UN Department of Political Affairs. UN System Entities Information Package

Transcription

1 UN Department of Political Affairs UN System Entities Information Package Table of Contents 1. DPA OVERVIEW Role of the Department of Political Affairs DPA Organizational Structure DPA Senior Officials HQ Field Operations DPA SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR RESIDENT COORDINATORS Preventive Diplomacy Electoral Assistance Mediation Gender Mainstreaming 19 3 POLICY COORDINATION Executive Committee on Peace and Security Policy Committee DPA-UNDP Cooperation LINKS TO DPA REFERENCE MATERIALS... 34

2 09 August DPA Overview 1.1 Role of the Department of Political Affairs Overview The Department of Political Affairs plays a central role in United Nations efforts to prevent and resolve deadly conflict around the world. DPA monitors and assesses global political developments with an eye to detecting potential crises before they escalate, and devising effective responses. The Department provides close support to the Secretary-General and his envoys, as well as to UN political missions deployed to areas of tension around the world with mandates to help defuse crises or promote lasting solutions to conflict. With the support of UN Member States, DPA is evolving into a more mobile and agile platform for crisis response, capable of rapidly deploying mediators and other peacemaking expertise to the field and cooperating more closely with regional organizations at the frontlines of conflicts. The Department has other important functions that also contribute directly to UN efforts to promote peace and prevent conflict. These include DPA s role in coordinating United Nations electoral assistance activities, and in providing staff support to the UN Security Council and other bodies. Peacemaking and preventive diplomacy Established in 1992, DPA is the lead U.N. department for peacemaking and preventive diplomacy. Where the Secretary-General s diplomatic good offices are employed to help bring warring parties toward peace or to prevent political and armed conflicts from escalating, DPA is typically working behind the scenes to define and plan the mission and to provide guidance and backing to mediators. Where U.N. peacekeepers are deployed it is often after a successful peacemaking effort involving or supported by the United Nations. 2

3 Whereas the United Nations today is one of many actors in a diverse field of international conflict mediation, DPA acts as a center of peacemaking expertise whose services are available to UN and non-un envoys alike. Political Analysis Effective policy responses begin with sound and timely information and analysis, on having a pulse on events as they develop. Primarily through the work of its regional divisions, DPA monitors developments and provides the Secretary- General with analytical reports and briefing notes to inform his decisions and shape his continuous diplomacy with U.N. Member States, regional and non-governmental organizations and other actors. Senior DPA officials are called on frequently to brief the United Nations Security Council on global political developments, the status of UN peacemaking efforts and the activities of UN political missions in the field. Electoral Assistance governance. The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and head of DPA is also the focal point for electoral assistance by the United Nations, evaluating requests from Member States and ensuring consistency in the delivery of assistance by the various U.N. agencies and departments involved. This is a growing area of responsibility and expertise, as elections occupy an important place in peace processes and political transitions aimed at ending bloodshed or at establishing or restoring democratic Servicing the Security Council and other U.N. bodies In carrying out its crucial functions, the United Nations Security Council relies on staff of the Department of Political Affairs for both substantive and secretariat support. DPA provides similar staff support to two standing committees established by the General Assembly, concerning the Rights of the Palestinian People and Decolonization. Since 2009, the Department houses the secretariat of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF), which coordinates UN actions to implement the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The role of the Under-Secretary General DPA is headed by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman. The Under-Secretary-General manages the department, advises the Secretary-General on matters affecting global peace and security, carries out high-level diplomatic missions and provides guidance to peace envoys and political missions in the field. 3

4 The Under-Secretary-General also serves on the Secretary-General s Policy Committee, the highest decision-making body within the U.N. Secretariat, and chairs the Executive Committee on Peace and Security, a high-level body for interagency and interdepartmental coordination. Where complex crises require contributions from a range of U.N. entities, DPA may be called upon to establish an overarching political framework within which political, developmental and humanitarian action proceeds. Staff Worldwide In addition to its more than 250 professional and administrative staff at U.N. headquarters in New York, DPA draws from the work of political and peace-building missions under its supervision, which employ more than 1,700 national and international staff in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. This field presence enriches DPA s political analysis and provides a forward platform for good offices missions and other preventive initiatives. The Department is working closely with Member States to establish UN regional offices capable of providing support and advice, as required, in conflict prevention and resolution. 4

5 1.2 DPA Organizational Structure 5

6 1.3 DPA Senior Officials HQ Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Mr. Jeffrey Feltman Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Mr. Tayé-Brook Zerihoun Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Mr. Oscar Fernández-Taranco Office of the Under-Secretary-General Acting Chief of Office, Mr. Darko Mocibob Africa I Division (Southern and Eastern Africa) Acting Director, Mr. Sam Ibok Deputy Director, Ms. Ayaka Suzuki Africa II Division (West, Central and Northern Africa) Director, Mr. Joao Honwana Americas Division Director, Ms. Martha Doggett

