October 2005: 5th Anniversary Recap & Follow-Up (Part One)

1. FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF RESOLUTION 13252: RECAP & FOLLOW-up (PART ONE)

During October a number of events took place to mark the 5th Anniversary of Resolution 1325. In this first part of our “Recap & Follow-Up” we highlight some of these events, the publications that were released as part thereof and the outcomes of some of the exciting interactive initiatives that took place on-line.

In the second part of this series, to be distributed on 29 November 2005, the PeaceWomen Team hopes to provide information on further events, initiatives and publications that took place and hopes also to provide more in-depth analysis of the Security Council Open Debate and the Secretary General's latest report on the implementation of 1325 (including the Inter-Agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security system-wide action plan). .

The focus in this edition is on events that took place at UN Headquarters in New York and we look forward to receiving from you more information and feedback on events and initiatives that took place elsewhere. We would also very much like to receive your views on the Security Council Open Debate and on the Secretary General's report and the system-wide action plan.

Send feedback, information, analysis and comment to 1325news@peacewomen.org with “Recap & Follow-Up (Part Two) in the subject line.

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NGO WORKING GROUP ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY – OCTOBER ADVOCACY PROGRAM

The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security conducted its October Advocacy Program from 21-28 October 2005. A summary of this program can be found in the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security Update below. As part of its advocacy program, the NGO Working Group released a report on the implementation of Resolution 1325 over the past five years (a report highlighted in an earlier edition of this newsletter).

“From Local to Global – Making Peace Work for Women: NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security - Five Years On Report”
The NGO Working Group is pleased to announce the publication of From Local to Global: Making Peace Work for Women, Security Council Resolution 1325 - Five Years On. This report provides insight into the implementation of SCR 1325 at the United Nations level and examines the progress made by the Security Council in its work as well as in Open Debates. It examines the key bodies responsible for implementing the resolution's provisions – such as the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. It also takes into consideration how the lack of directly allocated resources has impeded progress and implementation.

The report also examines the crucial role of Member States in leading the way to realizing the provisions of SCR 1325 at the local and national level. It looks into the process and the creation of National Action Plans and policies on women, peace and security. It also presents innovations and strategies used by civil society at the local, regional and international level to advance the work on women, peace and security. It considers the power of communication and advocacy – such as translation campaigns to make SCR 1325 available to local communities, the use of global media such as community radio and the Internet, as well as initiatives such as consultations, workshops and peace education.

Above all, this Five Years On Report poses a central question: What would a world in which the principles enshrined in 1325 look like? When peace works for women, it provides a crucial component for creating sustainable peace and development locally and globally. It is our hope that the readers of this report keep this critical vision in mind.

For the full report CLICK HERE

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UN SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
United Nations Headquarters, New York, 27 October 2005

The Permanent Mission of Romania, which held the Security Council Presidency during the month of October, organized this debate that took place on 27 October 2005. All 15 members of the Security Council, 26 Member States, 3 UN Agencies, 2 intergovernmental bodies and 2 Civil Society representatives made interventions.

Governmental, UN and Civil Society Statements:

Security Council Members:
Algeria, Argentina, Benin, Brazil, China, Denmark, France, Greece, Japan, Philippines, Romania, Tanzania, United Kingdom (on behalf of EU), United States

Non-Security Council Members:
Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada (for the Human Security Network), Croatia, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Germany, Guinea, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Myanmar, Namibia (for SADC), Norway, Peru, Samoa, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Sweden

UN & Civil Society:
Ý Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations
Ý Rachel Mayanja , Assistant Secretary-General, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women
Ý Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director - United Nations Development Fund for Women
Ý Sweeta Noori, Country Director - Women for Women International Afghanistan
Ý Hélène Dandi Lou, President - Vision et Action des Femmes Africaines contre les Guerres (VAFAG) (Vision and Action of African Women Against Wars)
Ý Elsie-Bernadette Onubogu, Gender Adviser of the Commonwealth Secretariat
Ý Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

For the full statements CLICK HERE

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Thematic compilation of statements at UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security:

The PeaceWomen Project has compiled excerpts, arranged by theme, from statements made during the Security Council Open Debate held on 27 October 2005.

Themes and samples of excerpts featured in the compilation:

Security Council Mechanism for Implementation & Integration of UNSCR 1325

Fiji
For five years, the Security Council has been seized with the issue on "Women, Peace and Security" and now that we have an Action Plan, we ought to move forward and establish a focal point and an expert level working youp to ensure the integration of resolution 1325 in the Council's work.

