Third report of the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 6 of resolution 2169 (2014) (S/2015/305).
Code: S/2015/305
Time and Topic: Covering the period from 2 February 2015 to 1 May 2015, the report covers the key developments in Iraq and provides an update on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).
Women, Peace and Security
In pursuant of Resolution 2169 (2014), the Secretary-General report provides an update on the implementation of the United Nations Support Mission in Iraq (UNAMI). The number of WPS references have stayed the same, with nine references included, since the previous report (S/2015/82). However, WPS was not mentioned in the Observations section of the report, which is a critical section for shaping future developments of the mission. This report shows greater balance between the protection and participation aspects of the WPS agenda; however, reference to women continue to center on women’s protection concerns, particularly concerning the activities of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). This report still does not provide any gender analysis on gender and conflict, and misses key opportunities to identify women’s participation concerns in Iraq, particularly with regard to countering ISIL.
Security Situation and Demilitarization and Arms Management
The report misses the opportunity to provide an understanding of the gender dimensions of the security situation in Iraq, particularly in regard to continued between ISIL and associated armed groups and Iraqi security forces, Peshmerga, allied tribal, and volunteer fighters. The report provides no information on women’s participation in the fight against ISIL, despite known reports of women’s participation in Peshmerga forces. In addition, the report does not mention women’s protection concerned, even regard to the deadly incidents in Baghdad.[1] The report should have provided information on the situation of women living under newly conquered and liberated territories of ISIL[2] as well as provided information on whether or not women have been subject to the strategies employed by ISIL, including kidnappings and suicide bombing attacks.[3] The report cites an increase in civilian casualties (4,750) and injuries (7,0009) from the last report. At a minimum, the report should provide sex disaggregated for cited civilian causalities and injuries.[4] In the observation section, the report should have called for support to women’s leadership and participation in all efforts to combat ISIL.
Humanitarian Support
The report missed an opportunity to provide an understanding of the gendered dimensions of the humanitarian situation in its discussion of multiple campsites, including Camp Hurriya, refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), or on how gender-specific needs are being taken into account in the distribution of humanitarian aid, particularly within the “cluster system.”[5] The report also lacks a discussion of the gender-sensitivity of emergency response and contingency planning. There are no references to women and/or civil society in the report’s section on humanitarian assistance. At a minimum, the report should provide sex disaggregated data on refugees and IDPs as well as for all cited persons receiving aid in the form of shelter, immunizations, medical/health services, education services, water and hygiene services, and vouchers.
Human Rights
The greatest number of WPS references (4 references) in the report appear in section; however, the report only provides information on the women’s human rights violations perpetrated by ISIL and its armed associates. The report notes that women continue to experience rape and other forms of sexual violence, including sexual enslavement.[6] In addition, the report notes thousands of Yazidi women remain in ISIL captivity and are subjected to trafficking as slaves and sexual abuse, which was confirmed by UNAMI through interviews with escaped women.[7] The report misses an opportunity to call for women’s protection, particularly women from the Yazidi minority. In addition, no information is provided on those Yazidi women interviewed by UNAMI beyond their escape, including what services and shelter they are being provided. The report misses an opportunity to outline and/or call for access to justice, health, reproductive and psychosocial services, and shelter for these returning women. Further, the report misses a significant opportunity to recognize the differential impact on the human rights of women in Iraq by ISIL. No analysis is provided on the gender dimensions of ISIL activities, which is particularly alarming, given the emergence of an economy of women’s enslavement.
The report also provides an update on UN assistance to human rights advocacy. On 5 March, the UN Gender Task Force, led by UN Women, launched its “Let’s Save Our Women and Girls” campaign, which calls for action to support internally displaced women and girls to “alleviate their suffering and protect their dignity.”[8] The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also trained 91 commissioners and core staff (62 males and 29 females) on the documentation of human rights violations, report writing, strategic planning and investigations. The report miss an opportunity to provide any information on the outcomes of “Let’s Save Our Women and Girls” campaign and what areas of the country the campaign targets. In addition, the report fails to mention whether women’s human right violations were covered in UNDP training and whether the trainings covered gender-sensitivity as well as mechanisms on how to engage women and girls who have experienced sexual violence. Confidentiality of survivors information should also have been included.
Political Process and Electoral Assistance
In regards to UNAMI’s political activities, the report details a number of engagements. On 5 February 2015, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative hosted the second series of roundtable forums, with representatives of civil society, community, tribal, religious and scholarly leaders to gather local perspectives on approaches to promote peace, reconciliation and national unity.[9] In addition, the Special Representative participated in interfaith Harmony Week (2-7 February 2015), organized by UNAMI in Erbil and Baghdad, to facilitate collaboration between civil society groups and religious leaders.[10] UNAMI also continued to support women’s rights in Iraq by assisting with the implementation of Itar’s National Action Plan on Security Council Resolution 1325(2000).[11] The Deputy Special Representative of Development of Humanitarian Affairs also participated in a ceremony to commemorate International Women’s Day, which welcomed the first female mayor of Baghdad.[12] The report miss an opportunity to provide any information on the outcomes of these engagements and/or how these engagements assist the overall participation of civil society in Iraq.
In regards to electoral assistance, an electoral assessment mission (15 to 29 March) was undertaken to determine how the United Nations can best support the Independent High Electoral Commission, the Council of Representatives, and Kurdistan Regional Parliament.[13] This mission met with a number of government entities as well as civil society organizations.[14] Again, the report misses an opportunity to provide any information on the outcomes of the mission and/or how the findings of the mission will influence electoral assistance moving forward.
Overall, the report misses an opportunity to provide any information on the situation of women in the political sector as well as to advocate for women’s full, effective, and equal participation in all political and electoral processes. Given the former reports evidence that less women are registered to vote than men (S/2015/82),[15] it is imperative that UNAMI engage with women and women’s organizations to understand how best to assist women in these processes.
Rule of Law and Judicial Matters
The report notes that the Government of Iraq continued to take measures to expedite the legal process and strengthen the rule of law, including expediting the cases of 140 female detainees, of which 43 are facing terrorism charges.[16] In addition, the federal Judicial Authority circulated several directives and instructions recommending that courts across the country release accused persons on bail, “especially female detainees.”[17] While this information shows improvement from the previous report, which did not include any mention of female detainees, the report misses an opportunity to provide information on the gender dimensions of the Iraqi judicial and penal system. It is unclear why there is particular urgency to release female detainees. In addition, the report should have provided a greater context for why these 140 women and other women across the country are incarcerated beyond facing terrorism charges.
Support to State Institutions
Ideal Asks for WPS Transformation
In the context of the grave violations to human rights committed by ISIL and its affiliates, reports must advocate for the active protection of women and further engagement and monitoring by UNAMI of the situation of women. It is critical that reports mainstream gender as a cross-cutting issue, providing at a minimum sex-disaggregated data on the humanitarian, security, judicial, and political situation. The situation for women should be provided in all relevant sections of the report. Future reporting must include a comprehensive discussion of SGBV, with a focus on access to justice and health and reproductive services for survivors. Reporting should systematically engage women’s civil society as consultants and participants in humanitarian, electoral and SSR processes.
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[1] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 24
[2] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 20-23
[3] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 24
[4] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 44
[5] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 63-67
[6] S/2015/ 305 (2015) para. 45
[7] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 46
[8] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 55
[9] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 34
[10] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 35
[11] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 38
[12] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 38
[13] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 40
[14] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 40
[15] S/2015/82 (2015) para. 44
[16] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 7
[17] S/2015/305 (2015) para. 7