an opportunity to take stock of the work that has been undertaken and to demonstrate continuing commitment to the principals within resolution 1325 and related resolutions (1820, 1888, 1889, and 1960). 1 The report includes references to the MINURCAT Gender Team, before the draw down at the end of To commemorate the anniversary, DPKO/DFS undertook a ten year review of the implementation of resolution 1325 through the Impact Study on Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in Peacekeeping ; launched the Guidelines for Integrating a Gender Perspective in the Work of the Military in Peacekeeping Operations ; developed a pilot project on gender budget analysis of one peacekeeping mission and co-organised with other UN agencies the Open Days in the field and the Global Open Day at headquarters. The anniversary highlighted a number of lessons learned for us. We recognise that while we have some success in certain areas, such as supporting women s access to political participation, capacity development of national counterparts, legislative reforms and promoting integration of gender perspectives in the judicial and legal sectors; we still have much more to do. The anniversary was one of reflection, not celebration. The road to gender equality does not run smooth. There is still a large gap in the institutionalisation of many of our gender mainstreaming strategies. Too often, it is individual commitment, rather than institutionalised mechanisms that drives our work. While we have made headway in recruiting and retaining more female civilian personnel, we have made limited progress in increasing the number of female personnel in peacekeeping, particularly in uniformed functions, support activities and in senior leadership positions. The Open Days also highlighted perspectives of women are still not adequately harnessed to inform our planning and operational activities. As 1325 demands, a gender perspective must be a central consideration in all areas of peacekeeping; without which we are failing in our attempts to secure women s genuine participation. We look forward to this new decade of implementing 1325, taking note of all that has gone before and aiming a little higher, a little wider, as we push to remove the boundaries that block women s access to authentic participation in all areas of life. 6 Gender Advisory Team

7 Preface The DPKO/DFS Gender Advisory Team Progress Report 2010 is the second periodic update chronicling the progress and challenges in mainstreaming gender in DPKO/DFS. By demonstrating how gender mainstreaming objectives are being translated into action in UN peacekeeping operations, this report will serve as a useful tool for a wide range of stakeholders, including peacekeeping personnel, UN Member States and UN partners as well as national and regional nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). However it should be noted that this is only a snapshot of the prolific work that the gender advisers and focal points undertake in all our field missions. The DPKO Gender Advisory Team at Headquarters would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Gender Teams in peacekeeping missions for their contribution to this report and thanks for their tireless work contributing to the security and empowerment of women in post conflict situations. Additionally, thanks must go to those within DPKO/ DFS who strive to make gender an integral element in all our work and are committed to ensuring that gender equality is a seamless process in the transition from conflict to peace. Peacekeepers from Thailand attached to the African Union United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) take a break while patrolling a refugee camp in West Darfur to show children how to greet each other in the customary Thai way, 29 March 2011, Muhkjar, Sudan. UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran Annual Progress Report

8 Women in peacekeeping By empowering women within the United Nations we are not just upholding the principles for which we stand. We are making ourselves a better organisation. Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General In contemporary peacekeeping environments, military and civilian personnel are taking on new functions that increase their contact with women in the communities they serve; both in providing protection and in supporting women s roles in peace building. In the 32 years between 1957 and 1989 a total of only twenty women served as UN peacekeepers. Peacekeeping deployment peaked at 125,000 peacekeepers in 2009, at which time women represented around 7 percent of UN police personnel, and were only around 2 percent of deployed military forces. Today, approximately 125,000 men, and women from 114 different countries serve as peacekeepers military, police and civilian in 15 peacekeeping operations around the world 2. After the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), United Nations Headquarters, peacekeeping operations, and Member States have been working tirelessly to meet the requirements in order to increase the number of women in peacekeeping both at Headquarters and in the field. On the civilian side, the percentage of women recruited, hired and deployed by the Secretariat to work in peacekeeping operations has reached almost 30 per cent, bringing gender parity well within reach. Progress has been much slower on the uniformed components of UN peacekeeping operations, with women making up 9 per cent of the police officers and 3.8 per cent of the 84,000 military personnel. The expanded responsibilities of peacekeeping and the adoption of the resolutions on Women, Peace and Security have centralized the issue of the importance of bringing more women into the peacekeeping family. In all fields of peacekeeping, women have proven that they can perform the same roles, to the same standards and under the same difficult conditions, as their male counterparts. The increased recruitment, retention and advancement of women in all areas of peacekeeping is not only a matter of women s equal employment rights, it is an operational imperative as they can undertake critical tasks that men cannot, such as: the reintegration of female ex-combatants; assisting female ex-combatants during the process of demobilising and reintegration into civilian life; widening the net of information gathering; performing cordon and search of women; interviewing survivors of gender-based violence; assisting in the aftermath of sexual violence and mentoring female cadets at police and military academies. Peace is a human aspiration, yet peacemaking and peacebuilding have largely been the affairs of men and carried out through a male perspective. Most importantly, female peacekeepers act as role models in the local environment, inspiring, women and girls in the often male-dominated societies to push for their own rights. In Liberia, for instance, it is reported that when women peacekeepers deployed, especially in the form of the all women police unit from India, the women of Liberia enrolled in the police force en-masse, allowing for the first time for a 100 female recruits graduating class of all women Liberian police. 2 These figures correspond to the last updated statistics from 31 May Gender Advisory Team

9 Polling staff with the National Elections Commission tape a sign outside their station in Khartoum, Sudan, on the first day of the country s general elections, 11 April UN Photo/Mohamed Siddig Civilian Staff The UN s efforts, since the adoption of resolution 1325 have resulted in a significant increase of women serving in PKOs as civilian staff. Currently almost 30% of civilians serving in UN field peacekeeping operations are women. Two UN operations contributed largely to the changing face of civilian women serving in UN Missions. The UNTAG Mission in Namibia ( ) was comprised of an impressive 60% of the professional staff being women. During the first 16 months of UNOMSA in South Africa ( ), 53% of its members were women. By 1993 one third of UN staff serving in Missions were women. They formed the majority of General Service Staff and comprised 20% of the professional staff but only 6% of Field Service and decision-making personnel. This tendency has broadened the scope for civilian women in peacekeeping although the majority still serves in the lower-level positions. Civilian women serve in almost all fields of peacekeeping; political affairs, democratic governance, civil affairs, rule of law, electoral supervision, human rights, humanitarian affairs, information technology, Annual Progress Report

