Women, Peace and Security : United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 N. June Bowser Department of National Defence 1 Presented to Inter-University Seminar (IUS) on Armed Forces & Society 29 Sep 1 Oct 06 Ottawa, Canada On October 31, 2000, Canada was a member of the United Nations Security Council during the signing of Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325), Women, Peace and Security. This landmark resolution recognized the distinct impact that war and conflict have on men and women, and brought to the forefront the fact that women have been historically omitted in peace processes and nation stabilization. To refrain from future omissions, Resolution 1325 calls for women s full and equal participation in issues relating to conflict, peace and security, allowing their vital input as conflict torn nations attempt to become stable and peaceful societies. The What - Resolution 1325 Resolution 1325 prompts the inclusion of women by specifically addressing four areas of action (women s participation in peace processes, gender training, protection of women and girls, and gender mainstreaming) and by identifying a number of steps to be taken by the United Nations Secretary General, the Security Council, Members States and all parties to armed conflict. The resolution calls on the United Nations to increase women s participation at decision-making levels in conflict resolution and peace processes; appoint more women at senior levels and involve more women in UN field missions as military observers, civilian police, human rights and humanitarian officers; provide gender training guidelines and materials on the protection, rights and needs of women and girls; carry out a UN study on the impact of armed conflict on women and girls, the role of women in peace building, the gender dimensions of peace processes and conflict resolution; and ensure that all civilian personnel of peacekeeping operations receive gender sensitive training (GPWG of the CPCC). These expectations of the UN, the overarching international entity, set the example and provide seriousness to the issue. At the state level, Resolution 1325 calls on UN Member States, such as Canada to increase women s representation to all decision-making levels; fund and provide support for gender sensitive training; end impunity and prosecute those responsible for genocide crimes and gender-based violence; and make HIV/AIDS awareness training programs available to military and civilian police. These provisions show the importance that each UN Member State plays in ensuring the representation of women in governmental processes. Finally, at the lowest level, Resolution 1325 places the onus on parties to armed conflict. It urges the parties to respect international law on the rights and protection of women and girls; take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence; pay attention to the needs of women and girls in conflict, peace and security; 1 I would like to thank and acknowledge Karen D. Davis, Lt. Daniel Carter, Maj. Dee Brasseur, and Dan Weir for valuable insight, advice and editorial comments. 1/7
and adopt measures to support local women s peace initiatives involve women in all stages of peace process (GPWG of the CPCC). The Big Why? As our world becomes increasingly interdependent, one in which safety and security of Canadians at home are inextricably linked to the safety of those beyond our borders, working to enhance the safety and wellbeing of people abroad has become a reflection of Canadian priorities and a principle that informs our foreign policy. Our human security agenda is founded on the belief that bona fide security is only possible by increasing respect for fundamental human rights. Canada s commitment to a foreign policy focused on the security of the person is strengthened by the inclusion of women, particularly their full and equal participation, in all stages and aspects of peace building, policy formation and implementation (Canada, 2004). Also, men and women experience armed conflict, peace processes, and recovery in diverse ways because they typically have different social roles and responsibilities within a given society. We need to recognize these realities and adapt our responses and interventions to the differing experiences and impacts of armed conflict on men and women. In doing so, we will be better positioned to offer protection and to assist women to participate fully in peace processes and peace building (MacQuarrie, 2006). Why 1325? Over the past decade, armed conflict has changed in ways that are particularly negative for women and girls. Men and women do experience the shared horror of armed conflict, however women and girls in addition are targets for gender-specific violence including rape, abduction and sexual slavery. According to the United Nations (UN) Council, rape has been widely used as a weapon of war in areas of armed conflict and women and children are frequently victims of gang rape committed by soldiers from all sides of a conflict. Such acts are done mainly to trample the dignity of the victims (UNDPI, 1996). This can clearly discernible in the following passage: As you have raped me, please don t leave me alive kill me with your gun begged Almina to her rapist. May shame kill you was the reply of the militiaman who raped her on July 4 th. (Lumeya, 2004). A current crisis/conflict area where such horrific actions can be found is in Darfur. According to Refugees International (2004), rape is a dominant characteristic of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. While in the 1994 Rwandan genocide a raped woman was more often than not killed, in Darfur in 90% of the rape cases the rapists have kept the women alive and sent them back to their community (Lumeya, 2004). Raped women in an Islamic fundamentalist society such as that in Sudan are more often than not rejected for being a visible reminder of the shame inflicted on the community by the act of rape. The women will be prevented from acting as full members of society; marriage and/or a happy home life made virtually impossible. Compounding the trauma of the physical abuse of rape is the loss of identity and the burden of a new, dishonored identity. 2/7