UN System Implementation and Integration of UNSCR 1325

Tanzania
We are encouraged by the adoption of a system-wide action plan on the implementation of the resolution. The action plan presents us with an implementation framework that will allow for co-ordination and collaboration amongst various UN bodies. It will also provide us with a monitoring framework upon which to measure the results.
Requisite resources, both financial and human, need to be made available for the successful implementation of the action plan.
Sri Lanka
....[I]t is essential that the Security Council... request the Secretary General to update, monitor and review the UN System-wide Action Plan, on an annual basis

National Implementation Mechanisms – National Action Plans

Denmark
Denmark believes that national action plans are the first steps on the way. We urge other member states to systematize their efforts and develop national action plans to ensure the implementation of 1325. The members of the Security Council could lead the process and set the example.
As member states, we also have an obligation to implement the resolution in the best and most effective way. In June the Danish government launched a National Action Plan for implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325. It is a firm Danish commitment to implement all elements of 1325. The Action Plan is a result of fruitful cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense in Denmark. It outlines a series of political and operational actions engaging foreign, defense and development cooperation policies. Each of equal importance for the full implementation of the recommendations in 1325.

Women's Participation in: peace negotiations & agreements, reconstruction processes, conflict prevention & early warning

Canada (for the Human Security Network)
Women are highly active and effective in informal peace processes. The challenge lies in their participation in formal processes where peace agreements are negotiated. There, women have been "frozen out" of the peace process and left no room at the peace table.

In addition, a further challenge is that formal peace processes rarely take gender perspectives into account. The Human Security Network is committed to taking concrete steps to enhance women's role and integrate gender equality in peace processes more effectively, thereby strengthening the legitimacy of decision-making processes and in so doing assisting in laying the groundwork for a meaningful and sustainable peace for all. The Network maintains that involvement of all of society at every step, including women and women's groups, is crucial to the enduring success of the entire peace process, from negotiation to implementation of a peace agreement. In order to achieve this, capacity building on gender equality, women's rights and the gender differentiated experiences of security is required for all actors, both men and women, as is an active search for women leaders.

Liechtenstein
Strengthening women's capacity as peacemakers must be pursued in parallel with increasing women's participation. At the same time, women need to be encouraged and empowered to hold decision making positions. Creating awareness of peace negotiations as a tool for achieving gender equality is essential.

Against this background, Liechtenstein has consistently been advocating the appointment of women as special representatives and envoys of the Secretary-General. Such appointments could play a major catalytic role for the stronger involvement of women in peace processes, especially when they reach more formal stages. They would also strengthen the awareness of the need to mainstream gender issues not only into peace processes but also into other political processes. We are of the view that the number and consistency of such appointments should become an essential element for the review of the implementation of resolution 1325 and part of an overall assessment with regard to the nomination of women in upper echelons of peacemaking, peacekeeping and peace-building. At the same time we are aware of the need to provide the Secretary General with names of potential, well-qualified candidates for such posts. We therefore invite all interested States and NGOs to join forces in gathering the necessary information to make the appointment of women to such posts not only a high priority but a recurring reality.

Peacebuilding Commission

United Kingdom (on behalf of EU)
The EU believes that the Peacebuilding Commission should, as part of its mandate, ensure that women and women's groups are represented in peace processes, thus enabling them to play an essential role. Member States and organisations involved in the work of the Peacebuilding Commission should bear in the mind the desirability of gender balance in all meetings of the Peacebuilding Commission. National ownership of any peace process is vital to its success. The UN system is already doing much to ensure that the local population, and especially, women are able to play their part in peacebuilding efforts. The Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Support Office should build on this.

Austria
The creation of a Peacebuilding Commission provides us with a unique opportunity to ensure the involvement of women in UN-led peacebuilding processes. The Peacebuilding Commission should ensure, as parts of its mandate, that women and women's groups are represented in peace processes, thus enabling them to play a meaningful role. Concerning the structure of the Peacebuilding Commission, Member State and organisations involved in its work should bear in mind the desirability of gender balance in all meetings of the Peacebuilding Commission. Austria believes that a Gender Advisor should participate in all meetings of the Peacebuilding Commission in its country specific configurations in accordance with para 100 lit. d of the outcome document of the 2005 Summit.