10 legal and medical services, as well as logistics. Institutionally, DPKO/DFS strives to establish a gender balanced staffing structure; some missions are making continuous efforts towards improving the gender balance among the civilian component. A roster of qualified, regionally representative female candidates has been developed for senior management appointments and recruitment policies are being reviewed to remove all barriers that could impede the recruitment, career advancement, or retention of female personnel. In 2010 in all Peacekeeping and Special Political Missions 3 there were 13 female Heads and Deputy Heads of Missions (17%). While these numbers are still not near the levels called for in Women Peace and Security mandates; the appointment of women is at least garnering attention. DPKO/DFS is intent upon implementing policies to achieve gender balance through the staff selection system and by fostering a positive work environment is moving in the right direction. However, Member States must continue to nominate suitably qualified female candidates to serve in peacekeeping missions, and also nominate senior female candidates to DPKO s Senior Mission Leaders (SML) course. 4 Uniformed Staff It is clear that a significant proportion of women among uniformed peacekeeping personnel make a difference to peacekeeping and peace building, especially for troops and police working with the local community. In 2010, the Secretary General appointed a woman to the rank of Police Adviser at the Assistant Secretary General level in the UN Police Division s Headquarters, which ties in with the UN Police initiative to increase the numbers of women in UN policing. The Global Effort launched in 2009 aims to increase the proportion of women comprising UN Police (UNPOL) to 20 per cent by Today approximately 9 per cent of the almost 14,000 UNPOL deployed around the world or 1,218 are women. 5 Since it was launched the 3 Special Political Missions are overseen by the Department of Political Affairs. 4 SML courses are given to participants identified by their country who would be suitable for deployment at senior levels in peacekeeping missions. 5 Statistics vary depending on the date and the rotational policy Contributions by gender, top 10 TCCs Nigeria Ghana South Africa Bangladesh Rwanda India Uruguay Italy Nepal France Male Female Total (in thousands) number of female police officers has increased in many UN missions, most notably in Haiti, Liberia, and Sudan. UNAMID (Darfur) received 136 female officers from Bangladesh, Gambia, Ghana, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, bringing the percentage of women police officers deployed in this operation to over 10.5 percent; the highest percentage in any mission. UN Police officers are contributed by 94 Member States. The top ten Female Police Contributing Countries, providing contingents of 100 to 900 officers, contributed an average of 17 per cent female police officers. The majority provided between 15 to 26 per cent in 2010 (for example India Bangladesh and Nigeria). These contributions can be compared with global averages of women in national police services estimated by UNIFEM in 2009 to be percent in high-income countries, 15 percent in middle-income countries, and 8.5 percent in low-income countries. 6 Of those missions that have the greatest proportion of women military personnel, two are Observer Missions (UNTSO, MINURSO). Military observers are among those with the most contact with host populations. Conversely, the missions with the lowest female deployment are those with the largest military contingents, mainly deployed by the largest contributors. The ultimate responsibility for the deployment of troops lies with the Member State however efforts have been undertaken by the DPKO Office of Military of uniformed personnel. 6 UNIFEM Who Answers to Women? Gender and Accountability. Progress of the World s Women 2008/9. P Gender Advisory Team

11 Overview 1325 (2000) holds out a promise to women across the globe... we must uphold this promise. To achieve the goals set out in the resolution, political will, concerted action and accountability on the part of the entire international community are required. United Nations Secretary-General, 2004 Affairs (OMA) to encourage Member States to deploy female military personnel, including personnel with expertise in dealing with sexual violence. OMA is urging Member States to deploy up to 7% to 10% of women to missions over the next few. To facilitate this OMA has initiated sharing of good practices of effective strategies for recruitment and deployment of women for peacekeeping. In 2010 OMA and the Gender Team at Headquarters launched Guidelines for Integrating a Gender Perspective into the work of United Nations Military in Peacekeeping Operations, which will serve as a backdrop for increasing gender awareness in the military in all peacekeeping operations. The UN has deployed sixty-one peacekeeping operations into conflict and post-conflict situations since The DPKO Gender Unit at HQ Under the terms of early mandates, peacekeepers were currently specifically supports tasked with and monitoring provides and observation of ceasefires. In recent years the scope of peacekeeping on-going guidance has widened to to the include 9 a more expansive multidisciplinary approach. The full-time Gender Advisers in Ivory reframing of peacekeeping in a wider humanitarian mandate Coast, has required Liberia, broader DRC, consideration Sudan (UNMIS of a number of social and political issues, including those of women s and rights UNAMID), and gender Haiti, equality, Afghanistan, ultimately reinforced in 2000 by Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women Lebanon and Timor-Leste and 6 Peace and Security. Gender Focal Points in traditional missions; Western Sahara, Cyprus, Kosovo, Syria, Pakistan, Jerusalem. The new age of peacekeeping means that DPKO/DFS operations must ensure the framework for promoting gender equality in post-conflict environments becomes a pre-condition for sustainable peace. Resolution 1325 (2000) provides a robust and challenging gender equality mandate to DPKO/DFS. The principles enshrined in the resolution were reinforced in 2008 with the adoptions of Security Council Resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009) 1889 (2009), and 1960 (2010) on Women, Peace and Security. The new resolutions have been conceived to complement resolution 1325 and together provide the blueprint for the work of gender in peacekeeping operations. Since its adoption in 2000 resolution 1325 has fundamentally changed the business of peacekeeping. Initiatives have been sought to implement a wide range of multi-dimensional mandates to support peaceful transitions in every region of the globe. The landmark resolution has challenged us and guided our efforts in mainstreaming gender in peacekeeping. From supporting local women to participate in the peace process; protecting women and girls from sexual violence to engaging women s voices in legal and judicial procedures; 1325 has been our benchmark situating the participation of women as central to all efforts to promote inclusive and sustainable peace. Gender Mainstreaming As mandated throughout the United Nations, DPKO/ DFS uses the gender mainstreaming methodology to achieve its gender equality goals. Mainstreaming generally means guaranteeing that gender is integrated into all elements of policy and strategy development from planning, benchmarking, through to indicator development and evaluation. Gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping environments involves identifying the various impacts of conflict on the lives of women and men and on that basis propose practical solutions to respond to the specific rights and Annual Progress Report

12 needs of all. Understanding the gendered dimension of conflict is essential if peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations are to succeed in the long-term. Women and men experience and therefore recover from conflict differently, which means they have different understandings of peace-building. The post conflict period offers unique opportunities to reshape and reframe society, to reverse imbalances and meet head-on the obstacles to justice, gender parity, and human dignity. Since the adoption of resolution 1325 DPKO/DFS has made important strides to legitimise gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping as a core component of mission activities. Several measures have been undertaken to foster equal peacekeeping outcomes for women and men, including: development of policy and operational tools; knowledge management and documentation of good practice; development of partnerships with Member States and UN system partners; promotion of gender balance among peacekeeping personnel; the development and provision of gender awareness training to peacekeeping personnel; and the appointment of specialist gender advisors in the missions. Given the critical role played by peacekeeping missions in laying the foundation for post-conflict societies, mainstreaming a gender perspective in all operational activities is vital for institutionalising the principle of equal rights for women and men within the framework of reconstruction. The Gender Teams use the DPKO/DFS Gender Policy (2010), approved by the Under-Secretary-General for DPKO, as a guideline to mainstreaming gender into the work of the mission. To promote effective mainstreaming of gender at mission and headquarters levels, Gender Advisory teams establish a Gender Task Force (GTF), which consist of representatives from various functions of the mission who work with the Gender Teams to facilitate gender mainstreaming in all sections. In some missions such as UNIFIL in Lebanon, two separate Gender Task Forces were created; one for civilian and another for military personnel of the mission. An active Task Force is critical to ensure that gender is integrated into all substantives areas and that the responsibility for mainstreaming gender is shared by senior management. The collective task forces meet on a monthly basis to share information about ongoing activities and to review the extent to which gender considerations have been included in the various sections work. At headquarters the Gender Task Force is responsible for implementing and monitoring the DPKO/DFS Action Plan on the Implementation of 1325 which is approved by the Under-Secretary-General for DPKO. The Task Force at headquarters meets on a quarterly basis to review progress. In DRC, MONUSCO has established a Gender Task Force under the authority of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG) Rule of Law. Throughout 2010, the task force reviewed security and protection components of the multidisciplinary Joint Protection Teams (JPT), programs ensuring that women and girls particular needs in conflict zones are addressed appropriately guaranteeing a better response to sexual violence threats. The mission has also used training as an entry point in inducting all personnel on gender awareness and analysis including for support of senior management, civil society, and government partners. In this context coordination with the United Nations Gender Thematic Group known as One UN Gender Team (UNGT) has enhanced development of a gendered National Action Plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 prioritizing key areas for national reconstruction and development and regional cooperation for consolidating peace and security in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Liberia, the UNMIL Gender Team used the task force to develop guidance in gender mainstreaming to assist the different mission components and sections in bringing a gender perspective into their mandate and identify priorities for gender mainstreaming into the mission. Likewise, in Cote d Ivoire ONUCI held a one day retreat with all gender focal points to provide guidance and technical advice on mainstreaming. The programme focused on the rationale for gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping, gender and elections, outreach and reporting, gender audits and planning around resolution In Sudan, the UNMIS team ensured effective mainstreaming efforts were strengthened through the finalization of the Gender Focal Point Work-Plan The plan focuses on aspects of resolution 1325 and monitoring gender mainstreaming activities within all mission sections, to guarantee that accountability is a task for all staff especially senior management. Additionally the mission engaged with the Integrated RRR team to review programming for NGOs addressing issues related to returnees. In Afghanistan, UNAMA has been actively involved in the Government of Afghanistan s Gender Mainstreaming Task Force that is developing the National Priority Programmes with gender specific elements identified through the Kabul Conference. 12 Gender Advisory Team