7 Europe Division Director, Ms. Elizabeth Spehar Asia and Pacific Division Director, Mr. Tamrat Samuel Middle East and West Asia Division Director, Ms. Antonella Caruso (Sept. 2012) Deputy Director, Jehangir Khan Electoral Assistance Division Director, Craig Jenness Deputy Director, Tajoudine Ali-Diabacte Division for Palestinian Rights OIC, Wolfgang Grieger Policy and Mediation Division Director, Levent Bilman Chief, Policy, Regional Organizations and Guidance, Lee O'Brien Chief, Mediation Support, Robert Dann Security Council Affairs Division Director, Movses Abelian 7

8 Decolonization Unit Chief, Laura Vaccari Executive Office Executive Officer, Ann de la Roche 1.4 Field Operations Latest fact sheet available at 8

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11 2. DPA Services and Resources for Resident Coordinators 2.1 Preventive Diplomacy Preventive Diplomacy Report: Q&A In the first UN report on the use of preventive diplomacy to resolve tensions and crises before they escalate, Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon describes the growing importance of this practice by the United Nations and its partners, underscoring its potential to save lives and protect development gains at a low cost to the international community. The report, published in September 2011, speaks to recent advances and accomplishments in the field and proposes a forward agenda for strengthening the use of preventive diplomacy as a means of diminishing conflicts and their devastating toll. Successful preventive diplomacy is not easy, however building up the world s collective capacities in this area is without doubt, one of the smartest investments we can make, the Secretary-General says in his report. From Guinea to Sudan: Learn more about the UN's efforts in preventive diplomacy What is preventive diplomacy? In plain language, preventive diplomacy refers to diplomatic action taken to prevent disputes from escalating into violent conflicts and to limit the spread of conflicts when they occur. While it is conducted in different forms and fora, both public and private, the most common expression of preventive diplomacy is found in the work of diplomatic envoys dispatched to crisis areas to encourage dialogue, compromise and the peaceful resolution of tensions. Preventive diplomacy can also encompass the involvement of the Security Council, the Secretary-General and other actors to discourage the use of 11

12 violence at critical moments. At the United Nations, former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld first articulated the concept of preventive diplomacy half a century ago. It has since evolved in response to new challenges and is increasingly applied by the United Nations, its Member States and partner organizations around the globe. Why is preventive diplomacy coming increasingly to the fore as an option? First, because conflicts today are placing a heavy strain on war-torn societies and the international community, claiming countless lives and often requiring costly security and humanitarian engagements. According to the World Bank, the average cost of civil war is equivalent to more than 30 years of economic growth. In the face of political tensions or escalating crisis, preventive diplomacy is often one of the few options available, short of coercive measures, to preserve peace. Successful engagements can stop crises before they spread, reducing the impacts and burdens of conflict. Secondly, because there is a greater openness today to preventive action and an increase in national, regional and international capacities for preventive diplomacy. The past decade has seen a strengthening of preventive diplomacy both at the policy level and on the ground. Regional organizations such as the African Union (AU), among others, have updated their doctrines so as to support more proactive diplomacy to protect democratic institutions and to resolve political and security crises affecting member countries. At the United Nations, the 2005 World Summit expressed a renewed commitment to promoting a culture of prevention. As part of that broader undertaking, the General Assembly adopted in June 2011 a consensus resolution on strengthening mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes. 12

13 Third, because these normative developments have paved the way for the creation of new preventive capacities around the world, including systems for crisis monitoring and early warning as well as flexible funding mechanisms for rapid reaction. Within the United Nations, a key development has been the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and the establishment within this Department of a Mediation Support Unit that provides expertise to envoys and other mediators engaging in negotiations. The increased deployment of political missions by the United Nations and other organizations also provides a stronger platform for preventive diplomacy. How exactly does the United Nations practice preventive diplomacy? Conflict prevention is a broad field, involving a wide range of UN entities focusing on political, development and human rights concerns, among others. UN country teams often support national dialogue processes and longer term programs that help to build national capacities to prevent conflict. The UN s peace-building architecture works to prevent relapse into conflict in countries that have recently emerged from wars. Preventive diplomacy, however, represents a narrower set of activities specifically involving the timely use of diplomatic action to prevent the outbreak and spread of hostilities. The Secretary- General provides his good offices to parties in conflict both personally and through the diplomatic envoys he dispatches to areas of tension around the world. The Department of Political Affairs (DPA) is the principal support structure for those efforts, providing conflict analysis, planning and supporting the work of peace envoys and overseeing more than a dozen field-based political missions that serve as key platforms for preventive diplomacy. Of these missions, regional offices covering Central Africa, West Africa and Central Asia have explicit mandates for preventive diplomacy and strengthening the capacity of states and regional actors to manage sources of tension peacefully. Preventive diplomacy is also carried out frequently within the context of peacekeeping missions. 13

