Darfur (S/2014/515)

The report of the Secretary-General(S/2014/515) of 22 July 2014 on UNAMID provided an update on the activities of the mission pursuant to SCR 2113, and provided an update on progress towards the revised benchmarks pursuant to SCR 2148 since the previous report of 15 April 2014. The report was divided into the following sections: Introduction; Overview and analysis of the conflict dynamics and operating environment in Darfur; Achievements and impact of the Mission; Implementation of the strategic review; and Observations and recommendations.

Issues of women, peace and security were referenced in regards to women’s protection concerns including in regards to violence against civilians, particularly sexual abuse by all armed groups; and reporting of crimes of sexual and gender-based violence, with details including the number of cases, the number victims, perpetrator group, the number of investigations, arrests, and releases during the reporting period.

The report missed numerous opportunities to integrate key issues of women, peace and security in relation to both women’s participation and protection concerns. First, the report was devoid of any reference to the importance of women’s full and equal participation in political and peace processes to resolve the conflict including in UNAMID’s engagement with community leaders to peacefully resolve inter-communal violence; efforts to promote an inclusive peace process; and the African Union and United Nations Joint Special Representative and the Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur’s consultations with the government of Sudan. There was no explicit call for gender-specific protections for women and girl, civilians, IDPs, refugees, including survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Further, the report failed to provide sex-disaggregated data in reporting on UNAMID’s humanitarian assistance and protection efforts as well as in UNAMID’s  human rights monitoring efforts. Broadly, the report failed to apply a gender analysis when discussing the trends and roots of the conflict.

In relation to the recommendations set forth in the February 2014 MAP, the report’s record was inadequate. The MAP called for a gender lens in reporting, including the provision of sex-disaggregated data; in monitoring of the third benchmark regarding rule of law and human rights, including sexual and gender-based violence; in support for the integration of gender advisors; and in civilian protection and in assistance of IDPs. Regretfully, the report only incorporated a gender lens in reporting on crimes of sexual violence and gender-based violence, however the report still failed to provide sex-disaggregated data in report. The report failed to integrate a gender analysis into any other crucial area of the report, and thus failed to report on and highlight the importance of women’s participation and protection concerns.

In comparison to the previous report of 15 April 2014 (S/2014/279) the current report regressed in terms of WPS content. The previous report made an explicit call for women’s protection against sexual and gender-based violence, and highlighted the new efforts of UNAMID to improve reporting and prosecution of SGBV with the recruitment of new female government police officers and a workshop held with government personnel and local women’s organizations to seek ways to prevent and respond to SGBV. Further, the report noted a 2014-2015 work-plan was being developed by the Joint Committee on Combating Violence Against Women of the Government of South Darfur State. The current resolution was devoid of any similar reference, and contained only superficial references to WPS including reporting on sexual and gender-based violence without sex-disaggregated, as well as a vague reference to women’s participation in the national dialogue committee.