13 The success of gender mainstreaming in a mission is often dependant on the strength of the focal point system, including the relevance of skills and functions of staff identified to be Gender Focal Point s. For example one of the challenges of the UNIFIL Civilian Task Force is that most of the focal points are junior staffs that are often unable to meet the requirements of mainstreaming within the mission. On the contrary the military Task Force mostly consists of senior military officers who are well positioned to take decisions and monitor the process of the gender mainstreaming within their respective battalions. In UNAMID most sections and units have yet to appoint their respective Focal Points, which have affected the overall gender mainstreaming efforts within the mission. The UNAMID Gender Team has completed a Framework for Implementing UNSCR s 1325 and 1820, which outlines the need for and role of Gender Focal Points and a Gender Task Force along with appropriate coordination mechanisms and processes; its operationalisation is anticipated to occur during In DPKO/DFS smaller or traditional missions, limited mandates make it difficult to implement a Task Force. However the UNMIK Gender Focal Point in Kosovo worked with mission management on the Integrated Mission Plan to ensure gender mainstreaming was incorporated into the work of the mission and provides ongoing advice to the SRSG on gender mainstreaming methodologies. Women s Political Participation In keeping with the resolution 1325 that urges increased representation of women at all decisionmaking levels, DPKO/DFS works to support member states in satisfying their specific responsibilities. A portion of mission activities therefore involves support for women s participation in electoral processes as candidates, electoral officers and as voters, as well as for women s entry into political decision-making positions. This work involves both advocacy among existing decision-makers on the importance of women s equal involvement in all aspects of peacekeeping and peace building, and the empowerment of women in this regard. The Gender Advisory team at HQ has developed specific guidelines for field-based personnel including DPKO/DFS and special political missions who are charged with the delivery of electoral assistance in coordination with national and international counterparts. The DPKO/DFS Joint Guidelines on Enhancing the Role of Women in Post-Conflict Electoral Processes have been developed (and is currently under review) as a tool to enable UN field personnel to assist the host government during elections to encourage women s political participation. These guidelines provide useful direction, and help partners in this endeavour to stay on track and provide effective assistance in organising reports for maximum sharing of knowledge and lessons learned. Peacekeeping missions, in alliance with women s organisations and parliamentarians in the host country, engage in a broad range of innovative programmes and activities to advance women s political participation, including regular meetings with national elections commissions, political parties, and related task forces and working groups to promote women s political participation. For example, in Sudan, the UNMIS Gender Unit has been focusing its efforts on providing support to key stakeholders in the planning operations of the January 2011 referendum. The Gender Unit participated in the development of the terms of reference for the Referendum Women s Action Group (RWAG). The RWAG supported women in engaging effectively with the Referendum process and focus on raising awareness of gender through civic education materials and communications. Additionally, in support of women s political participation in Southern Kordofan State, where State level elections took place in May 2011, the Gender Unit supported training of trainers on gender responsive electoral processes. In recognition of the African Week for Peace and commemoration of the tenth anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325, MINURCAT 7 in Chad, organised a Forum on Women s Participation in Conflict Resolution to review the international and national legal instruments relating to women s participation in conflict resolution; analyze the various kinds of constraints to women s participation in conflict resolution and adopt the elements of a strategy to improve women s participation in conflict resolution. The Gender Unit also contributed to the launch of a project titled Participation of Women and Youth in Local and National Decision Making Processes and provided technical support to coach delegates to 7 The mandate for MINURCAT (CHAD) ended at the close of Annual Progress Report

14 devise a strategy to address women economic and political participation. In Liberia, the UNMIL Gender Unit in coordination with UNDP urged the Women s Legislative Caucus to consolidate all instruments promoting women s participation into a strategic plan to strengthen women s participation during the 2011 presidential elections (gender mainstreaming has become an integral part of part of the electoral support programs for 2011 elections). In addition the outcome of the training undertaken by UNMIL for women in Mano River Countries resulted in the formation of the Association of African Women mediators, negotiators and peace builders who will train women at the community level on mediation to support women participation in peace negotiations. Additionally the UNMIL Gender Unit also provided support to the Liberia Women s National Political Forum (under the auspices of the Women Legislative Caucus) to formulate a five year work plan and develop strategies for the passage of the Gender Equity Bill This Bill will help strengthen women s participation and representation during the 2011 elections. Despite the unambiguous obligations to address the problem that is set out in resolution 1325, constrained political participation of women remains one of the most intractable limitations to effective conflict pre- 14 Gender Advisory Team

15 Afghanistan: Obstacles to women s political participation One of the main obstacles to women s inclusion in the electoral process was the need for candidates, especially civil servants, to resign from their jobs before the elections this has a greater impact on women who cannot find employment after the elections. Women political candidates also articulated challenges faced during the campaign period, including security threats, killing and abductions of their campaign workers, lack of resources to campaign and limited access into rural areas. Afghan citizens go to the polls to exercise their constitutional right to vote in presidential and provincial council elections, 20 August 2009, Herat, Afghanistan. UN Photo/Tim Page vention, recovery and peace building. The challenges are considerable, but DPKO/DFS, in collaboration with all partners, is continuously seeking better solutions and promoting the active participation of women in the political process. Prior to the Cote d Ivoire elections, the Gender Unit in ONUCI collaborated with members of the National Association for Post Crisis Reconstruction and members of the Rassemblement pour la Democratie et la Paix to address the exclusion of women from the electoral process. The focus of their collaboration was providing training on gender and elections in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of women s engagement in the electoral process. As run up to the Kabul Conference in Afghanistan, UNAMA supported women civil society to demand greater legitimacy and accountability and increased women s political engagement in the Conference. The Gender Team supported the integration of women s voices in the preparations for the conference and technical support to the Afghan Women s Network. The pre-conference statement by Afghan women pushed the government to recognise and enforce national legislation that attempts to combat corruption, increases accountability of public officials, and integrates concerns of women in peace building, Annual Progress Report