Gender & Peacekeeping

Norway
Norway has offered to finance a study for the DPKO on lessons learned and best practices regarding how effective implementation of a gender perspective can contribute to the success of a peace mission.
...Gender awareness must be recognised as the basis for the successful design and implementation of all post-conflict work.
...Also important is the notion that incorporating a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations means ensuring that sex-disaggregated data are included in the Secretary-General's reports to the Security Council. This is necessary to understand the reality experienced in the field by women, men, girls and boys.

South Africa
My delegation also wishes to reiterate its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of all acts of sexual misconduct by all categories of personnel in UN Peacekeeping Missions. In this regard, South Africa welcomes the comprehensive report on sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations Peacekeeping Personnel (A/59/710). South Africa expresses its support to the efforts of the United Nations to fully implement codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and enhance monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. We note with appreciation, the strategies and actions included in the System-wide Action Plan to fully implement those codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures.

Gender Based Violence: Information & Accountability

United Kingdom (on behalf of EU)
The EU also condemns all violations of the human rights of women and girls in situations of armed conflict and the use of sexual exploitation, violence and abuse. The EU urges the complete cessation by all parties, including UN staff, related personnel and partners, of such acts with immediate effect. The EU stresses the need to end impunity for such acts as part of a comprehensive approach to seeking peace, justice, truth and national reconciliation and to develop and fully implement codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures. Sexual and gender based violence affects not only women, but families and societies as well, and adds to the creation of a culture of violence. Promoting both the ratification and implementation of CEDAW, human rights education for boys and girls, and ending impunity for perpetrators of sexual and gender based violence, will create a safer and more sustainable environment for women's participation.

Samoa (on behalf of Pacific Islands Forum)
The Security Council must act to protect the most vulnerable. Special attention must be paid to the specific protection needs of women and girls to prevent gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict. Security Council must call for the prosecution of those who commit crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes including those relating to sexual and other violence against women and girls. There can be no impunity for such crimes.

Financial Support for Implementation of 1325

OSAGI
The success of the implementation of the [Secretary-General's action] plan depends on five factors [including] sufficient resources to do the job.

Brazil
The report also mentions that it is necessary to increase financial support for implementation of resolution 1325, including through extrabudgetary resources.

In Recap & Follow-Up (Part Two) we hope to provide a more comprehensive analysis of the statements in relation to these themes and, in particular, to highlight movement from last year's debate and to note remaining gaps and challenges, evident from the statements, in these thematic areas.

For index and links to this thematic compilation CLICK HERE

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Report Of The Un Secretary-General On The Implementation Of 1325
10 October 2005
The UN Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI), in coordination with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security, is coordinating the inputs from the UN system, Member States and others for the Secretary-General's report on implementation of Resolution 1325. In its presidential statement S/PRST/2004/40, the Security Council requested the Secretary-General to submit to it, in October 2005, an action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security across the United Nations system, with a view to strengthening commitment and accountability at the highest levels, as well as to allow for improved accountability, monitoring and reporting on progress on implementation within the United Nations system.
Including the Inter-Agency Task Force on Women and Peace and Security system-wide action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).

For the full report CLICK HERE

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National Action Plans on 1325: Panel Discussion & Guide
INSTRAW panel, United Nations Headquarters, New York, 26 October 2005

“Securing Equality, Engendering Peace: A Guide To Planning On Women Peace And Security”
One of today's greatest challenges is turning policy into practice in the realm of women's rights and gender equality, where the commitments made at the international level have yet to be fully realized at the ground level. The purpose of this INSTRAW guide is to help facilitate the development of effective plans of action on women, peace and security through providing good practices, specific recommendations and a six-step model process. The guide is designed as a resource for governments, United Nations and regional organizations as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who are interested in, or in the process of, developing plans and policies on women, peace and security issues.

The full guide CLICK HERE

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Panel Discussion on the Responsibility to Protect and Security Council Resolution 1325
Canadian Mission to the UN, New York, 26 October 2005

“A Sight for Sore Eyes: Bringing Gender Vision to the Responsibility to Protect Framework”
This INSTRAW report seeks to highlight the absence of gender perspectives in current formulations of the doctrine of responsibility to Protect. This doctrine, which attempts to delineate state responsibility in times of humanitarian crisis, has gained international prominence in recent years and received endorsement from World leaders at the 2005 World Summit in September. It affirms that each state has the primary responsibility to protect its own people, but asserts that where the perpetration of genocide, ethnic cleansing or crimes against humanity is imminent or taking place, and the state in question is unwilling or unable to halt or avert it, the responsibility to protect shifts to the international community.
The report while noting the increased international salience of this principle, argues for an incorporation of current issues, experiences and obligations under the framework of women peace and security as particularly outlined in Security Council Resolution 1325.