14 The Security Council, as the UN organ with the primary responsibility for peace and security, also has a critical role to play in supporting preventive action. Recent years have seen increased Council engagement and flexibility in addressing emerging threats before they come on the Council s formal agenda. Through its actions, the Council can send important signals that help discourage violence and open space for preventive action including by the Secretary- General. What are some recent cases in which the United Nations used preventive diplomacy to ease tensions? There are a number of cases noted in the report in which concerted preventive action by the United Nations and its partners helped to avert or contain conflict. For example: (Click on the country names to get further information on the specific cases, including video interviews with senior UN officials.) In Sudan, preventive diplomacy was a major focus of international efforts -- led for the United Nations by its peacekeeping mission -- to ensure the successful holding of the January 2011 independence referendum for Southern Sudan. The Security Council was actively engaged, including through its statements and visits to the country. The Secretary-General appointed a high-level panel that also encouraged actions and agreements to permit the smooth holding of the referendum. 14

15 In Guinea, from the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) worked energetically to keep on track a political transition from a military coup to the country s first democratic elections since independence. In Sierra Leone, the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office (UNIPSIL) helped prevent the potential escalation of violence following tensions between the governing and opposition parties in In Iraq, the United Nations political mission (UNAMI) has facilitated peaceful dialogue over Kirkuk and other disputed internal territories, and assisted in smoothing the path to elections in 2009 and In Kenya, following the outbreak of post-electoral violence in 2008, the United Nations quietly provided strong support to the African Union-led mediation efforts that succeeded in stopping the violence and resolving the political-electoral conflict through negotiations. In Kyrgyzstan, the United Nations Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) worked closely with key governments and regional organizations such as the OSCE to encourage an end to the 2010 inter-ethnic violence and a return to constitutional order. The office is also encouraging agreements on the peaceful sharing of water resources in the region. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the timely dispatch of an envoy of the Secretary-General in autumn 2008 helped to quell unrest and ease tensions between Rwanda and the DRC that might have deteriorated into renewed regional war. What are new areas of focus for preventive diplomacy? In recent years, the United Nations has increasingly been called upon to respond to violent or 15

16 potentially violent crises stemming from unconstitutional changes of government and electoral disputes. Coup d états and coup attempts frequently serve as a trigger to conflict. In the past three years, the UN deployed diplomats in the aftermath of military coups and revolts in Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and other places. These efforts, in close cooperation with regional organizations, have helped to pave the way to a return to constitutional order While elections can be an important step forward in fragile situations, they also have the potential to set off violence, as recently in Afghanistan, Côte d Ivoire, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Consequently, the UN is working with its partners to develop a broader approach to tackling election-related violence that combines preventive diplomacy and electoral assistance expertise. What are the keys to increasingly successful use of preventive diplomacy over the coming five years? First, while early warning on emerging crises has improved, we need to better anticipate threshold moments when latent conflicts may erupt and reduce the time lapsed between warning and action. Even seemingly small actions and signals sent by the international community such as statements and the dispatch of a fact-finding mission to the field can have an important effect on the calculations of key actors in conflict. 16

17 Second, by strengthening partnerships particularly with regional organizations, civil society and independent groups active in preventive diplomacy. Deepening these relationships will allow for greater coordination and rapid reaction as crisis breaks. Third, by ensuring sustainability. Timely diplomatic interventions may succeed in forestalling crises for the moment, but ensuring that political agreements last requires follow-through and the building of national mechanisms to sustain them. Fourth, by better equipping and resourcing our mediation efforts. More progress is required in expanding and training our pool of skilled envoys and support staff, and in proving them with top-notch expertise such as that made available through the DPA-managed Standby Team of Mediation Experts. Modest financial investments are also required, particularly to allow for rapid deployments when crises break. Preventive diplomacy is a cost-effective option, but it still requires adequate and flexible funding. 2.2 Electoral Assistance Elections have been a vital part of democratic transitions, decolonization, and the implementation of peace agreements around the globe, and the United Nations has played a major role in providing international assistance through these important processes of change. The organization has supervised and observed plebiscites, referenda and elections worldwide and increasingly focuses its electoral efforts today on providing technical assistance to help Member States build credible and sustainable 17

18 national electoral systems. More than 100 countries have requested and have received UN election assistance since The Head of the Department of Political Affairs is designated by the General Assembly as the UN Focal Point for Electoral Assistance. The Focal Point is the lead within the UN system on all matters related to electoral assistance, with a view to ensuring coherence and consistency within a broad array of UN entities working to provide United Nations electoral assistance in the field. The role of the Focal Point is to: Ensure system-wide coordination, coherence and consistency in United Nations electoral assistance, Ensure careful coordination and consideration of requests for electoral assistance and set parameters for UN electoral assistance based on a needs assessments; Develop, issue and disseminate UN electoral policy. Build and maintain the UN system s electoral institutional memory Maintain the General Assembly mandated single UN roster of international electoral experts Maintain contact with regional and other intergovernmental organizations to ensure appropriate working arrangements with them. He is supported in these tasks by the Electoral Assistance Division (EAD). All UN electoral assistance should be based on a Security Council or General Assembly mandate or an official request from a Member State and a needs assessment. Needs assessments are carried be carried out by EAD, in consultation with appropriate UN entities, and should result in a report and recommendations on the basis of which the Focal Point 18