16 negotiations and reintegration. UNAMA is also providing support to civil society on the development of a National Action Plan for Women in Afghanistan (NAPWA), (which calls for 30% quota in civil service leadership and financial and technical resources for gender mainstreaming). In Darfur the UNAMID Gender Team supported the articulation of key provisions addressing gender inequality and sexual violence in the two Doha Declarations and Recommendations drafted by civil society. In Afghanistan the main political issues revolved around the results of the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) elections. According to the electoral law in Afghanistan, 68 seats are reserved for women in the Wolesi Jirga (two per Province). However, a total number of 69 women won seats in the Wolesi Jirga, one woman won a non-reserved seat. This result has had a profound impact on the perceptions of women in engaging in political power and has set a positive benchmark for future elections. Taking into account the logistical challenges and financial constraints in reaching all the remote areas of a large country, the MONUSCO Electoral Division developed a five-pronged gender strategy in support of the upcoming 2011 legislative and presidential elections. The ongoing strategy includes the establishment in all provinces of gender and elections action clusters (Pôles d Action en Genre et Elections PAGE). Each provincial cluster will coach local trainers on gender concerns in voter registration, as well as promote local gender sensitisation campaigns targeting women voters, female candidates, and civil society leaders. The last phase of the gender strategy involves the identification and training of female potential candidates as a method of increasing women s participation in the legislative elections by at least 30%. During the 2010 electoral process in Haiti, a number of activities were conducted by MINUSTAH to promote and support women s political participation. The Gender Unit worked with women candidates from across the political divide to discuss security issues facing women in the politically charged electoral process. The Gender Unit also worked with the Electoral Assistance Section (EAS) and representatives from women s organisations to identify support for women candidates. In addition to the wide voter education and sensitisation campaigns in all regions, MINUSTAH also provided support to women legislative candidates, including training on electoral dispute as well as financial support. UNMIT in consultation with women s organisations and the Parliamentary Women s Caucus organised public speaking and election campaign training workshops for women to prepare them for the upcoming elections. The UNMIT Gender Team and the Democratic Governance Unit organised democratic governance dialogues on relevant political topics to increase women s knowledge of current issues. The Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) also met on a quarterly basis with women from all of the political parties to ensure that they are fully apprised of the political situation. During decentralisation pilot programmes UNMIT carried out advocacy to ensure that women had 50 per cent representation in all sub-district and district assemblies. One male and a female representative from the Suco (local) Councils were selected to attend the sub-district and district assemblies, ensuring a 50 per cent representation of women. Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009) and most recently 1960 (2010) recognise that the deliberate use of sexual violence against civilians in conflict situations can impede the restoration of peace and security. The women, peace and security mandates related to sexual violence place significant responsibilities upon DPKO/DFS calling for investment in additional resources to provide policy advice and operational guidance through developing guidelines, training tools and to undertake advocacy and liaison with troop and police contributing countries. The recent adoption of resolution 1960 has introduced a strengthened account- Resolution 1960 Calls for the establishment of monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements on sexual violence in conflict and better cooperation among UN actors for a system-wide response as well as a yearly publication of a list of armed groups that target women for sexual abuse 16 Gender Advisory Team

17 ability system which includes a monitoring, analysis and reporting system, dialogue for commitments, and an annual listing procedure of credibly suspected perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict. As part of efforts to combat sexual violence, Gender Advisory teams are supporting national women s machineries to develop action plans to eliminate rape and other forms of sexual violence. MINURCAT in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs in Chad organised a first workshop on sexual and genderbased violence in order to map ongoing activities. In Liberia the UNMIL the Office of Gender Affairs trained corrections officers on identification and response to SGBV; and ONUCI worked in collaboration with the Women s Ministry, to develop the first draft of the National Strategy on Sexual Violence and the Action Plan to Combat Sexual Violence. Two specific strategies have proved effective for DPKO/DFS advocacy around SGBV; the use of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) to provide seed money and targeted support, and the use of workshops and other knowledge sharing tools through which good practices and experience can be shared and leveraged. Gender Units, often with the United Nations Country Teams, regularly work with women s groups to organize these trainings, meetings, and events on SGBV-related issues. The ONUCI Gender Unit worked with a women s NGO, to provide gender training on Female Genital Mutilation for a network of grassroots women s associations to raise awareness on this harmful practice. In MONUSCO training has been provided to military officers on SGBV and sexual violence in conflict within the framework of protection of civilians and in Darfur the UNAMID Gender Team, with UN and national partners organised three consecutive workshops on SGBV prevention and response as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence campaign. Community leaders and internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as senior level Sudanese Police Officers participated in the workshops. The recommendations from the workshop were presented to Sudanese government officials for inclusion in the state Government s 2011 work plan. In MINURCAT the Gender Unit worked with various partners to put in place a system to combat SGBV, train UNPOL and the national police force on how to prevent and respond to SGBV. In UNMIS, continuously awareness raising and training and capacity building of the Sudanese Police, NGOs, traditional/community leaders and women groups, has resulted in increased knowledge, awareness and sensitivity on SGBV. In 2010 DPKO in conjunction with the Office of the SRSG for Sexual Violence in Conflict and UNAction launched An Analytical Inventory of Best Peacekeeping Practice. The information in the inventory has been used as a basis to create scenario-based training material for peacekeepers on addressing sexual violence in conflict situations. Outside of advocacy efforts DPKO/DFS Gender Teams are also working in the context of Protection of Civilians to provide strategies for the protection of women and girls from sexual violence. UNAMID reports that Protection Patrols within and around IDP camps and communities as well as escorts for women during livelihood activities continued to act as deterrence to SGBV. In the DRC, MONUSCO participated in Joint Protection Team (JPT) activities that included assessment and evaluation missions. The results from these trips included the recognition of the need to increase civilian protection, better training on sexual exploitation issues, the importance of increasing the number of female staff in JPTs and the development of protection plans. The MONUSCO Office of Gender Affairs also highlighted a good practice of ensuring gender concerns are integrated into IDP camps, through the management of the Kalembe camp which has efficient leadership under a female South African Lieutenant. In Haiti, although cases of SGBV had been prevalent in the past, the earthquake exacerbated the situation leaving women more vulnerable than ever to sexual violence and exploitation. In response an operational plan was developed by MINUSTAH with a view to increase women s security in IDP camps, including ensuring an increased military presence, with foot patrols in camps during the 6 most at-risk hours; the establishment of a permanent presence in most at-risk camps; regular patrolling in other camps, and sporadic patrolling elsewhere. In addition, UNPOL community policing was established, which also included an increased presence of female officers and a mobile Police IDP Gender Unit of 17 female and 1 male officer specialised in dealing with SGBV. Provisions were also made for the establishment of a permanent mobile police station in each of the Annual Progress Report

