Taking Back the Agenda

1. EDITORIAL
Sam Cook

This is the final PeaceWomen E-News for 2009. It is also the last E-News for me as Director of the PeaceWomen Project as I depart for new projects and pursuits. This edition offers a good opportunity to reflect on the women, peace and security agenda and to look to the year ahead. In 10 months we will be marking the 10th Anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325. Of course there will be many celebratory events and we should not dismiss the many and varied achievements of the last decade. Certainly the adoption of 3 additional women, peace and security resolutions in the last 18 months is part of the trajectory of progress. But, it has been an entire decade since the adoption of SCR 1325 and it doesn't take more than a glance at the news section of this newsletter to know that many of the same issues facing us a decade ago remain.

This is no time to sit back in self-congratulatory complacency. It is hoped that the 10 months ahead and the anniversary itself are used to look critically at what needs to be done to move the women, peace and security agenda forward. The PeaceWomen Project and the NGO Working Group on women, peace and security will use this time to monitor and advocate for action by Security Council members to ensure that women, peace and security concerns are an integral part of their day-to-day work (See this month's Security Council Monitor and the NGO Working Group Update for more on this activity). For civil society and women, peace and security advocates in particular, the occasion of SCR 1325's 10th anniversary is also an opportunity to remind governments and the UN of our real vision when we advocated for SCR 1325. It is an opportunity to reclaim the women, peace and security agenda – away from those who would use it to militarize humanitarian aid, away from those who wish to claim women in the military as a victory, away from those who want us to be satisfied with action plans and policies and away from those who speak the rhetoric of women, peace and security while continuing to operate and profit from the frameworks of militarism and patriarchy that deny both peace and security for women and for society.

The year ahead offers many opportunities to reflect on and reclaim the agenda. As reflected in our Feature Event (Item 6) in early March the Commission on the Status of Women session at UN headquarters will focus on a 15-year review of implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. SCR 1325 and the advocacy for its implementation are rooted in the Beijing Platform and Critical Area E on women and armed conflict. It is worth remembering that we should look to this and other international instruments – such as CEDAW – to move forward the demands, needs and concerns of women affected by conflict. Our Feature Resources section (Item 4) offers some extremely useful tools on using CEDAW. Also in that section is a resource focused on conflict prevention. Something that this and these other human rights instruments remind us is that the women, peace and security agenda extends far beyond that which is reflected in SCR 1325. We should not limit ourselves to demanding implementation of that resolution. We must, for example, remind governments of their commitment in Critical Area E of the Beijing Platform to “reduce excessive military expenditures and control the availability of armaments.” We must remind the Security Council of its mandate in Article 26 of the UN Charter to devise an arms control plan to divert the least amount of the world's human and economic resources to militarism. We must remind all of those working to advance the women, peace and security agenda that preventing conflict itself is the real goal and that achieving true gender-equality is critical to that. Strengthening the UN's work on gender-equality and women's empowerment is an important piece of achieving all of these goals and aspirations and in the next year we hope to see real progress on the establishment of a new women's entity at the UN. We urge you to sign the petition in our Feature Initiatives section to show Member States just how serious our movement is about making this happen.

The PeaceWomen Project looks forward to reporting on progress in the year ahead and to continuing to remind governments and the UN that civil society is watching and we will not let go of the bigger aspirations. We will not be placated by promises and we will not have our agenda reduced to what is seen as achievable within the status quo of militarism and patriarchy.

On a personal note, and taking advantage of the “editor's prerogative,” I'd like to say that it has been a privilege to be part of the work of the PeaceWomen Project and WILPF and I look forward to remaining connected to and part of this work in various ways in the years ahead. Thank you to all my colleagues and those whose work around the globe makes possible what the PeaceWomen Project does. And also to directly thank those who really make the work of the PeaceWomen Project possible – the many interns who I have worked with over the years – thank you to: Kristina, Sara O, Kristin, Tanya, Hali, Karine, Nermina, Rose, Nikki, Clara, Ashley, Jenny, Hanne, Kate, Sara M, Sarah G, Bibi, Robin, Eva, Tracy, Ruth, Lisa, Sofie, Sophie, Andrea, Golnar, Stephanie, Allison, Tiffany, Hamsa, Madhuri, Becky, Soumita, Kaarin, Garance, BinQing, Ibrahima, Heidi, Sarah C, Anjalina, (and I'm really sorry if I've forgotten anyone).