19 should make a decision. The Focal Point should consider all requests for electoral assistance before the UN system provides or makes any project commitment to electoral assistance. History and Evolution The history of the United Nations is interwoven with elections. In the late 1940s, shortly after its founding, the UN observed elections on the Korean Peninsula. During the subsequent era of trusteeship and decolonization, the United Nations supervised and observed numerous plebiscites, referenda and elections worldwide. During the 1990s, the United Nations supported or observed landmark elections and popular consultations in Timor-Leste, South Africa, Mozambique, El Salvador and Cambodia. More recently, the Organization has provided crucial technical and logistical assistance in milestone elections in many countries, including in Afghanistan, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Nepal, Sierra Leone and Sudan. Demand for U.N. electoral assistance continues to be high, as is the duration and complexity of operations. Electoral observation, once a core activity in early UN support, is now rare, and technical assistance has grown exponentially. Assistance is closely regulated by the UN General Assembly, and its evolution is reflected in a series of resolutions since Even as UN electoral assistance evolves to adapt to the changing needs and circumstances of its Member States, it continues to be based on the principle established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that the will of the people, as expressed through periodic and genuine elections, shall be the basis of government authority. The GA has recommend that all UN assistance follow an electoral cycle approach which it defines as assistance before and after elections, as appropriate, based on a member state request and a UN needs assessment, and bearing in mind sustainability and cost effectiveness. The GA also unanimously welcomed the Secretary-General s recent call for a more holistic approach, including that UN assistance be 19

20 Placed within a political framework, including a conflict management focus Tailored to needs and for sustainability Commitment-based, prioritizing political inclusion of women and minorities More coherent and cost effective 2.3 Mediation Mediation Support Unit: Fact Sheet The Mediation Support Unit (MSU), based in the Policy and Mediation Division of the Department of Political Affairs (DPA), is a system-wide asset that assists the mediation initiatives of the United Nations, Member States, regional/subregional organizations and relevant partners. The MSU is the United Nations focal point for mediation support and the institutional repository of knowledge, lessons learned and best practices. The MSU delivers services in three main areas: 1. Technical support for peace processes: The MSU provides support throughout the planning, implementation and evaluation phases of a mediation process. Available services include strategy development and process design for mediation, facilitation and dialogue initiatives as well as advice on thematic issues from a mediation perspective. These thematic issues include security arrangements (ceasefires, DDR and SSR), constitution-making, power-sharing, natural resources (wealth-sharing) issues and gender issues. In addition to Headquarters-based staff in the Unit, the MSU is also home to DPA s Standby Team of Mediation Experts. This team is available to all United Nations entities and other partners and can be deployed within 72 hours. 20

21 For longer-term deployments, the MSU, on behalf of DPA, also manages a Mediation Roster a database of senior mediators, operational-level mediators and technical-level experts. 2. Capacity-building: At the operational level, MSU provides tailored-made one-on-one coaching for mediators and training for mediation teams on mediation and negotiation techniques and skills, strategy development, process design and thematic issues. To facilitate the effective engagement of conflict parties in a peace process, such coaching and training initiatives may also be offered to parties to a conflict upon request from the mediator. At the organizational level, MSU capacity-building support is also available to regional organizations and Member States seeking to strengthen their mediation capacity. 3. Mediation guidance, lessons learned and best practices: The MSU offers mediators and their teams the Special Envoy Briefing Package a compilation of key UN policies and approaches to mediation, the UN Manual for Mediators a distillation of core mediation techniques and experiences drawn from the specific experiences of UN envoys, the Mediation Start-up Guidelines a toolkit for the establishment of a mediation effort, with specific attention to the administration and management dimensions and the United Nations Guidance for Effective Mediation a concise reference document to support professional mediation efforts, developed iin consultation with the UN system; Member States; regional, sub-regional and other organizations; NGOs, women s groups, religious leaders, the academic community as well as mediators and mediation experts. The MSU also hosts an online databank of peace agreements and other relevant guidance material at For further information, please contact Mr Robert Dann, Chief MSU at Dann@un.org Standby Team of Mediation Experts: Fact Sheet 21