18 6 most at-risk camps, to receive and follow up on SGBV cases as well host Gender and Human Rights experts. An UNPOL Gender Advisor was also placed in the MINUSTAH Gender Unit as a liaison and to harmonise approaches with the Haitian women s machinery and women s organisations. In monitoring prevention and response to genderbased crimes in conflict and post conflict zones, the MONUSCO Gender Unit supported local organisations and women activists in mobilising humanitarian aid to victims. By active participation in JPT assessment missions the Gender Unit and partners were instrumental in expanding access of rape victims in Walikale territory to medical care. In this context, the Gender Team also recommended the installation of a Company or Temporary Operating Base to provide security escort on market days, and setting up mechanisms to track and control firearms in cooperation with civil society actors and local authorities. Under the leadership of the Gender Unit, UNPOL, Joint Operations Tasking Centre (JOTC) and the Human Rights Sections developed an action plan to harmonise the reporting system of SGBV cases. The JOTC provided technical support to design and set up a database system with a view to provide a simplified system to collect, streamline and analyse Police reports on SGBV cases. Recognising that the responsibility to protect citizens actually belongs to the host country, DPKO Gender Teams have had some success raising awareness of the issues with governments in countries where a peacekeeping operation is deployed. Increased sensitivity to SGBV issues within the Sudanese Police and Military is a work in progress with UNAMID continuously providing training on gender and human rights, Rule of Law and other specialised areas (e.g., rape investigation and follow up). A collaborative environment with Sudan State Governments has been developed and mechanisms within governments that address SGBV and women s rights issues have been established. State Governments are now more forthcoming in acknowledging that SGBV exists and that they are primarily responsible for protecting their citizens. Engagement with IDPs and other local communities has created openness to dialogue on key gender and human rights issues at the grassroots with the objective of supporting local response mechanisms. In some instances, UNAMID has successfully linked government with communities on raising local awareness, facilitating immediate assistance to specific cases of violence, trainings on human rights and gender equality, and in the rehabilitation of women centres in IDP camps and localities. Additionally, in an attempt to address the worrying patterns of sexual violence in Cote d Ivoire the ONUCI Gender Team participated in an assessment mission with UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict. The objective of the joint mission was to better understand the UN response to sexual violence in conflict and how to deploy the necessary strategic support through the UN Action network. DPKO/DFS Gender Teams are also closely involved in advocating for changes in legislation addressing sexual violence. In Timor Leste tangible progress has been made in developing a legal framework that lends itself to providing the necessary laws to protect and promote an environment of security for women and girls. UNMIT has been instrumental in certain legislative achievements on sexual violence, including: the Criminal Code making domestic violence a public crime; the Law against Domestic Violence and the adoption of a witness protection law to provide 18 Gender Advisory Team

19 Josefa Kai-bete, a female candidate in Timor-Leste s Second National Village Council elections, shows her registration card before casting her vote, 9 October 2009, Dili, Timor-Leste. UN Photo/Martine Perret of civilians, encouraging gender sensitivity in industrial investments, the establishment of a commission to monitor the situation of women in mining areas, and a gender sensitive social component in the mining code. In Afghanistan, the law on Elimination of Violence against Women was passed in In 2010 UNAMA, working with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and women s civil society organisations, actively provided leadership in analysing the impact and publicising the law. The Gender Unit in UNAMA as an active member of the Gender Based Violence working group collaborated in analysing the referral system for victims of SGBV and designing training for the various stakeholders. Security Sector Reform special protection measures for victims of SGBV. The adoption of the Law against Domestic Violence and strategies to implement the Law was the highlight of The UN Gender Thematic Working Group developed a coordinated Matrix in support of the Government s own initiative to address sexual and gender based crimes which was approved by the Secretary of State for Promotion of Equality (SEPI). MONUSCO conducted a research project on the socio-economic impact of illegal exploitation of natural resources in the DRC. The results of the research found that women and girls in mining areas faced high risks without physical, social and legal protection and were especially at risk of sexual violence perpetrated by armed groups. The recommendations of this study included strengthening state authority and the deployment of specialised police around mining sites trained on the protection Security Sector Reform (SSR) aims to create a secure environment that is conducive to development, poverty reduction, and good governance and, in particular, the growth of democratic states and institutions based on the rule of law. The process strengthens the ability of the state to mitigate men s and women s vulnerabilities through development, and to use a range of policy instruments to prevent or address security threats that affect society s wellbeing, including the establishment of appropriate civilian oversight of security actors. SSR is a holistic approach that emphasises the interconnected nature of the security sector including official institutions (military, police, border authorities, intelligence services, justice and penal systems, and government bodies that manage and monitor the security sector), civil society organisations, media, donors, private security and non-state armed actors. SSR is important for the advancement of gender equality because the integration of gender issues can improve the efficiency, professionalism and respect for human rights of security sector institutions. Gender mainstreaming initiatives can increase the effectiveness of prevention and response to gender-based violence. They can also help to create a healthy and efficient work environment by lowering internal rates of discrimination, harassment and violence. Collaboration with women s organi- Annual Progress Report

20 Women and men have different security and justice needs. Women for instance, face a higher risk of domestic violence and men face a higher risk of gun violence. Only through fully understanding and responding to these contextspecific differences can SSR initiatives increase security and justice for women and men. sations can also have operational benefits if they have extensive experience in local security provision, responding to gender-based insecurities and gender training. In UNMIL the Office of Gender Affairs monitored the implementation of resolution 1325 in security and justice institutions, which highlighted the prevalence of rape and domestic violence because of a weak justice sector. Through the Gender Task Force UNMIL proposed strengthening the coordination and response of security and justice sectors to SGBV through joint trainings at the district levels. In UNMIS the Gender Unit in collaboration with UNPOL provided SGBV training to the police and in ONUCI the Gender Unit in conjunction with the Rule of Law section organised a workshop for non-judicial members of the population to emphasise the importance of a good working relationship between the justice system and the community in regards to SGBV. The establishment or re-establishment of a functional penal system is central to any reform of the security sector in post-crisis settings, to ensure both justice and the human administration of corrections according to international human rights standards. For DPKO/DFS the critical concern is to ensure that a gender perspective is integrated into all aspects of corrections and that correctional authorities address women s specific requirements. The MINURCAT Gender Unit worked alongside the Corrections section on improving the conditions of women in detention including advocating with prison officials for authorization for women to go to hospital for pre-natal care. In conjunction with the HIV team, sensitisation campaigns around sexually transmitted diseases were provided. Through Quick Impact Project s (QIP) and in close collaboration with Chadian women s civil society and the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Gender Unit has been able to advocate for the improvement of prison conditions for female inmates and support projects assisting the effective reintegration of women and girls into society. UNMIS also provided recommendations to prison management to recruit and train more women as well as provide special facilities for women. Gender perspectives are prominently reflected in the UNMIT security perceptions survey of The methodology of the survey ensured both women and men had equal opportunities to present their relevant experiences and concerns. While being involved in the drafting process of the national security policy (NSP), the SSR Team has made sure that there was a separate topic on Security and Gender. Institutional analysis has identified female participation and challenges to participation in each security institution. Of particular note, issues of impunity remain a serious concern. While the justice system is well defined in the legal framework, institutionalised justice mechanisms have not been fully developed to respond effectively. As part of the commitment to integrating a gender lens into Security Sector Reform, UNMIT has specially created a post for a gender expert in SSR to assist in providing a gender analysis on the SSR processes. In the DRC, MONUSCO coordinates a program which focuses on reduction of sexual violence in the Ituri and Oriental Province. This program consists of enhancing the institutional and technical capacities of the Ministry of Defence in charge of the FARDC ethics training, the Civic and Patriotic Education Service (SECP), through ethics training of officers and high ranking officers, sensitisation of troops, material provision and premises rehabilitation. In this framework, the MONUSCO Security Sector Development (SSD) unit and partners are supporting the Congolese Government in creating standard modules on SGBV related topics endorsed by the Ministry of Defence. Police The work of the United Nations Police (UNPOL) is integral to the restoration of peace and security in post conflict settings. UNPOL reinforce and reestablish security by patrolling, working closely with and advising domestic police services, helping to ensure compliance with international human rights standards and assisting in a wide range of activities to restore and promote public safety and the rule of law. 20 Gender Advisory Team