For the full report CLICK HERE

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Panel Discussion: Women and Elections & Launch: Guide to Women's Participation in Post-Conflict Elections
DPA/OSAGI, United Nations Headquarters, New York, 25 October 2005

“Women & Elections: Guide To Promoting The Participation Of Women In Elections”
There is growing recognition that stable peace and national prosperity can only be achieved when institutions are democratic and representative of all groups of society. The United Nations' support for electoral processes now plays a pivotal role in many peace-keeping and peace-building activities. Enhancing women's participation in electoral processes in post-conflict countries is an integral part of these efforts. It is also in keeping with the many instruments and declarations that Member States have adopted to promote the situation of women worldwide.

The current handbook is intended to provide a quick reference guide to assist headquarters and field-based actors from the United Nations, Governments and civil society working to promote greater participation of women in electoral processes in post-conflict countries. The handbook found its inspiration in the issues and findings of the Expert Group meeting held in Glen Cove, NY, in January 2004, organized jointly by the Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) and the Electoral Assistance Division of the Department of Political Affairs (EAD), as well as in the knowledge and experience accumulated by the United Nations in assisting countries that emerge from conflict. The handbook was prepared by OSAGI and EAD in consultation with a network of experts from within and outside the Organisation.
Extract from Forward by Carina Perelli, Director, Electoral Assistance Division, Department of Political Affairs

For the full report visit: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/wps/index.html#pub

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Panel discussion on Gender Mainstreaming in Peacekeeping Operations
DPKO, United Nations Headquarters, New York, 28 October 2005

Convened by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to discuss the progress of gender mainstreaming efforts in peacekeeping operations. This event also marked the launch of the first departmental progress report on gender mainstreaming in Peacekeeping Operations.

“Gender Mainstreaming In Peacekeeping Operations: A Progress Report”
This report is the first effort by DPKO to chronicle the progress and challenges related to gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping operations, as called for in UNSCR 1325. It seeks to provide an overview of key policy and operational interventions being supported by gender units in peacekeeping operations, in functional areas such as DDR. It also provides profiles of strategies and approaches being used to implement gender mainstreaming in various peacekeeping missions around the world, while outlining some of the practical challenges of gender mainstreaming activities.

For the full report CLICK HERE

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The 2005 Peace Building Cyberdialogues on UNSCR 1325: Linking New York, Kampala, Monrovia, Oslo, Dili, Bougainville, Bangkok and more
27 October 2005, The International Women's Tribune Center

As part of the 5th anniversary of United Nations Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on women, peace and security, the International Women's Tribune Centre in collaboration with Isis-WICCE convened a Peace-Building CyberDialogue on UNSCR 1325. Envisioned as a global town hall meeting, this 'real time' discussion with voice and web camera facilities, connected women working on peace-building issues at the national and community levels with gender advocates, policy makers and diplomats meeting at the UN as well as with women attending the Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) International Forum in Bangkok, Thailand.

Women gathered in Nepal, the Philippines, Timor Leste, Uganda and Zimbabwe as well as in Bangkok, Thailand and New York, USA to discuss their experiences with using UNSCR 1325, including ways to use the resolution to strengthen women's participation in key decision-making bodies that deal with peace and security issues and the issues that they want to bring to the attention of decision makers. Participants in New York included Rachel Mayanja, the Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women. Ms. Mayanja noted the women's concerns and suggestions and took their messages to the Open Debate of the UN Security Council, which took place immediately following the CyberDialogue.

Peace activists from Burma and the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as advocates from Canada who came for the UN Security Council Meeting in New York also joined the peace-building cyberdialogues.

Some of the key points that participants in the cyberdialogues raised were:

∑ the need to ensure that women understand SCR 1325 and along with this, their need to be trained to gain skills in negotiation and in understanding and analyzing conflict - so that they can participate more effectively in discussions and negotiations on peace and security issues
∑ the need to educate the general public to develop a broad constituency of people who are aware of the issues [arising from conflict and those that bring about conflict] and how these can impact on their daily lives
∑ and the global policies and instruments that people can use to address these issuesRachel Mayanja, underscored the need to demand member states to take action against the use of women's bodies as battlegrounds during conflict. She said that they are now requesting more gender trainers and a standardized curriculum at national and local level and at the international level. 'We would like to request that the Security Council insists on all member states to implement SCR 1325 and put in a reporting mechanism', she added.