22 The Mediation Support Unit (MSU), in the United Nations Department of Political Affairs (DPA), was established in 2006 to provide professional, cross-cutting support to good offices activities, including preventive diplomacy and the formal mediation of disputes. The Unit is designed as a centre of expertise for operational support to mediation efforts, a resource for strengthening the mediation capacity of regional organizations and Member States and a global repository of mediation knowledge and best practices. The MSU is a service provider to the UN system, regional organizations, Member States and relevant peacemaking entities. The operational capability of the MSU to undertake the above three tasks includes its UN Headquartered-based staff members, its Standby Team of Mediation Experts and its Mediation Roster. This fact sheet provides information on the Standby Team of Mediation Experts. The Standby Team of Mediation Experts was established in March 2008, and is managed by the MSU of the Policy and Mediation Division in DPA. The Standby Team is a specialized resource that can be rapidly deployed on a temporary basis to the field to provide technical advice to UN officials and others leading mediation and conflict prevention efforts. The Team s services are available to United Nations envoys, peacekeeping operations, special political missions and Country Teams, as well as to regional and subregional organizations. Standby Team members can be deployed in any configuration: as individuals, as a small group or as a team. The principal operational role of the Standby Team is to provide expert advice to senior UN officials or other partners by deploying to the field or, in some cases, giving remote assistance. This support is flexible and can be adapted to the needs of the situation, and could include providing advice on procedural and agenda-setting issues, analysis of the positions of parties in negotiations, drafting of peace agreement text, leading workshops for parties on substantive or process issues, and giving general technical assistance. 22

23 Standby Team members are experienced in a wide range of mediation situations and are experts in the principal thematic and process issues that tend to arise in negotiations including security arrangements (ceasefires/ DDR/SSR), constitutional, power-sharing, natural resources, process design and gender issues. When not deployed to the field, Standby Team members provide long-distance technical support to mediation teams, including developing mediation option papers and drafting analytical papers on process and thematic issues; engaging with relevant entities at UN Headquarters to debrief on completed missions and plan future deployments; and contributing to relevant training, capacity-building and knowledge management activities. Management and administration of the Standby Team The Standby Team is a joint endeavour of DPA and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). DPA undertakes all substantive management of the team, providing it with strategic policy direction and operational guidance for field deployments and other mediation-related work. The NRC provides administrative and logistical support to team members to ensure their timely deployments and sustainment in the field. The Standby Team is a fully-funded resource and support is provided at no cost to the requesting entity. Thematic composition The 2012 Standby Team of Mediation Experts is composed of six positions: constitutions, gender, natural resources, power-sharing, process design and security arrangements. Constitutions: John Packer (Canada) is a highly regarded conflict resolution expert and most recently a Professor of International Law at Essex University (UK). He has a broad range of international experiences and a versatile set of legal skills that include a strong focus on minority rights and inter-community issues. He was a senior staff member at the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities ( ), and engaged on multiple conflict-prevention and reconciliation issues across the OSCE area. He previously worked for the UN OHCHR, ILO and UNHCR. More recently, he served as the Coordinator of the Initiative for Quiet Diplomacy (IQD) and was involved in peacemaking and peacebuilding efforts in Asia and the Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Greater Caribbean. 23

24 Many of these activities were carried out in partnership with regional organizations, and he has worked closely with the OAS, OIC, and ASEAN. He speaks English and French. Gender: Gerard Nduwayo (Burundi) is a leading gender expert and worked extensively for UN WOMEN, UNDP and African Union Commission (Panel of the Wise) on Women, Peace and Security issues as well as social inclusion. With Femmes Africa Solidarite, he worked on the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 in Great lakes Region. He combines this expertise with notable experience in transitional justice issues, and has also worked with the International Center for Transitional Justice on ethnic violence issues in the region. He brings to his work a sophisticated understanding of the dimensions of peace agreements and their implementation, as he was a member of the Arusha Peace Accords Monitoring Committee. In addition, he has substantial experience in the MENA region, and served as Counsellor at the Embassy of Burundi in Egypt. He speaks English, French and Swahili. Natural Resources: George Anderson (Canada) has had a long career in public service and served as a Deputy Minister of Natural Resources (2002-5) and Deputy Minister of Inter-governmental Affairs ( ), as well as Assistant Deputy Minister in the energy, finance and foreign ministries. More recently, he was the President of the Forum of Federations ( ), and worked on federal and constitutional issues within multiple African, Asian, and Middle Eastern contexts. He would bring to the team a sophisticated and holistic understanding of natural resources and, particularly, extractive resource issues, as well as wealth-sharing arrangements and minority rights issues. He speaks English and French. Powersharing: Nicole Töpperwien (Switzerland) is an expert and consultant on power-sharing, including federalism and decentralisation, with in-depth experience working on issues of inclusion in multi-cultural settings in conflict and post-conflict situations. She was previously an advisor to the Macedonian government during the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (2003-6), and engaged on constitutional and power-sharing issues in a variety of situations in Asia, South East Europe, and many other regions. Amongst others, she accompanied the constitutionmaking process in Nepal from 2008 to She speaks English, French and German. Process Design: Graciela Tapia (Argentina) is widely recognized as one of the world s leading experts on mediation and dialogue, and worked on reconciliation and prevention issues in Latin America and Central Europe. She has worked as an advisor and technical consultant for numerous institutions including UNDP, the World Bank, the Inter- American Development Bank, and the Carter Center, and worked as an Adjunct Professor at American University s Peacebuilding and Development Institute in Washington, D.C. Previously, she was the Executive Director of the NGO Partners for Democratic Change, and supported civil society and governance efforts worldwide. She speaks English and Spanish. 24