21 New police women from Rwanda arrive in El Fasher, Sudan, to begin their work with the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), 20 October 2010, El Fasher, Sudan. UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran Taking a lead from the DPKO/DFS Guidelines for Integrating a Gender Perspective into Peacekeeping Operations (2008), Gender Units in peacekeeping missions collaborate closely with UNPOL and national police. Ongoing interventions are generally targeted at a number of levels that include: providing support for development of policies and training tools targeted at restructured national police forces; the appointment of gender focal points; establishment of special units within police stations to provide private spaces for women victims to report confidentially on genderbased violence crimes; and advocating and supporting the recruitment of women into national police forces. Much work is being undertaken by the DPKO Police Division, especially towards increasing the numbers of women in UNPOL as part of the Global Effort (guaranteeing an increase in female police by 20% in 2014). In most missions the Gender Teams are collaborating with the Police Gender Focal Point to provide guidance and support to the Global Effort and other initiatives, especially in building the gender capacity of police in the host country. Additionally the Police Gender Focal Points are working closely with Gender Teams on various SGBV initiatives. In Sudan, the UNMIS Gender Unit participated in the first of its kind training on criminal investigations for female officers, organised by the Ministry of Justice. The training was aimed at enhancing the capacity of female personnel to handle criminal investigations pertaining to SGBV. In Juba, South Sudan, a training package on community security and small arms control is currently being developed in consultation with the Gender Team. The MONUSCO Office of Gender Affairs (OGA) has contributed to the advisory and advocacy work on gender analysis and gender mainstreaming within the national police (PNC). It has monitored gender balance in recruitments and promotions for qualified police officers. Serious under representation of women in the PNC appears to have impacted on SGBV reporting by the victims. The OGA supported the revision of new organic police laws on gender sensitivity and proposed a 30% quota of new recruits Annual Progress Report

22 The Guidelines for the Integration of Gender into Military Peacekeeping Operations were launched in 2010 to practically translate existing mandates on women, peace and security in the work of UN military peacekeeping personnel. The Guidelines will facilitate a more integrated response between military peacekeepers, and partners working to implement Security Council mandates on women, peace and security. Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security includes a legislative basis for the integration of gender concerns into military activities. A good understanding of gender issues allows military personnel to discharge their mandates in a more effective manner. Understanding the differential impact of conflict on women and men helps military operations minimize any potentially negative effects they may have on the local, civilian population. The increasingly complex conflict and violence affected environments to which United Nations military peacekeepers are deployed often necessitates direct interactions between military peacekeepers and local populations. Identifying and responding to any differential impact of the work of military peacekeepers on different groups in the local population is therefore a necessary strategy for ensuring that the security concerns of women and men are adequately addressed throughout all phases of a peacekeeping mission. In UNIFIL the Gender Unit partnered with the Bangladesh Military contingent to implement a pilot project on training community peer educators on SGBV issues as well as engaging border and immigration officers on trafficking of women and girls and SGBV. In addition the Gender Team has been requested to provide trainings for specific battalions on gender issues and mainstreaming. The policy framework and strategic-level military planning define the parameters within which military activities will be conducted, as well as the principles that will guide military activities on the ground in peacekeeping missions. This guidance should be reinforced through training provided to military peacekeeping personnel both prior to, and on deployment to peacekeeping missions. In UNMIL, coordination with the Civilian Military Cooperation Group (CIMIC) has been successful especially in gender training and guaranteeing that gender is mainstreamed to be reserved for women. Additionally, the MONUSCO OGA, in collaboration with UNPOL, trained PNC officers on gender issues. UNMIT also supported the police to raise the numbers of women in the police force. The result of which is that women police in Timor-Leste make up 20% of the total national force which is one of the highest percentages globally. Military 22 Gender Advisory Team

23 into projects organised by CIMIC. Increasing the number of women within military forces is part of an international political agenda aiming to mainstream gender in peacemaking efforts, of which military troops constitute an important part. This means that an increase in the numbers of women within any given military system is seen only as a first step towards creating a possibility for a peace in which gender equity is an integral part. DDR DPKO plays an active role in mainstreaming gender equality considerations into Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) activities. DPKO advocates for institutionalisation of policy measures to ensure that women and children associated with armed groups are included in disarmament programmes and fully eligible for the reinsertion and reintegration programme package. Joint planning among all mission components has proved to be positive, especially when combined with national consultations, participation in pilot DDR processes, A woman participates in a reintegration programme held at the National Service Camp in Nyala, South Darfur, Sudan, 1 June UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran. Annual Progress Report