Ethnic cleansing and attrition are other facets of modern conflict that affects men and women differently. Women, children and the elderly are targeted for ethnic cleansing, while men are away fighting on the frontlines. Also, the male population may be removed through conflict, leaving women vulnerable to the depredations of armed groups. Women and children form the great majority of refugee populations all over the world and are especially vulnerable to violence and exploitation. According to the 2004 Global Refugee Trends, roughly 49% of refugees are women. In refugee camps, they are raped and abused by military and immigration personnel, bandit groups, male refugees and rival ethnic groups (UNDPI, 1996). As a result, displaced women and children in refugee camps require special protection from violence that occurs in these places. Furthermore, during post-conflict, many women will become widows, single parents, or heads of households. They will require unique assistance to continue their lives as traditional societies impose social and cultural taboos that obstruct their ability to participate in society. For example, employment and training opportunities may be reserved exclusively for men, leaving women very little means to support themselves and their families. Women who do not have the right to vote and/or are denied access to public institutions will not be heard (MacQuarrie, 2006). In addition, both men and women are stakeholders of peace; however, in worntorn nations women are often excluded from the peace negotiation process, which means their voices are not reflected in peace processes and treaties. Peace negotiations are the first steps toward a post-conflict society and women must be included in the process to shape the future in ways consistent with sustainable peace. Leaders of nations, who have brought the country into conflict, must be involved in cease-fire agreements but may not be well equipped to negotiate long-term peaceful solutions for their society. Sustainable peace is not simply about ending violence, it is about equity, justice and security for all members of society, and all must have full protection of the law. The exclusion of women and other groups from full protection of the law in war-torn nations is a sure indication that forms of violence, whether structural, ethno-cultural, religious or gender-based, will continue in the future. Women in these countries do have the knowledge of what is required to build a functioning society, they are responsible to keep everyday life going during a war and as a result they may be open to alternatives and ways to resolve the conflict. Thus, their contributions are critical to successful peace processes (MacQuarrie, 2006). Why Us? Given the recent changes on the world stage, the security environment in which the Canadian Forces (CF) operates has also changed significantly. The Canadian Government and military leadership identified that the CF must be able to respond to new threats to Canada and North America while, playing a major role in helping other nations. Since the early 1990 s the CF has increased deployments overseas to engage in peace making, deal with failed and failing states, and assist with the war on terrorism. In order to fulfill its newly defined mission, the CF will transform to a more agile posture, better prepared to deal with asymmetric threats and assist failed and failing states. In seeking to achieve this transformation, the CF is focusing on areas that may have previously 3/7
prevented it from being truly effective. These areas include culture (i.e., shared beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviors), procurement processes (e.g., bid tendering for equipment such as ships or aircraft), and recruiting and training systems (D Strat HR, 2006). According to the fundamental principles of CF Transformation, the CF mission is providing security, whether in war, or in peace. To achieve this, the institution must be responsive and attuned to Canadian security interests. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) has made it clear that operational effectiveness is at the heart of CF Transformation. As a result of CF Transformation it is expected that the CF will become more relevant, responsive, and effective (D Strat HR, 2006). Incorporation of UNSCR 1325 principles into the CF operational planning process will enhance overall operational effectiveness of peace support operations and further entrench Canadian values and beliefs within operations. By definition, operational effectiveness includes making a contribution to sustainable and lasting peace. Gender equality and equal participation of women are decisive factors in building sustainable and lasting peace. Therefore, the incorporation of gender perspectives to all aspects of missions and peace processes from peacemaking, reconciliation, peace building, through to stabilization, will enhance operational effectiveness (MacQuarrie, 2006). The How To Gender mainstreaming is the preferred strategy for implementing the goals of UNSCR 1325. It is defined as the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action: it is a strategy for making women an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all missions, peace operations and processes, policies and programs in spheres related to peace (including humanitarian operations, reconstruction and rehabilitation, demobilization, and reintegration). The ultimate goal of this strategy is to achieve gender equality. However, there are significant challenges in linking policy and practice, which are further compounded in an operational theatre. So, how do we do gender mainstreaming, linking policy to practice? One possible tool is Gender Based Analysis (GBA), which has