25 Security Arrangements: Jeffrey Mapendere (Zimbabwe) has a long and distinguished career in the field of conflict resolution, and has been a member of all three of the preceding Standby Teams. He was the Assistant Director of the Carter Center s Conflict Resolution Program (2003-7) and engaged in Africa, Asia and the Middle East on a wide range of conflicts. He has not only an expert knowledge of approaches to mediation and dialogue, but also an in-depth understanding of ceasefire and DDR issues that draws upon his own personal experiences in both a liberation movement and national army. In his time with the Standby Team, he worked extensively on the Darfur peace process in Doha, and also supported good offices efforts in the Central African Republic, Nepal, Somalia and elsewhere. He speaks English. Requesting Standby Team support Requests for deployment or assistance of the Team or any one of its members should be directed to the Director of the Policy and Mediation Division (PMD) in DPA, Mr Levent Bilman, with a copy to Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and the MSU. The request should be made in writing or by and should come from the head of mission, head of appropriate department, Special Envoy, Resident Coordinator or other appropriate senior official. For further information please contact Robert Dann, Chief, MSU ( dann@un.org) or Julian Davis, MSU coordinator of the Standby Team (davis1@un.org). 2.4 Gender Mainstreaming DPA is fully committed to ensuring that gender perspectives are integrated in all activities that fall within its mandate, and has committed to implementing a select set of UN system-wide SCR 1325 (2000) indicators, as well as commitments under the 7-Point Action Plan for Women s Participation in Peacebuilding. An internal SCR 1325 (2000) results framework has also been developed with deliverables for the department both at Headquarters and field level. Gender and Mediation Conflict and war are not gender neutral. Because men and women engage in conflict and war in different ways, they require specific security and peacebuilding responses. Addressing the differential impact of conflict on women and men, therefore, requires concerted efforts from the outset of a mediation and peace process. Peace processes provide a 25

26 critical opportunity to reshape the political, security and broader socio-economic landscape of a nation-state. However, women have remained vastly under-represented at the negotiation table and their specific needs are largely unaddressed in post-conflict peacebuilding efforts. Ceasefire and peace agreements also rarely acknowledge women s specific security needs; e.g. sexual violence was only included as a prohibited act in three out of the 45 ceasefire agreements signed since The low number of women and gender experts formally involved in peace making processes demonstrates a serious gap between the aspirational global and regional commitments, and the reality women face at the local and national levels. Five UN Security Council resolutions (S/RES/1325 (2000), S/RES/1820 (2008), S/RES/1888 (2009, S/RES/1889 (2009), and S/RES/1960 (2010)), as well as the United Nations Secretary-General s reports on Mediation Support (2009) and Women s Participation in Peacebuilding (2010) have called for the greater representation of women in peace negotiations and the inclusion of dedicated gender expertise. Member States have reiterated this commitment on numerous occasions as well, e.g. recently at the Open Debate of the Security Council on SCR 1325 (2000) of 28 October Women s participation in peacemaking is not only a matter of gender equality and universal human rights- women are also crucial partners in support of sustainable peace, e.g. economic recovery, social cohesion and political legitimacy. By ensuring women s participation and representation in conflict mediation processes, domestic constituencies could be expanded, which in turn could build the credibility of the peace process and broaden national ownership. Women often bring more comprehensive strategies and solutions to the table, which can result in more inclusive peacebuilding responses that address broader societal needs, including their own, and thereby contribute to longer-term sustainable peace and security. Joint Strategy on Gender and Mediation: DPA and UN Women are collaborating on a three-year Joint Strategy to increase the availability and quality of gender expertise in mediation processes; and support greater and more effective participation by women at all levels of conflict resolution and peacemaking including through the identification and preparation of qualified female mediators. Conflict-Related Sexual Violence In today s violent conflicts, civilians are increasingly caught on the front line. One of the most devastating forms of extreme hostility waged against civilians is conflict-related sexual violence. Arguably more powerful and less expensive than a gun, it is used strategically to provoke displacement of populations, affect reproduction and ethnicity, promote troop cohesion and undermine community cohesion. Conflict-related sexual violence can be highly effective its can use humiliate, dominate and instill fear, break identity and create enduring ethnic, family and community divides. 26