The cyberdialogue participants were unanimous in demanding protection for women from rape and sexual violence, putting an end to impunity and prosecution for those responsible for rape and other forms of sexual violence.

They also expressed concern on how to make this resolution more binding and in holding governments more accountable.

IWTC recorded the conversations during the cyberdialogues. These will be edited to produce local language radio programs in Africa and Asia-Pacific that will be aired in local communities, especially those that are affected by conflict or are in the process of reconstruction. In many other discussion spaces on UN SCR 1325 it has been pointed out that it is one thing to translate the SCR 1325 into different languages, but it must also be ensured that it is accessible in popular mediums and formats that people could relate to and understand.

IWTC is interested in partnering with organizations who use information, communication and education to facilitate women's participation in all levels of policy and decision-making on peace and security issues.

Mavic Cabrera-Balleza
International Women's Tribune Centre

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Women making a difference" - online conversation on UN Resolution 1325
Rosemary Bechler and the 1325 team at openDemocracy

To the UN, from Women Making a Difference
October 28, 2005
Women from around the world are meeting at the UN in New York to lobby for the full implementation of UN SCR 1325. Our Women Making a Difference bloggers make their proposals for the UN and EU.

32 women who have fought against violent conflict from Cambodia to Sierra Leone, have come together in our Women Making a Difference blog over the last month to ask: How does Security Council Resolution 1325 on women peace and security affect us? Has it made any difference and what difference could it make? They have been speaking in a personal capacity, drawing on their personal experience, and that of organisations to which they belong.

Now, as women delegated from around the world to lobby for the full implementation of UN SCR 1325 meet in New York, our bloggers are sending their message to the United Nations and European Union. There has been consensus on some issues, though not on others, and a strong desire on all sides to communicate with the wider world. This message summarises the ideas and concerns they have shared, and gives a few direct comments from the blog. On the eve of 1325's fifth anniversary, we hope it will contribute to a renewal of word and deed.

For the full version of this article CLICK HERE

For more on this initiative CLICK HERE

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2. FEATURE rePORT

Beyond Conflict Prevention: How Women Prevent Violence and Build Sustainable Peace
Global Action to Prevent War & Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

In honor of the 5th Anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325, Global Action to Prevent War and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom have published a book on the role of women in peacekeeping and conflict prevention. Entitled Beyond Conflict Prevention: How Women Prevent Violence and Build Sustainable Peace by Camille Conaway and Anjalina Sen, this book presents the diverse contributions of women to conflict prevention – as traditionally defined by global policymakers and framed by the principles of human security and women's experiences. The book combines desk-based research and a series of interviews with women peacebuilders from around the globe. It is hoped that the presentation of their views, knowledge, experience and recommendations assists advocacy efforts to promote women's participation in conflict prevention.

The book outlines:
∑ Key policies and tools to promote women's role in conflict prevention and the relevant actors and their activities at the international, regional, and national level.
∑ Women's contributions to operational conflict prevention, specifically early warning and response, as well as a discussion of gender-sensitive indicators of conflict.
∑ Women's activities for structural prevention, framed around the pillars of post-conflict reconstruction; examples of women's contributions to human security--extending beyond traditional definitions of conflict prevention.
∑ The "best practices" and specific strategies to support and enhance women's efforts in all types and phases of conflict prevention.

Sample cases in the report:

OPERATIONAL PREVENTION INITIATIVES:
∑ Early Warning: Zimbabwe: Raising Awareness of Escalating Instability; Fiji: Building Local Capacity for Early Warning
∑ Early Response: Nigeria: Intervening to Facilitate Nonviolent Solutions

STRUCTURAL PREVENTION INITIATIVES
∑ Negotiating and Maintaining Peace Agreements: Uganda: Negotiating with Combatants; Armenia And Azerbaijan: People-to-People Peacebuilding
∑ Defining and Promoting "Security": Bouganville: Partnering with Security Institutions to Prevent Violence; Brazil: Re-Defining War, Peace and Conflict Prevention
∑ Promoting Human Rights and Good Governance: Angola: Providing Civic Education for Elections
∑ Enhancing Justice and Reconcilliation: Serbia: Demanding Justice and Supporting Accountability; Haiti: Seeking Justice, Caring for Victims of Sexual Violence
∑ Facilitating Sustainable Socio-Economic Development: Sri Lanka: Integrating Peacebuilding into Tsunami Reconstruction; Zimbabwe: Transforming Conflict Through Economic Self-Sufficiency for Youth

To Request a hard copy, please mail a check for $10 addressed to Global Action to Prevent War to:
Global Action to Prevent War
211 East 43rd St., Suite 1204
New York, NY 10017

Please include your mailing address and either an e-mail address or telephone number for confirmation.