24 and engagement in training activities. Armed forces, especially non-government forces, frequently include female combatants, and are typically associated with large numbers of non-combatant women as wives, concubines, cooks, and other roles. However, women and girls are less likely to be identified as beneficiaries of DDR because the assumption is that men are combatants, and therefore women are excluded from the DDR programs that assist reintegration. DDR must address the needs and concerns of women participating in DDR programs through means and strategies that would cater to the different and unique needs of both women combatants and Women Associated with Armed Forces (WAAF). In Sudan, the UNMIS Gender Team unit engaged with the Return, Reintegration and Recovery (RRR) team to review programming for NGOs addressing issues related to returnees. The unit has actively been involved in monitoring the DDR process and providing training for DDR personnel and beneficiaries. In Southern Kardofan state the team engaged relevant partners to ensure the integration of gender perspectives in the ongoing DDR exercises. The Gender Team also met with representatives of the Community Security Arms Control (CSAC) on Candidate Eligibility Verification and Women Associated with Armed Forces out of which agreement on training was reached. Additionally in ONUCI the Gender Unit assisted a local network Association des Femmes de Fonctions Liberales Victimes de Guerre, rehabilitating women who have been affected by war and providing income generating activities. The MONUSCO Gender Team works closely with the DDR/RR section to guarantee the reinforcement of effective gender markers in expediting the process. The Gender Team has always advocated that the non-repatriation of demobilised combatants with their dependants may promote instability and have negative consequences in the successful social reintegration of former combatants. The Gender Team therefore collaborates with the DDR/RR camp leaders for the complete rehabilitation of ex-combatants and their dependants. Furthermore, MONUSCO periodically organised gender sensitisation sessions in transit camps, inviting successful demobilised combatants to tell their stories in order to motivate other combatants to give up their arms. Training Training in various aspects of gender equality in peacekeeping contexts is a major area of activity for the DPKO/DFS Gender Advisory Team. As early as 2005, DPKO highlighted the need for the design of a comprehensive gender training strategy to guide training activities in peacekeeping and ensure that DPKO s global training strategy is informed by gender perspectives. In 2008 a gender trainer was recruited at headquarters to develop the DPKO/DFS Gender Training Strategy which aims to provide a framework to standardise gender training materials and practice in peacekeeping operations. The implementation of the DPKO/DFS Gender Training Strategy will support the expansion of knowledge and understanding of gender issues within the organisation, especially in key areas such as protection and empowerment, the enhancement of gender analytical skills for all peacekeepers and enhanced capacities vis-à-vis gender. Training on gender issues for all peacekeeping personnel (civilian, military, and police) improves the understanding of the overarching principles of equality between women and men as well as protection and empowerment of women. Furthermore, gender training improves the capacity and ability to fulfil mission mandates, by integrating gender perspectives and outcomes in the work of respective components. Training also assists peacekeeping personnel in understanding how they can contribute to the promotion of gender equality principles in their interactions with government and civil society counterparts in the host country. In all missions there is a high demand for training on gender equality issues, and the gender teams are seeking to respond to this through regular induction trainings, specialised thematic trainings, Training of Trainers and in-house briefings. These typically are targeted to members of the Gender Task Force, Gender Focal Points of the various mission components, and for the staff of mission Training Sections, so that they are empowered to include gender equality considerations in the substantive training that they provide. UNAMID continued to undertake training activities on gender mainstreaming within the mission and with external partners. In North Darfur, newly-deployed female Police Gender Advisors were provided advanced training on gender concepts, on prevention of and response to SGBV and gender-responsive community policing. MINURCAT developed training for UNPOL Focal Points and closely collaborated with UNPOL to involve women in security issues, especially with regards to protection of women in camps and IDP 24 Gender Advisory Team

25 sites. The MINURCAT Gender Team also participated in the revision of the Gender Based Violence (GBV) guidelines for the Détachement Intégré de Sécurité (DIS)/United Nations Police (UNPOL) and developed tools for tracking and documentation of GBV incidences in camps and IDP sites. UNMIT technically supported the Police Training Academy on human rights, gender and law enforcement trainings, which have been translated into a draft training manual. The UNMIT Gender Team also conducted a three day training workshop on the Child Protection Act targeting Chiefs and social workers from the Ministry of Social Development and Welfare, police, women and community groups. The training allowed a focus to be given to the rights and protection of girls from abuse. Additionally, with the assistance of the Timor-Leste Police Development Programme (TLPDP), officers from the Vulnerable Persons Unit of the PNTL successfully completed the Gender-based Violence Investigations Course. UNAMID also works regularly with the military to train Staff Officers on integrating gender perspectives, particularly as regards to recognising gender issues when addressing security concerns of the local population in conflict and post-conflict situations. The UNAMID Gender Team also ensured that a gender perspective was integrated in capacity-building activities for Corrections Personnel of the Government of Sudan (GoS). Training sessions on Gender and Prisons Management focusing on gender concepts, SGBV prevention and response, and on addressing gender issues in prisons was provided for staff in the three Darfur states. UNMIS also conducted capacity building exercises for prison services in conjunction with the rule of law section as well as training on gender and community policing to IDP camps. MONUSCO provided training on pre-deployment to military and civilians and to National Congolese and FARDC officers on gender awareness. The DPKO/DFS gender teams are active in providing support and building capacity of their counterparts in national authorities and the local community. ONUCI in collaboration with UNCT trained women candidates in preparation for the elections, providing them with information on the electoral process and its mechanisms as well as tools and strategies to ensure their effective participation in elections. To prepare women for participation in the upcoming elections, the UNMIT Gender Unit organises bi-monthly meetings and trainings with Timorese women s NGOs, in advocacy, public speaking, and confidence building. MONUSCO also facilitated training for the African Women Ministers and Parliamentarians Network (REFAMP). In Lebanon, UNIFIL sent a questionnaire to members of the newly established Gender Task Force and to mission components, to assess training needs, out of which two immediate training programs were developed for military and civilian components. The MINURSO Focal Point in Western Sahara also conducted briefings to members of the Gender Task Force as well as civilian and military training officers. As a result of the training event a comprehensive presentation was shared with the Mission management to be used as a draft Mission Gender Induction Briefing for newly deployed staff. In MINUSTAH, Integrated Mission Training Centre (IMTC) and the Gender Unit organised a pilot gender training programme for Gender Focal Points that led to the introduction of a Gender Training Course in the IMTC training programme. A sensitisation workshop was organised by UNPOL and the Gender Unit for UNPOL Gender Focal Points from all regions. The workshop aimed at identifying and sharing best practices on SGBV, training on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relating to the handling of SGBV cases, reporting on SGBV, as well as prioritising activities in the fight against SGBV, especially in IDP camps. Several trainings including Trainings of Trainers were conducted by the Gender Unit for law enforcement agents, judicial actors, women s groups, community leaders and civil society organisations. Partnerships Partnerships are central to the founding principles of the United Nations and to the requirements of multidisciplinary peacekeeping. DPKO/DFS gender teams work with a range of actors at both operational and policy levels, including government counterparts, UN partners, women s organisations and civil society. To facilitate effective coordination, mechanisms such as the Gender Thematic Working Group (GTWG) have been established in some missions, such as UNMIT, where key priorities and various methodologies of approaching gender issues are discussed. The Theme Group engaged a consultant to map socio-economic activities of women in Timor-Leste. The objective of the joint initiative was to undertake an assessment of the livelihood activities and projects that benefit women in Timor-Leste. The final report with recommendations will be completed in UNIFIL also participates in the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) meetings as a method of exchanging information on the political, socio-economic, cultural Annual Progress Report

26 Personnel serving with the headquarters of the UN Operation in Côte d Ivoire (UNOCI) are evacuated after an attack by forces loyal to former President Laurent Gbagbo, 3 April 2011, Abidjan, Côte d Ivoire. UN Photo/Basile Zoma and security situation in Lebanon. The mission also participates in the meetings of the Inter-Agency Mechanism as a platform for coordination and cooperation. UNMIT also participated in the Inter-Agency Trafficking Working Group chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the first draft of a comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation, a revised draft of the National Plan of Action on Human Trafficking and standard operating procedures in assisting victims of trafficking. In Sudan, UNMIS worked with the Ministry of Social Welfare on a workshop for the National Empowerment of Women. As a result of a strong partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Social Welfare and Religious Affairs, the Gender Unit has been able to provide technical support for the development of the Strategic Plan for the Southern Sudan. In UNAMID there has also been an increase in the number of nongovernmental organisations and women s groups seeking partnership with the mission. The Gender Donor Coordination Group (GDCG) is active in Afghanistan where UNAMA is one of the organisations providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Women s Affairs (MOWA) on the MOWA Priority Programme for implementation of the National Action Plan for Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA). In Haiti, a working group was established between MINUSTAH and the women s machinery around key issues, including women s political participation and the fight against SGBV. A logistical support project was also developed and funded through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Haiti and MINUSTAH. The project included the provision of computers, printers and office equipment to the Ministry and ten departmental offices to support and facilitate the integration of gender and women s concerns in the process of relocation of displaced populations following the January 2010 earthquake. ONUCI has also been active in promoting partnerships and cooperation at the national level related to resolutions 1820 and To celebrate International Women s Day the Gender Unit worked with UN agencies and national partners to organise roundtables on the issues of women s political participation and men s engagement in eradicating SGBV. 26 Gender Advisory Team