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2. WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY NEWS

ARAB WOMEN ISSUE A CALL TO ARAB HEADS OF STATE
December 10, 2009 - (Pambazuka) On the 30th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the regional Coalition for 'Equality without reservation' launched a call to heads of state of Arab countries to promote the equality and citizenship of Arab women.

LATIN AMERICAN WOMEN WANT CHANGE IN TRADE RULES
December 9, 2009-(IPS/TerraViva) “We don't need to change the climate, we need to change trade,” said Brazilian activist Marta Lago at Klimaforum, the civil society meeting held in parallel with the climate change summit in the Danish capital.

AFGHANISTAN: GOVERNMENT AND DONORS FAIL TO PROTECT WOMEN'S RIGHTS
December 7, 2009 - (IPS) Attention over the past week has focused on United States President Barack Obama's decision to "surge" troop levels in Afghanistan to 30,000 and begin a drawdown in 18-months, but a new report calls attention to the failure of the Afghanistan government and international donors to protect women's rights.

US WOMEN'S ISSUES ENVOY SEEKS JUNTA ACCOUNTABILITY
December 5, 2009- (Irrawaddy) The US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer said on Saturday that Burma's military junta must be held accountable for human rights abuses against the country's women.

COTE D'IVOIRE: GIVE THEM SHELTER
December 4, 2009 - (IRIN) In Côte d'Ivoire destitute children – particularly girls selling sex to survive – urgently need shelters where they can receive care and support, says a local NGO monitoring girls who sell vegetables by day, sex by night.

SEXUAL ABUSE HIGHEST IN EAST AFRICA
December 3, 2009-(New Vision) Cases of gender-based sexual violence are higher in the Great Lakes region than any other part of the world, regional security officials have disclosed.

EVIDENCE OF MISTREATMENT BY GUINEA SECURITY FORCES
December 3, 2009 - (Amnesty) Mouctar Diallo, vice-president of Guinea's national human rights commission, was arrested on 26 November. Amnesty International discovered that Diallo is being detained in military Camp Alpha Yaya, for "endangering the security of the state". The Amnesty International delegation, that returned from Guinea on Tuesday, also found cases of over 40 people who attended the rally and whose whereabouts are still unknown.

WOMEN AND MEN BUILDING BRIDGES FOR PEACE
December 1, 2009 - (INSTRAW) “It is important to build bridges, not only to connect different government ministries or women's organizations but also across all the sectors and areas of responsibility to connect different stakeholders in different countries to reach our goal for the full implementation of the Resolutions on women peace and security.”

MEDIA-LATIN AMERICA: WOMEN DESERVE BETTER PRESS
November 30, 2009-(IPS) "The press will change when they cease to report exclusively from a masculine point of view," Peru's deputy Minister for Women, Norma Añaños, told participants at an international seminar for journalists on "Women at Work, Women as Leaders", held in the Peruvian capital.

UAE WOMEN BUSY EXCERCISING THEIR RIGHTS, NOT CLAIMING THEM
November 28, 2009 - (WAM) H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) has paid tribute to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates on the 38th anniversary of the UAE's national day. In an interview with "Zahrat Al Khaleej" magazine, published today, Sheikha Fatima said the UAE women have come long way since the establishment of the UAE.

PHILLIPINE SAYS VICTIMS WERE SEXUALLY MUTILATED
November 28, 2009 - (New York Times) Most or all of the 22 women among the 57 people massacred Monday in the southern Philippines were sexually mutilated, the authorities said Friday, adding grim details to the catalog of horrors that has already emerged.