Follow-up:
A round-table discussion of Beyond Conflict Prevention will occur in mid-November, and will include representatives from various organizations working on Resolution 1325, experts on women and conflict prevention, UN mission representatives, and interested individuals. For more information, please e-mail Waverly de Bruijn at coordinator@globalactionpw.org

For an electronic version of the report CLICK HERE

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For NGO and civil society reports, papers and statements, UN and government reports, and books, journals and articles on women, peace and security issues, please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/resourcesindex.html

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3. FEATURE STATEMENTS

Arria Formula Meeting on Women, Peace and Security
United Nations Headquarters, New York, 25 October 2005

On 25 October 2005, the government of Denmark, as a member of the Security Council, hosted an Arria Formula meeting, an informal, off-the-record meeting, on women, peace and security in order to mark the anniversary of UNSC Resolution 1325. Many, although not all, members of the Council attended the meeting, and there was significant attendance by Permanent Representatives and Deputy Permanent Representatives from the Missions.

Extracts From The Statements Of Civil Society Presenters:

The Council heard from the following presenters:

• Goretti Ndacayisaba, Program Executive - Dushirehamwe (Let's Reconcile) (Burundi)
We positively appreciate, the efforts of the United Nations through the work of the gender unit of the United Nations Mission in Burundi (ONUB), which has greatly helped Burundian women sensitize the government in the introduction of gender perspectives in the electorate process.

We also would like to salute the contribution of international organizations and of United Nations agencies that have assisted Burundian women in the peace negotiation processes and in the organization of elections that resulted in an effective participation of women in the institutions from top to bottom. For example we will list organizations such as: International Alert, TROCARE, UNIFEM, UNDP and UNESCO.

Burundi's present political situation is marked by progress in the democratic process and in the reinforcement of good governance as a result of a successful election process. The country is nonetheless still very fragile because of the five (5) following challenges for which I will prescribe recommendations for actions:

…First, I will insist on the persistent insecurity caused by the National Liberation Front (a combatant group); an insecurity that is taking bigger proportions and is having damaging effects on women and children who are always displaced towards refugee's territories.

We are asking to the Security Council through ONUB to use all its power to impose urgent measures against the LNF with the goal of protecting civilian victims of continuous and aggravating treatments. The women living in combat zones have direct experiences of NLF exactions (abuses) and should therefore be at the center of the cease-fire negotiations.

We propose that women network like ours be consulted to assure that conflict zones like Bujumbura Rurale can have appropriate (adequate) representation. These women already have an expertise in conflict transformation (resolution) Because Burundi Security is largely contingent upon the regional situation, we propose that the United Nations apply the recommendations of the Great Lakes Regional Conference on Peace, Security and Development.

We recommend that the United Nations take the engagement of bringing necessary resources so that women can develop the National Actions Plans pertaining to this conference.

For the full statement by Goretti Ndacayisaba CLICK HERE and click on link

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• Basma Fahkri, as representative for Hanaa Edwar (Iraq)

We, as Iraqi women, representing more than 55 percent of the Iraqi population, want to make it clear that our demand of more guarantees for women in the constitution does not concern only women's rights, it concerns the adherence to the rule of law and the creation of a true democracy in which all people's voices are represented, it concerns the preservation of Iraqi unity.

We therefore record our reservation to the constitution because the bulk of the document is aimed at weakening state power and laws and will instead benefit religious, sectarian, tribal and regional establishments. Hence it will consolidate stereotypical images of women and will subordinate universal human and woman's rights. The new constitution is deceptive in asserting that its human rights provisions are "guarantees" – since the actual status of basic rights is left to future decisions by Sharia judges, who may decide that it conflicts with their version of Islam and so are null and void.

….The Security Council has a crucial role to play in helping us (Iraqi women's movement) in promoting the rule of law by enforcing and upholding Iraq's obligations under international law and specifically Resolutions 1325 and 1546.

