Cyprus (S/PV.7106)

Security Council Resolution 2135 (2014), adopted during the 30 January 2014 Security Council meeting (S/PV.7106), extends the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for an additional six months, 31 January 2014 to 31 July 2014. The resolution urges leaders to continue negotiations towards a comprehensive and durable settlement, including discussions on military confidence-building measures and steps to build trust between the communities. It also addresses the issues of crossing points, economic benefits, and urges both sides to work with Technical Committees with the objective of improving the daily lives of the Cypriots. Finally, the Resolution discusses the need for both parties to continue engaging with UNFICYP on the demarcation of the buffer zone.

The resolution incorporates the women, peace and security agenda in both the preambular and the operative sections in the same way as in the previous resolution 2089 (2013). The importance of civil society participation, including that of women’s groups and women’s participation to the political and peace process and in a future sustainable settlement is addressed in a preambular clause (PP. 16). In an operative paragraph the resolution recognizes and calls for continued efforts to implement the SG zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse  (OP. 12) , as well as calls upon leaders to increase the participation of civil society in the peace process (OP. 3d ).

Notwithstanding the merit of these statements, the Council misses numerous opportunity to make a stronger statement for the full and equal inclusion of women in political and peace processes by failing to integrate gender elements within the operative clauses.

In relation to the recommendations put forth in the January 2014 MAP the resolution’s record is inadequate. The MAP call on the Council to support efforts to ensure women’s participation in negotiations by including specific language in the UNFICYP mandate to this effect and strengthening references to the participation of civil society in the peace process (S/RES/2114, OP 3(d)) in line with the recommendations in S/2010/603, para. 43; further the Council should emphasize engagement with the Gender Advisory Team when discussing future peace negotiations. The Council fails to explicitly mention women’s participation in political and peace processes in the operative paragraphs as well as stronger language in regarding to civil society. Further, there is no mention of parties’ engagement with the Gender Advisory team.

The resolution of 30 January 2014 (S/RES/2135) incorporates the women, peace and security agenda in both the preambular and the operative sections in the very same way as in the previous resolution of 30 July 2014 (S/RES/2114).  The role of women in peace processes, their prominence in political process and in securing sustainable peace, and a call to promote an active engagement of civil society is addressed in a preambular clauses of both resolutions. The operative section recognizes and calls for continued efforts to implement the SG zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse (Op. 12), as well as calls upon leaders to increase the participation of civil society in the peace process (Op. 3(b)). However, these mentions of women, peace and security remain superficial and miss the opportunity to make a stronger statement for the full and equal inclusion of women in political and peace processes, and fail to fully integrate a gender lens within the operative clauses.