AFGHAN WOMEN WOULD RATHER TALK ABOUT RECOVERY
November 27, 2009 - (Womens eNews) As the world waits for President Barack Obama to announce next week his plan to send up to 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, three female leaders of civil society efforts focused their concerns on nation building. The trio wanted to talk about something else: the country's recovery.

IRAN TAKES NOBEL WINNER'S MEDAL
November 27, 2009 - (AFP) Death threats, imprisonment and years of harassment have failed to silence one of the Iranian regime's most fearless critics. Iran has now set an inglorious precedent by confiscating the Nobel Peace medal of Shirin Ebadi, who in 2003 became the first Muslim woman and first Iranian to receive the prestigious award.

BOLIVIA: WOMEN CLAMOUR FOR RIGHT TO LAND
November 27, 2009-(IPS) Despite major advances in land distribution in Bolivia, single, widowed and undocumented women in this South American country have little chances of owning rural lands due to the patriarchal traditions and customary practices of indigenous peoples, in violation of international instruments and conventions protecting women's rights.

MINDANAO WOMEN OUTRAGED OVER MAGUINDANAO CARNAGE
November 26, 2009 - (CPCP News) Calling it as bestial act, Mindanao women expressed their outrage over the Maguindanao massacre where innocent civilians, mostly women and journalists were summarily killed in broad daylight. “If unarmed women, lawyers and journalists are not safe, who is safe?” the Mindanao women in their statement said.

AT LEAST 100 WOMEN RAPED IN GUINEA CRACKDOWN
November 26, 2009 - (Reuters) Guinean soldiers raped at least 100 women during a crackdown on protesters in September, a human rights group said on Thursday. The findings were released as United Nations experts began to investigate the repression, in which about 160 people were killed. The crackdown has drawn widespread condemnation and brought sanctions against the ruling military junta.

GENDER-SOUTH AFRICA: 'THERE IS A SENSE OF VINDICATION'
November 26, 2009 - (IPS) Born in a squatter camp in Orlando East and raised by a single mother; working in a factory while completing secondary school by correspondence; arrested and banned by the apartheid government: South Africa's ambassador to Italy is an example of the long road her country has traveled.

UNHCR CHIEF REITERATES COMMITMENT TO PREVENTION OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE
November 25, 2009 - (UNHCR) UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres stressed on Wednesday that his agency was fully committed to the prevention of sexual violence, which he said needed a personal as well as a collective response.

PUTTING AN END TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN GUATEMALA
November 25, 2009-(AWID) On November 25 in Guatemala, the Multi-Annual Campaign (extended from 2008 to 2015) of the Regional Chapter, “ÚNETE para poner fin a la violencia contra las mujeres” (“JOIN together to put an End to Violence against Women”) will be launched. This country was selected due to the growing violence against women, with the aim to give this issue more attention and thus facilitate the processes leading to its eradication.

UN PLEDGES MILLIONS TO FIGHT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
November 25, 2009 - (Feminist Majority) The United Nations announced Tuesday $10.5 million in new grants to bolster international efforts to end violence against women. The funds, which were announced in honor of the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women today, will assist 13 initiatives in 18 countries and territories.

WOMEN NOBEL PEACE LAUREATES & WOMEN'S RIGHTS LEADERS URGE SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON TO CONDEMN VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN HONDURAS
November 24, 2009-(AWID) More than 175 human rights and feminist leaders--including three Nobel Peace Prize winners and leaders of national and international women's organizations—today sent an Open Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today, urging her to condemn widespread violations of women's human rights in Honduras.

BAN LAUNCHES NEW NETWORK OF MEN LEADERS TO COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
November 24, 2009 - (UN News) Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon today marked the 10th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by launching a Network of Men Leaders, a major new initiative bringing together current and former politicians, activists, religious and community figures to combat the global pandemic.