27 Annual Progress Report

28 Communications and Advocacy The DPKO Gender Advisory Team places a high level of importance on sound communications and advocacy. In Haiti, MINUSTAH in coordination with various partners organised public information and advocacy campaigns on women s contribution to the reconstruction process, combating SGBV, as well as women s participation in the electoral process as voters and candidates. Several sensitisation workshops engaging local community actors around the same themes were also held in communities across the country. The MONUSCO Office of Gender Affairs organised a number of strategic activities and publications to raise awareness about SGBV and to support women s empowerment by advocating their rights in the DRC. The Gender Team contributed on a weekly basis to MONUSCO joint press conferences and played an active role in Public Information meetings to ensure broad dissemination of messages. The Gender Team also contributed to special video footage on rural women and facilitated over a hundred UN radio interviews and debates. In Cote d Ivoire, ONUCI undertook public information activities to outreach in sectors, including facilitating sessions with local women on their participation in the electoral process. 28 Gender Advisory Team

29 In El Fasher, North Darfur, staff members of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) march alongside Sudanese women for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, 25 November 2010, El Fasher, Sudan. UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran In Western Sahara, the MINURSO Focal Point created a quarterly Gender & Women s Newsletter as a way of improving gender mainstreaming and awareness on gender balance in the Mission. The quarterly newsletter outlines gender achievement in the mission. While in UNIFIL, the Gender Unit in partnership with KAFA, a women s NGO, organised an exhibition on violence against women in Lebanon to raise awareness of mission personnel on the prevalence of violence against women in Lebanese society. Annual events and anniversaries provide a perfect opportunity to attract media and generate internal and external interest in gender issues. The gender teams work closely with partners to build awareness and strengthen capacity during these events. Key dates such as the International Women s Day (8 th of March), the International Rural Women s Day (15 th of October), International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 th of November), and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence (25 October 10 December) are actively supported by DPKO/DFS Gender Teams as a vehicle for social mobilisation and to support strengthening awareness for gender equality and empowerment. While the official theme of 2010 International Women s Day was Zero Tolerance for Sexual Violence, some of the missions took the initiative to highlight specific areas that were of interest. In ONUCI International Women s Day was celebrated using the theme women in election and promotion of equal opportunities. UNMIT adopted the theme Education for Women-Progress for All where several events at the national and local level were carried out to address important policy and legislative issues related to education for women and girls. In MINURSO the Gender Focal Point organised charity activities to raise money for women and children in Haiti after the earthquake and in MINURCAT the day was commemorated through the launching a specific project to support female prisoners gardening projects and sensitisation projects on domestic violence in IDP camps. UNAMA supported the Department of Women s Affairs on the preparations for International Women s Day, putting emphasis on highlighting traditional practices that condone violence against women and gathering support for the Elimination of Violence against Women Law. UNMIT adopted as part of the opening celebration to mark the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence the theme Law against Domestic Violence: Protects me, Protects my Family. The UNAMA Gender Unit in Kabul and Gender focal points in the regions, working together with the UNAMA Human Rights team, the Strategic Communication and Spokesperson s Unit (SCSU) and the Afghan Ministry of Women Affairs coordinated the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence campaign. A study was conducted entitled Harmful Traditional Practices and Implementation of the Law on Elimination of Violence against Women in Afghanistan which was the centrepiece of UNAMA s contribution to the campaign. The document analysed the prevalence of customary practices that violate women s rights, including child and forced marriage, the giving away of girls to settle disputes, exchange marriages, forced isolation in the home and honour killings. The report also made recommendations to end such harmful practices. The UNIFIL Gender Unit issued a special bulletin to observe the Sixteen Days of Activism which was distributed to both military and civilian staff of the mission as well as to UNCT members. Together for the Protection of Women from Violence was the UNAMID theme for the 16 Days of Activism, highlighting six key strategies to eliminate violence against women, namely: protection through physical security; provision of basic services; reform and enforcement of policy; community involvement; women s full participation in the peace process; and women s economic empowerment. In South Darfur, a network of young men and women called ZAEEM From June to August 2010, the United Nations organised Open Days on Women, Peace and Security. These extraordinary meetings were designed to enable direct dialogue between women s peacebuilding organisations and women community leaders, and senior UN representation to seek women s views on means of improving implementation of UN Security Council resolution These open and inclusive forums for women peacebuilders and activists also provided the opportunity to deepen local ownership of the resolution. Annual Progress Report

30 (Zeal to Advocate, Educate and Empower Men) was created to act as peer educators on SGBV issues and women s rights with a view to involving more men in SGBV prevention and response. In MINUSTAH public information, Community Violence Reduction unit, Human Rights and the Gender Unit launched a campaign plan aimed at discouraging the practice of sexual violence and at providing the necessary information to SGBV survivors, the community and to potential aggressors. The campaign included: video spots for projections in the IDP camps and TV broadcast; training of the IDP camps managers to lead debates on SGBV; radio spots and a dedicated weekly radio programme with opinion leader and SGBV experts and production of outreach materials also marked the Tenth Anniversary of Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security. To mark the occasion DPKO in conjunction with UNIFEM, DPA and UNDP initiated a joint project which brought together women from post conflict countries with senior UN leadership. The Open Days for Peace and Security provided a space for women to voice their concerns to the senior management. The outcomes of the 27 open days were documented in the Women Count for Peace report that was presented to the United Nations Secretary General at the Global Open Day in New York. All DPKO missions took part in the Open Days. As part of the commemoration activities UNIFIL organised meetings attended by the women NGOs in the mission area of operations. The first meeting was focused on the resolution 1325 and its relevance to the women in Southern Lebanon as well as it was an opportunity for women NGOs to identify specific issues. The second meeting was chaired by the Mission Deputy Force Commander and the representative of the UN RC in the mission area of operations at which both UN senior officials stressed the need for more work on gender issues while reaffirming their commitment to women, peace and security issues. MONUSCO additionally marked the 10 th anniversary through a day of advocacy and sensitisation for mobilisation of funding for the DRC National Action Plan. About 4 million dollars was pledged by multilateral and bilateral stakeholders including government institutions and local NGOs. MONUSCO additionally coordinated the organisation of the Annual Women s Fair for promoting entrepreneurship in all areas. The fair brought together diplomats, government and civil society actors to showcase promote and discuss ways of strengthening women s participation in the promotion of peace and national reconstruction. The Fair will now be held annually as part of the commemorations of International Women s Day. The mission also enlarged its network on rights advocacy by providing logistical support to Women activists during the Women s Global March for Peace (MMF). The OGA supported senior Congolese government and civil society representatives to participate in the event. 30 Gender Advisory Team