Darfur (S/PV/7048)
The Security Council met to discuss the the situation in Sudan (S/PV. 7048) on 23 October 2013.
The Council met on 23 October 2013 (S/PV.7048) to discuss the activities of African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). The recent attacks on peacekeepers and police highlighted the continued severity of the situation in Darfur and prompted condemnation from the Council and African Union (AU). The Council was briefed by Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Joint African Union-United Nations Special Representative for Darfur and Head of UNAMID, and heard statements from Mr. Hervé Ladsous, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, and the representative from Sudan. The Special Representative noted his concern recent fighting between armed groups in the East, Central, and North Darfur that have led to increased civilian casualties, mass displacement, and deteriorating humanitarian situation. Additionally, he updated the Council on implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. Although progress has been limited, there has been progress in regards to land ownership and greater participation of Darfuris in civil and judicial positions. The Special Representative discussed the operations of UNAMID’s in multiple areas including, UNAMID’s cooperation with regional States and local authorities to reach agreements on ending violence; facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid; and UNAMID’s cooperation with troop contributing countries to ensure personnel are equipped and trained for the complex security situation. Further, the Special Representative noted the review his office is carrying out on the operations of UNAMID to analyze past work of the force and improve effectiveness in the future. The Under-Secretary General expressed concern over the fragile security situation presented in the report, and reiterated the Special Representatives comments in regards to the work UNAMID. The representative of Sudan condemned the recent attacks on peacekeepers and police; urged the Council to ensure influential countries encourage parties to come to the negotiating table and re-establish peace; noted the increased cooperation between the government of Sudan and UNAMID; mentioned the government’s commitment to ending impunity for crimes committed in the region and its efforts to contain inter-communal violence in East Darfur; and success made in the implementation of the Doha Document, particularly a decrease violence including sexual and gender-based violence.
Women, Peace and Security were mentioned on only one occasion during the meeting. In relation to the Security General’s report, the representative of Sudan noted a decrease in violence including sexual and gender based violence as a result of the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur.
Missed Opportunities to incorporate a gender perspective included the promotion and protection of the human rights of women civilians and refugees; the delivery and access to humanitarian aid; the peace and reconciliation processes; UNAMID’s training efforts; and the review of UNAMID being carried by the Office of the Special Representative.
In relation to the recommendations put forth in the July 2013 MAP, the report’s record was inadequate. The MAP called for numerous points, including the need for gender-disaggregated data; the implementation of SCR 2106 (OPs. 8, 12, & 21) in the operations of UNAMID; support for the role of Gender Advisors; increased women’s protection, especially in regards to sexual and gender-based violence; and reports on progress in creating implementing a strategy to protect women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence, as requested in SCR 18881.[1] The Special Representative and Under-Secretary General failed to mention women, peace and security issues in the meeting. Particularly, the Special Representative and Under-Security General should have included a gender perspective when discussing the humanitarian situation and reported sex-disaggregated data, in the discussion of the peace, reconciliation, and security process. In regards to women’s protection concerns, there was no mention of the importance of gender advisors within UNAMID and there was no mention of the SG’s strategy to better protect women from sexual and gender-based violence, as requested in SCR 1881.
The limited mention of women, peace and security issues in the meeting of 23 October 2013 (S/PV.7048) was on par - “later it says that the last meeting had WPS content that wasn’t in this one *** with the meeting record of 24 July 2013 (S/PV.7010). Neither the Special Representative nor the Under-Secretary General made reference to gender when discussing the operations of UNAMID, peace and security processes, or the humanitarian situation. In the previous report, the Special Representative highlighted the need to conduct reporting, monitoring, and evaluations on human rights abuses, including sexual and gender-based violence, however there was no call for reporting human rights abuses, including sexual and gender-based violence in the current meeting. The current report made no specific acknowledgment of women, girls or any form of gender differentiation as they relate to the work of UNAMID, the peace and reconciliation processes, the humanitarian situation, or human rights.
[1] http://womenpeacesecurity.org/media/pdf-MAP_July2013.pdf