Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Mission in Liberia

Date: 
Monday, April 16, 2012
Countries: 
Liberia
Report Analysis: 

  • There is a notable lack of attention to WPS concerns in the Secretary-General’s reporting concerning the impending military reduction and drawdown of UNMIL following the inauguration of Liberia’s government in 2012. Transition benchmarks are notably devoid of gender disaggregated data.

  • Detailing the results of the elections, the Secretary-General notes that of the 73 member House of Representatives, only 33 percent of incumbents were successful in their re-election bids, noting, in para 8, that female representation dropped from 13 percent to 7 percent.

  • While the Secretary-General noted, in para 18, that the assessment mission expressed particular concern about the continuing vulnerability of women and girls to sexual violence, he did not provide information on progress in sensitizing and developing the capacity of Liberian institutions in regard to issues of gender, sexual and gender-based violence, and sexual exploitation and abuse.

  • The Secretary-General updated the status of the benchmarks detailed in his report of 14 February 2011 (S/2011/72, annex): (a) the completion and implementation of a strategy and plan for the handover of security responsibilities from UNMIL to national authorities; (b) the institutionalization of the national security strategy; (c) the effective maintenance of law and order by national security institutions; (d) enhanced national capacity to secure and control the borders; (e) the increased effectiveness of State authority throughout Liberia; and (f) the conduct of peaceful, credible and accepted national elections in 2011, however in his reporting on the implementation of these standards, he did not include discussion of WPS.

  • Attention to the unique concerns faced by women would have been particularly salient in reporting on the maintenance of law and order section with inclusion of gender disaggregated data on the makeup and training statistics of the police force and in the section on peaceful, credible and accepted elections where reporting on the assessment mission found that the benchmark relating to elections had been achieved. Reporting on the inclusion and participation of women in political party reform efforts is notably absent.

Analysis of country reports is provided by the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security.

Security Council Agenda Geographical Topic: 
Liberia
The report includes the findings and recommendations of the technical assessment mission to Liberia and provides an update on major developments since the Secretary General's last report dated 5 August 2011 (S/2011/497).