27 The UN is enlisting its peace envoys in stepped-up efforts by the organization to address conflict-related sexual violence. DPA has unveiled new guidelines for mediators to address this tactic and method of warfare in ceasefire and peace agreements. The guidance offers mediators and their teams core principles and practical strategies for addressing this critical peacebuilding and security concern in mediation processes and peace agreements. DPA s Gender Mainstreaming services three main areas: Gender-Related Technical Support to Peace Processes: DPA, including the Gender Stand-by Team Expert, provides specific gender-related technical support to DPA s ongoing peacemaking and preventative diplomacy efforts. Gender Training and Mediation Guidance: In collaboration with its Mediation Support Unit and other partners, DPA is developing gender and mediation trainings for DPA field and headquarters staff as well as UN mediators and members of mediation teams. To facilitate effective engagement on these issues, such training initiatives may also be offered upon request. Results-Based Monitoring of issues related to women, peace and security: DPA has developed and is operationalising a results-based 1325 monitoring system to assist DPA in meeting its SCR 1325 commitments and reporting obligations. 3 Policy Coordination 3.1 Executive Committee on Peace and Security The Executive Committee on Peace and Security (ECPS) was established in 1997, as part of a UN reform process (A/51/950). Its mandate was broadly defined as the highest policy development and management instrument within the UN Secretariat on critical, cross-cutting issues of peace and security. Its primary purpose was the submission to the Secretary-General of policy papers on matters that merit collaborative recommendations. The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs is the Chair of ECPS and its main convener. ECPS membership has 27

28 evolved significantly since its inception, from an initial number of seven UN departments [1] to eighteen UN departments, offices, agencies, funds and programmes [2]. In addition to regular members, SRSGs, Resident Coordinators and other relevant personnel have also participated at ECPS meetings, either in person or via teleconference. From 1997 to December 2005, ECPS met traditionally twice a month, and when necessary it met more often to discuss topics of importance on an ad-hoc basis. In January 2006, ECPS decided to meet only once a month to avoid redundancy and duplication of efforts with the newly established Policy Committee of the Secretary-General. The agenda and background materials are circulated ahead of the meeting. ECPS members are expected to contribute to the formulation of the agenda. ECPS has made a contribution especially in those matters that merited collaborative work, and it proved particularly useful for: a) highlighting the importance of issues (e.g. prevention of genocide, responsibility to protect, UN role in democratization, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Arab Spring); b) setting the basis for a UN approach in a country situation (e.g. Libya); c) assessing and endorsing prevention initiatives (e.g. Guyana, Andean region Bolivia); d) Development of policy and definition of principles for UN work (e.g. sexual abuse and exploitation); and e) providing guidelines for implementation on UN policy issues (e.g. Children in Armed Conflict; and Women, Peace and Security). ECPS has also endorsed the work of task forces and working groups on, inter alia: Democracy; Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration (DDR); Prevention of Genocide; Principles for Good International Engagement in Fragile States; UN Action on violence against women and Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (joint ECPS/ECHA meeting). [1] DPA, DPKO, OLA, OHCHR, OCHA, UNHCR, and UNRWA [2] DESA, DFS, DPI, ODA, Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (OSAA), Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflicts (OSRG/CAC), Office of the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide (SAPG), UN Women, UNDP, UNICEF, UNODC, UNOG, WFP and the World Bank 3.2 Policy Committee Mandate and Rationale The Policy Committee was established in May 2005 for the purposes of streamlining and improving the decisionmaking processes at the executive level in the Secretariat. The Policy Committee considers issues requiring strategic 28

29 guidance and policy decisions on thematic and country-specific issues affecting the Organization (ST/SGB/2005/16). Previously, policy issues and recommendations had come to the Secretary-General through varied channels which generally did not ensure adequate consultation, the inclusion of alternative views, or follow-up to decisions taken. The Policy Committee process addresses each of these concerns. The Policy Committee is chaired by the Secretary-General and consists of his key advisers: Deputy Secretary-General, the Chef de Cabinet, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, the Administrator of the UN Development Programme and Chair of the United Nations Development Group, the Under-Secretary-General of DESA, the Under-Secretary-General of OCHA, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Legal Counsel, the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, the Executive Director of UN Women and the Secretary-General s Special Adviser. Other senior officials, including representatives from specialized agencies, regularly participate in the consultation process, and are often invited to attend the meetings themselves to ensure that their advice is taken into consideration. It has become the main mechanism to support the Secretary-General s decision-making on issues of strategic importance to the Organization. Functioning The Policy Committee meets on a weekly basis and operates on principles much like a cabinet or chief executive s decision-making body. Issues are only tabled when ready for the Secretary-General s decision. Meetings are based on short submission papers which frame clearly the recommendations for decision, including options and dissenting views. There is a three-month forward agenda to allow for sufficient time for inter-departmental consultations. Its relatively small membership allows for efficient and decision-oriented deliberations. Given the confidential and principals only nature of its discussions, it has facilitated a culture of open debate among the Secretary-General s most senior advisers. On country-specific issues, relevant Policy Committee members ensure that the UN Country Teams or UN missions are involved in the consultation and follow-up process. For example, DOCO and OCHA consult the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators, while DPKO and DPA involve the relevant missions for which they are responsible. In many cases, SRSGs and RCs participate in the Policy Committee meetings themselves. In addition, DOCO and OCHA consult relevant UNDG and ECHA members at the HQ level and draft papers are generally shared with HQ representatives of agencies, funds and programmes that have a significant operational presence in the country on the agenda. Consultation with non-new York based entities takes place both in New York through the respective liaison offices, but also often directly with their HQs. 29