CEDAW: THREE DECADES OF PROGRESS ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS, BUT MAJOR OBSTACLES TO EQUALITY PERSIST
November 23, 2009 - (UNIFEM) In Cameroon it was used to bring justice to village women suffering rape and other physical abuse from their husbands. In Morocco it sparked legal reforms hailed as “revolutionary” in their ability to reconcile universal human rights principles and that country's Islamic heritage. And in India it enabled sexual harassment in the workplace to be outlawed.

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE REPRESENTS THREAT TO HUMAN SECURITY
November 23, 200 - (UN-ISTRAW) Latin America and the Caribbean is a dangerous place for women. More than 50 percent of the women on the continent have been victims of some form of violence. In commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, UN-INSTRAW is launching a media kit on violence against women and human security in the region as well as a new study about gender and security sector reform in the Dominican Republic.

GOVERNMENTS URGED TO PRIORITIZE WOMEN'S RIGHTS
November 19, 2009 - (Africa News) The deputy executive secretary of the United Nations Commission for Africa, Lalla Ben Barka, has urged governments and the rest of the international community to prioritize achievements of gender equality and women' rights as these are essential in the crusade of poverty reduction and the promotion of growth.

LIBERIA: “THE NEW WAR IS RAPE”
November 19, 2009 - (IRIN) In Liberia rape survivors are increasingly speaking up and seeking help as awareness of rights increases, but social taboos persist and seeking justice does not always mean that justice is served.

SOUTH SUDAN: MEDIA GIVE US A FAIR DEAL - WOMEN
November 19, 2009-(IPS) The guns have gone silent – except for sporadic conflict in parts of the vast South Sudan region, such as the Eastern Equatoria State. It may not be the absolute end of the conflict in the region, but it is a reason for renewed hope.

UN REPORT POINTS TO CENTRAL ROLE WOMEN PLAY IN EFFORTS TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE
November 18, 2009 – Climate change strikes it fiercest blow against the poorest, most vulnerable people around the world, according to a United Nations report released today, urging policymakers to heed the role of women – who make up the majority of the poor – in combating climate change.

WOMEN SHOULD BE MORE THAN WINDOW DRESSING
November 18, 2009 - (IPS) Women in developing countries are among the most vulnerable to the effects of crisis - be that climate change, food price hikes, the HIV/AIDS pandemic or the global recession. It is becoming more commonplace to hear women's testimony, but are women's voices heard when it comes to deciding on solutions?

CENTRAL AMERICA: GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, THE HIDDEN FACE OF INSECURITY
November 16, 2009 (IPS) - Gender-based violence and sexual abuse are serious public security problems in Central America, and Nicaragua is no exception, according to reports by United Nations agencies and women's organisations.

LAWS, BUDGETS AND PIGEONHOLES - INTERVIEW WITH UNIFEM - PART 1
November 15, 2009 - (IPS) The fight for women's rights came about hand in hand with the struggle for democracy, civil rights and national liberation in different countries and periods, says Inés Alberdi, executive director of UNIFEM.

"TRULY EXCITING IF THE U.S. COULD RATIFY CEDAW" - INTERVIEW WITH UNIFEM - PART 2
November 15, 2009 - (IPS) CEDAW or the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence Against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1979. On its 30th anniversary, just seven U.N. member states continue to refuse to accept the only international instrument that comprehensively addresses women's rights within political, civil, cultural, economic and social life.

OSLO CONFERENCE ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
November 12, 2009 - (Norway Post) More than 100 experts from women's organizations, UN agencies and government ministries from many countries meet in Oslo this week with the aim to create international standards on how to implement UN resolutions on women, peace and security.

NORTH AFRICAN WOMEN AT FOREFRONT OF LEGAL REFORM
November 12, 2009 - (Common Ground News Service) Women in North Africa have made tremendous progress in promoting and upholding their rights. Women in this region—commonly known as the Maghreb—are at the forefront of the Arab world in terms of individual rights and gender equality, and constitute models for other Arab women to follow.

