Golan Heights (S/2013/542)

The Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for the period from 1 July to 12 September 2013 was submitted to the Security Council on dated 12 September 2013 (S/2013/542).

The Report of the Secretary-General, dated 12 September 2013 (S/2013/542), discusses the activities of UNDOF over athe past three month periods pursuant to the mandate laid out in rResolution 350 (1974) and extended by rResolution 2108 (2013). The report was structured around three sections, including an introduction; the situation in the area and the activities of the Force; and concludes with the Secretary-General’s observations.  The report discussed the challenges in maintaining the ceasefire between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic, the continual efforts of UNDOF in observing and reporting breaches of the ceasefire line, and the humanitarian assistance efforts of UNDOF.

Women, peace and security issues weare not referenced in the report.

A gender perspective was not incorporated when discussing the humanitarian assistance efforts of UNDOF and in the training of civilian personnel.  Furthermore, no attention was given to the link between the flow of arms and the impact on the lives of women. The failure to adopt a gender perspective in relation to these key issues represented a significant missed opportunity in promoting women’s human rights.

In relation to the recommendations put forth in the December 2012 MAP, the report’s record was inadequate.[1] The most recent MAP published prior to this report, emphasized the following points: the inclusion of gender-specific language; support for women affected by the current crisis; engagement of women in political solutions to the violence; gender-specific humanitarian responses; and mandatory comprehensive gender training for troops as part of UNDOF’s mandate renewal. As with the mandate renewal, the Council missed an opportunity to include a gender perspective and made no mention of women, peace, and security in the current report.

The absence of women, peace, and security issues in the Secretary General report of 12 September 2013 (S/2013/542) was on par with the previous Secretary General report of 12 June 2013 (S/2013/345). Neither report incorporated a gender lens when discussing UNDOF’s humanitarian assistance efforts and in the training of civilian personnel. Similarly, neither report discussed the link between the flow of arms and impact on the lives of women in the region.

[1] http://womenpeacesecurity.org/media/pdf-MAP_December2012.pdf