For the full statement by Basma Fahkri CLICK HERE and click on link

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• Vina Nadjibulla, Representative - NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security

….I will limit my comments today to three specific points regarding the UN and national implementation of the resolution and women's participation in peacebuilding processes.
• First, in order to ensure the integration of resolution 1325 into its ongoing work, we recommend that the Security Council establish a focal point and an expert level working group on women, peace and security.
• Second, we urge Member States to develop national strategies and action plans for the coordinated integration of women, peace and security issues at the national level.
• And third, we stress that women and a gender perspective should be included in all peacebuilding processes and institutions including in the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Support Office.

……While resolution 1325 can advance gender mainstreaming in the United Nations, Member States also play a critical role in implementing the resolution by incorporating policy on women, peace and security at the national level. Even though the 2004 Presidential Statement on women, peace and security called for the development of National Action Plans, to date only six Member States have begun work on such action plans. The Working Group urges Member States to develop adequately funded national action plans and strategies on women, peace and security based on consultations with civil society organizations, and with specific time-bound targets, monitoring and reporting mechanism.

For the full statement by Vina Nadjibulla, CLICK HERE and click on link

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For full statements from the Arria Meeting CLICK HERE

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4. WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY NEWS

AFRICA FINALLY GETS FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT AS DEFEATED SOCCER TSAR CALLS FOR PEACE
November 15, 2005 - (IRIN) Africa won its first female president on Tuesday when counting ended in Liberia's historic presidential poll, with former World Bank economist Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf garnering 59.4 percent against former soccer star George Weah. "Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has received 4778,526 votes corresponding to 59.4 percent and George Weah has received 327,046 votes corresponding to 40.6 percent,” said the head of the election commission, Frances Johnson-Morris.

SECURITY COUNCIL URGES PROTECTING WOMEN IN WAR, EMPOWERING THEM AS PEACEMAKERS
October 27, 2005 - (UN News): Five years after adopting a resolution on protecting women who are victims of war and helping them play a greater role as peacemakers, the United Nations Security Council today stressed the importance of accelerating implementation of the landmark measure.

WOMEN DESIGN NEW NATIONAL FRAMEWORK ON GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
October 25, 2005 – (The Analyst) Women in Liberia are presently engaged in sharing experiences on sexually gender-based violence intended to afford them the opportunity to develop a national framework on gender protection.

MYANMAR'S AUNG SAN SUU KYI IN DETENTION 10 YEARS: ACTIVISTS
October 24, 2005 – (BurmaNet) Myanmar's pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday marked what her supporters said is a total of 10 years in detention, as campaigners overseas pushed the United Nations to take strong action.

WOMEN AGREE NEW AREAS FOR ACTION
November 14, 2005 - (IPS): Experts have agreed new areas for "aid architecture" to promote gender equality and women's rights. Five steps -- political space, participation, a secure knowledge base, accountability, and the simplification of key issues -- are essential so women's rights are not lost in growing development cooperation, experts agreed at a United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) conference here last week.

For more country-specific women, peace and security news, CLICK HERE

For more international women, peace and security news, CLICK HERE

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5.A GENDER AND PEACEKEEPING UPDATE

REPORT ON SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE & NEWS

Panel Discussion and Launch Of Refugees International Report On Sexual Exploitation And Abuse In UN Peacekeeping
October 18, 2005
On October 18 2005, the Permanent Mission of Tanzania to the UN and Refugees International, hosted a panel discussion on the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers. The event also marked the launch of a Refugee International report on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in UN Peacekeeping Missions.
The Panelists included His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, Permanenst Representative of the Jordanian Mission to the UN and author of the report, "A comprehensive strategy to eliminate future sexual exploitation and abuse in UN peacekeeping operations." Also speaking were Anna Shotton, Focal Point on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and Sarah Martin of Refugees International. The event was moderated by H.E. Mr. Augustine Mahiga of Tanzania, Permanent Representative to the Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania to the UN

To view the Refugees International Report "Must Boys Be Boys? Ending Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in UN Peacekeeping Missions" CLICK HERE

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SECRETARY-GENERAL NAMES TEAM OF EXPERTS TO STUDY BEST WAYS TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY OF UN PEACEKEEPERS
October 24, 2005 (UN Press Release) United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed a group of legal experts to conduct a study on the best ways to ensure that United Nations staff members and experts on mission who serve in peacekeeping operations and who commit crimes during their peacekeeping assignments can be held criminally accountable in a manner consistent with due process of law.

