WILPF US Policy Paper on US National Action Plans(NAP)

Background

In October 2010, Secretary of the State, Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her commitment to creating and implementing a U.S. 1325 National Action Plan (NAP) recognizing that “countries are more peaceful and prosperous when women are accorded full and equal rights and opportunity." Upon hearing the announcement, WILPF US section drafted a petition affirming the U.S.'s commitment and developed a multi-dimensional approach to ensure that the U.S. 1325 NAP would not merely be a tool for making women in war more safe, but also to advance the status of women everywhere and to prevent future wars.

Following that, WILPF US section drafted a petition; white paper and advocated for these consults.

US-WILPF Campaign

includes:
1. Branch Actions to raise awareness of UN SCR 1325 and outreach on the Whistleblower Movie.
2. The creation and distribution of a WILPF U.S. Policy Paper on the 1325 NAP.
3. Five civil society consultations / listening sessions hosted by WILPF.

WILPF U.S. Policy Paper

WILPF US has drafted a Policy Paper on the proposed NAP on SCR 1325 specifically calling for a "Human Security" approach, domestic application and broad and inclusive civil society consultations. WILPF US demanded that grassroots women's organizations were involved in the development of this National Action Plan, and offered to host consultations where U.S. women's voices could be heard. The State Department agreed to attend these consultations or listening sessions organized by WILPF branches.

To ensure that the U.S. 1325 National Action Plan (NAP) adheres to the fundamental goals of SCR 1325—as means for preventing and resolving armed conflict and establishing sustainable peace through the increased status and participation of women—this paper calls for: (i.) a human security framework; (ii.) an internal/domestic and external application of SCR 1325; and (iii.) civil society consultation during the development and implementation of the NAP. This paper explores how: An internal and external framework, inclusion of civil society participation, and U.S. domestic application of SCR 1325 is necessary to realizing the full transformation potential of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

WILPF Consultations

WILPF advocated and organised five consultations to take place during September/October to provide input and direction on the development of U.S. 1325 NAP. Representatives from the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues (S/GWI), U.S. Department of State will attend. Maria Butler, Director of WILPF's PeaceWoman Project at our UN Office, will be the facilitator for our civil society consults, and Theresa DeLangis, a US WILPF representative, member of WILPF Sub-committee on 1325 and international consultant on women's human rights in conflict settings, will be the coordinator of the output documents.

Information and recommendations collected from these consultations will be added to the information gathered through the online survey, analyzed, and summarized in a formal report presented to the State Department. WILPF's US national office will continue to participate in the 1325 working groups in Washington.

Our goals with the consultations include:
• Outreach to a broad base of the population to highlight the unheard voices and perspectives of women.
• Mobilize partners at local and national, and establish new coalitions
• Establish a precedent and good practice in holding civil society consultations on the women, peace and security issues.
• Link local and national work on women's rights and security.
• Formulate recommendation and impact the drafting of the national action plan.
• Build awareness and political will in support of women, peace and security and the human security approach.
• Collect and use data generated (e.g. basis for a voters' guide on Women, Peace and Security for the 2012 election cycle)
• Contribute to monitoring and implementation of this national policy.

Call to Action:
• Participate in consultations
• Learn more – see peacewomen.org and wilpf.org
• Keep informed – subscribe to US WILPF newsletter and PeaceWomen.org newsletter
• Participate in online survey on the US NAP and "like" our Facebook page
• Join WILPF US or WILPF branch
• Donate to WILPF