30 The Committee is supported by a small secretariat that manages the meetings and the forward agenda, ensures quality control of papers, drafts decisions and helps monitor implementation. Submission papers are generally drafted by lead departments that are designated for each agenda item. The Policy Committee secretariat ensures that all relevant UN entities are included in the consultation process and that their views are reflected appropriately in the final submission paper. Implementation of Decisions The timely and effective implementation of the Secretary-General s decisions coming out of the Policy Committee is central for ensuring the usefulness and credibility of the decision-making process. There are three main ways in which implementation of decisions is being ensured: First, the primary responsibility for the dissemination of decisions rests with the respective lead departments and others tasked to take action by the Secretary-General. This includes dissemination of relevant decisions to staff at the field level. Second, the Policy Committee secretariat, based on feedback received from lead departments, conducts quarterly implementation reviews and maintains a central log tracking the implementation status of all decisions. Third, the Policy Committee regularly schedules decision updates as standard items on the Policy Committee agenda. As not all items can come back to the Policy Committee, the choice of update items has to be selective, taking into consideration the strategic importance of an issue. Roles and Responsibilities of the DPA Policy Committee Focal Point The Focal Point oversees DPA's overall engagement with the Policy Committee, keeps the DPA Under-Secretary- General abreast of relevant developments and ensures his or her views are adequately reflected in the submission. The Focal Point also ensures that the USG or ASG attending the Policy Committee meeting is properly briefed. The Focal Point helps coordinate the Department's input into the Policy Committee forward agenda. In that role he/she also assists in the preparation of quarterly meetings of the DPA s Senior Management Team (SMT), through which the Department determines which items to submit for consideration in which policy coordination forum (Policy Committee, ECPS, other fora). The Focal Point needs to ensure he/she remains broadly aware of the flow and substance of all PC processes. This includes helping ensure inclusive approaches to consultation processes, coordinating participation of all relevant DPA colleagues in these processes, and making sure that the right people in DPA are aware of emerging recommendations. Finally, while the responsibility to implement PC decisions rests with those parts of the DPA directly affected by them, the Focal Point will have a watching brief concerning implementation and associated reporting to the PC Secretariat and where necessary, advising the USG of problems or roadblocks in DPA implementation of PC decisions, and reporting back to the PC Secretariat. 30

31 If you have any questions regarding the Policy Committee, please contact DPA's Policy Committee Focal Point Ms. Roselyn Akombe at 31

32 3.3 DPA-UNDP Cooperation Strategy Documents The following internal document will be distributed during the RC Induction: - Letter by Ms. Clark and Mr. Pascoe on UNDP-DPA collaboration with regard to complex political situations, 28 September 2010 Context In implementing the SG Decision of 12 May 2009 that instructed DPA and UNDP to work together to improve HQ support in situations characterized by rising political tensions, and as immediate follow up to a meeting held in October 2009 in Montreux, Switzerland, with a number of Resident Coordinators, Mr. Pascoe, DPA USG, and Ms. Clark, UNDP Administrator and UNDG Chair, issued in September 2010 a joint letter containing a note that defines the modalities of the cooperation between DPA and UNDP in complex political situations. In the last couple of years, DPA and UNDP have: - strengthened their joint capacity, including through the Joint UNDP-DPA Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention first launched in 2004, to provide timely political, technical, and resource mobilization assistance to UNDP Country Offices, and where appropriate, to other agencies able to contribute through their programmes to a de-escalation of tensions. - taken steps to strengthen the work of the Interagency Framework Team for Preventive Action (Framework Team), which was first established in 1996, and is currently mandated by its membership which includes twenty-two UN agencies and departments to assist UN Resident Coordinators and UNCTs in developing integrated conflict prevention strategies and initiatives. There steps include an external review commissioned in fall 2009, the recommendations of which are currently being implemented. - taken action to ensure that senior officials and desk officers from the UNDP regional bureaus and DPA divisions are able to contribute in a significant and sustained manner, through ad hoc working groups as well as the Joint Programme and the Framework Team, to the development and implementation of initiatives to de-escalate and resolve impending tensions. 32