UN PEACEKEEPING CHIEF URGES STATES TO POLICE THEIR TROOPS AGAINST SEX ABUSE
October 21, 2005- (UN News Service): Pledging further action to root out sexual abuse by peacekeepers, a senior United Nations official has urged countries contributing troops to the world body's operations to do their part to end the scourge.

REPORT FINDS U.N. ISN'T MOVING TO END SEX ABUSE BY PEACEKEEPERS
October 18, 2005 (New York Times) - The United Nations has developed procedures to curb sexual abuse by peacekeepers, but the measures are not being put into force because of a deep-seated culture of tolerating sexual exploitation, an independent review reported Tuesday.

For PeaceWomen's Peacekeeping Watch index CLICK HERE

For more gender and peacekeeping news CLICK HERE

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6. NGOWG UPDATE

MAKING PEACE WORK FOR WOMEN: SCR 1325 FIFTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY
New York, October 17-28, 2005

Iraq, Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Colombia…NO Women. NO Peace.
To mark the 5th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security brought six leading international peacemakers to United Nations Headquarters in New York. These six women peacebuilders met and spoke with senior UN officials, government representatives, and civil society leaders, as well as international press, on ways to fully involve women in peace and security decision-making in their countries.

On October 25th the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations hosted an Arria-style Security Council meeting. Four civil society representatives were able to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Council members on ways to better integrate the provisions of SCR 1325 in the daily work of the Security Council.

On October 27th the Security Council, under the Presidency of Romania, held an Open Debate on the role of women in peacemaking and peacebuilding. Two civil society representatives—Sweeta Noori from Afghanistan and Helen Dandi from Cote d'Ivoire—addressed the Council on the implementation of SCR 1325 in their countries.

The NGO Working Group in partnership with women peace advocates from around the world called on the Security Council and governments to:
1. Develop national policies to ensure women's equal participation in peace and security decision-making
2. Ensure women's equal participation and integration of women's concerns in the work of the Peacebuilding Commission
3. End impunity for gender-based violence and protect women's human rights

In addition, the NGOWG and the six women peacemakers organized and participated in a number of panels during the week, including a panel on the Responsibility to Protect and Security Council Resolution 1325, on National Implementation of SCR 1325, and on the Role of Women in National Elections.

In collaboration with the Department of Public Information, NGOWG organized 26 interviews and press events.

For the schedule of events and in-depth information CLICK HERE

For more information about the NGOWG, CLICK HERE.

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7. WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY CALENDAR

Seminar: Human Trafficking and Peacekeeping Operations: Research Findings and Legislative Responses
17 November 2005, 10:30am - 12:00pm, Washington, DC
Refugees International, Russia & Eurasia Program of Center for Strategic and International Studies.
When peacekeepers commit or facilitate human rights abuses, they prolong deployments and undermine missions. The panel discussion will focus on the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse, particularly human trafficking in peacekeeping operations. We will explore ways that U.S. policy can be changed to end human trafficking in peacekeeping missions around the world.

B1C Conference Room
1800 K St. NW
RSVP to Alina Tourkova:
Tel: 202.775.3259
Fax: 202.775.3199
Email: atourkova@csis.org

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Training: Gender, Development and Participatory Governance
14 November - 2 December 2005, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)

For further details on course contents, entrance requirements and registration, please visit the course website
http://www.kit.nl/development/html/gdpg.asp or write to: gender@kit.nl

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Global Women's Court of Accountability
November 17 – 18 2005, San Diego, California
Joan B Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, University of San Diego
The Global Women's Court of Accountability will be a Public Hearing on Gross Violations of Women's Human Rights during Conflict and the Power of International Instruments to address these Gender-based Crimes. The Court of Accountability hopes to examine the urgency and reality of what happens to women in conflict and postconflict situations and the power and use of the instruments and laws designed to protect them. It is anticipated this public hearing format will encourage greater public understanding and support for the inclusion of women in access to and construction of appropriate opportunities to gain a just peace and engage in rehabilitation.

For more information on this event, please visit: http://peace.sandiego.edu/programs/GlobalWomensCourtPg.html

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16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
November 25 - December 10 2005
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991. Participants chose the dates, November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights.

For more information on this year's theme, events and activities, please visit: www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/about.html

For the complete calendar, CLICK HERE.

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