been developed by Status of Women Canada. Gender analysis is an approach that takes social and economic differences between men and women into account to ensure that potential differential impacts of policies, programs and legislation on women and men are identified; and existing and proposed policies, programs and legislation have intended and fair results for women and men, boys and girls (HRDC, 2003). Inherent in the tool is the capability to recognize differences between men and women, and all the various aspects that diversify them, such as age, race, ethnicity, sexuality and socio-economic status. It is a tool that allows us the capacity to recognize how a policy/program/process could impact people differently. The Defence Women s Advisory Organization (DWAO) highly supports the principles of UNSCR 1325 and recognizes the importance of its implementation within the Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces operations. DWAO viewpoint is that the CF is in a position to take the lead in the implementation of UNSCR 1325, as we are already operating with some of the UNSCR 1325 principles in mind. However, the CF must begin recording and monitoring where and how it is currently executing the principles in order to assess the gaps. For example, how many CF women are currently 4/7
serving in Afghanistan and what are their roles/jobs? We need to know where we are before we can determine where we need to go. The When In 2005, the Secretary General called for a UN system-wide action plan for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and a commitment to establishing individual National Action Plans. In October 2006, the Secretary General will deliver the first report to the Security Council on the status of the UN Plan for Implementation of UNSCR 1325 and there will be updates on the status of the individual National Action Plans. A number of Canada s federal government departments are involved in the implementation of UNSCR 1325, each with a specific area of responsibility. Key departments include Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Department of National Defence (DND), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). These key departments are members of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Gender and Peace building, which is chaired by DFAIT. This working group reviews Canadian initiatives currently underway on gender and peace building, discusses possible and anticipated developments on this issue and is responsible for the development of the National Action Plan to implement Resolution 1325 (NAP). (Canada, 2004). DWAO recommends that a DND/CF intradepartmental working group be stood up that will support the ADM(Pol) representative on the Interdepartmental Working Group on Gender and Peace building. Conclusion UNSCR 1325 is unique because it deals exclusively with issues of women, peace and security. It lays down the principle that women must have a role in peace processes and peace building, something that has not occurred throughout most of history. It also stresses the need for gender training for personnel involved with peace support operations. Canada endorses the principle that women s participation is crucial to preventing and resolving conflict and building peace. Without increasing women s participation, the international community could continue to be stuck in a vicious cycle. Therefore, it is imperative that Canada and the international community do all they can to integrate the experience and knowledge of women. Discussion How should/could Canada approach the development of the National Action Plan (NAP) for UNSCR 1325? DWAO perspective is that the NAP must clearly identify what it means to have women in peace support processes. How do we measure success? What does the future look like 5/7
when UNSCR 1325 has been implemented? For example, if a nation determines that the goal is to have 50% of their decision-making levels of their national institutions women, does this guarantee success? Or, does the type of roles/jobs that these women are performing within these national institutions also measure success? What is the role of DND/CF in implementing UNSCR 1325? DWAO recommends that DND/CF take an active role in the implementation of UNSCR 1325, as we are often the first boots on the ground in a given mission, be it armed conflict or humanitarian aid. 6/7
References 1. Canada. (2004). Government of Canada Response to request for information by UN Secretary-General concerning full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. 2. D Strat HR (2006). Change for the Better: Canadian Forces and Human Resources Systems Transformation. The Human Resources and Performance Group The Technical Cooperation Program. National Defence. 3. MacQuarrie, Maj. H. (2006). United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325: A Synopsis of Issues. 4. Gender and Peacebuilding Working Group (GPWG) of the Canadian Peacebuilding Coordinating Committee (CPCC). Fact Sheet Understanding United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. Internet: www.peacebuild.ca. 5. Gender and Peacebuilding Working Group (GPWG) of the Canadian Peacebuilding Coordinating Committee (CPCC). Fact Sheet How can we use Resolution 1325? Internet: www.peacebuild.ca. 6. UNHRC (2006). 2005 Global Refugee Trends Statistical Overview of Populations of Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons, Stateless Persons, and other Persons of Concern to UNHRC. Field Information and Coordination Support Section Division of Operational Services UNHCR Geneva. 7. Lumeya, Fidele (2004). Rape, Islam, and Darfur s Women Refugees and War-Displaced. Refugees International. www.refugeesinternational.org 8. United Nations Department of Public Information DPI/1772/HR (1996). Women and Violence. www.un.org/rights/dpil1772e.htm 9. Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) (2003). Policy on Gender Analysis. Minister of Public Works and Government Services of Canada, Ottawa. 7/7