MOBILE PHONES REPORT RAPES IN GUINEA
November 11, 2009 - (AWID) On September 28, 2009, self-proclaimed president Captain Moussa Dadis Camara's troops raped and murdered at least 157 political demonstrators in Conakry, Guinea. Thousands of people had gathered in a public sports stadium to speak out against Camara's decision to stand again in upcoming presidential elections. One observer interviewed by AWID - a longtime agitator for social change in Guinea who wished to remain anonymous - viewed the mass participation in the protests as “a sign of maturity of the people of Guinea...”

EXPULSIONS HIT DARFUR RAPE VICTIMS: AID GROUPS
November 11, 2009 (Reuters) - Rape victims in Sudan's Darfur region have lost vital medical and psychological support since Khartoum expelled aid agencies working against sexual violence this year, the United Nations and aid workers said.

FINALLY, A UN WOMEN'S AGENCY WITH MUSCLE
November 11, 2009-(WMC) This fall, after years of advocacy, the UN General Assembly adopted a historic resolution to create a strong women's agency. To be headed by an undersecretary general—the third highest-ranking UN officer, after the secretary general and his deputy—the new unit will consolidate the work of four existing bodies. If robustly implemented, the resolution promises a politically powerful, independent agency with strong leadership and increased funds to move forward on adopted goals for gender equality and women's empowerment.

AMID WAR AFGHANISTAN TRAINS THOUSANDS OF NEW MIDWIVES
November 8, 2009 - (Christian Science Monitor) Through a courtyard piled high with heaps of trash and teeming with flies, two sturdy women sit in a cool, dark room before a group of nearly a dozen women who range in age from 15 to 50. The two are midwives who have come to talk to the women living here with limited electricity and little clean water about the importance of maternal health.

1888: STEPPING BEYOND RHETORIC
November 5, 2009 - (AWID) On September 30, 2009 the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on sexual violence in situations of armed conflict. Sam Cook, Project Director of PeaceWomen, a project of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, spoke with AWID about Resolution 1888 and its implications.

UN: 50 PEACEKEEPERS PUNISHED FOR SEX ABUSES
November 5, 2009 - (AP) At least 50 peacekeepers have received punishments ranging from reduction in military rank to eight months imprisonment for committing sexual abuses on United Nations missions since 2007, the U.N. said Thursday.

DRC: SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND RE-INTEGRATION FUNDING "FALLS THROUGH CRACKS"
November 4, 2009 - (IRIN) While medical and psychological care are being provided to survivors of sexual violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where 7,000 women and girls have been raped this year alone, UN and aid workers on the ground say the funding response has been too narrow, leaving key issues inadequately addressed.

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN KYRGYZSTAN?
November 4, 2009 - (AWID) As one of five Central Asian Republics who have become separate, sovereign states after the collapse of the Soviet Union, made progress towards integrating into the world economy and now see the rising influence of religious fundamentalisms, Kyrgyzstan is in an ongoing state of transition. Dr. Nurgul Djanaeva, President of the Forum of Women's NGOs of Kyrgyzstan and author of Kyrgyzstan Women in Transition, spoke with AWID about how women are playing important roles in, facing persistent challenges amidst and experiencing new setbacks due to this complex transition.

WOMEN AND THE STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY IN IRAN: A DISCUSSION WITH A NOBEL LAUREATE
November 4, 2009 - (Truthout) A couple of weeks ago, I had the rare chance to sit down with Nobel Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi, a prominent human rights lawyer and democracy activist from Iran. During our talk about the state of the pro-democracy resistance in Iran, Dr. Ebadi told me that the women-led movement in Iran is the strongest in the Middle East and that, despite the regime's claims to the contrary, it is "invincible." Although the participation of women in last summer's uprising was self-evident, what was less clear was the role that the underlying women's movement played in animating the events.

SOMALI REBELS CLOSE WOMEN'S ORGANISATIONS
November 2, 2009 (Reuters) - Somalia's hardline al Shabaab insurgents closed three grassroots women's organisations in the rebel-held town of Balad Hawa on Monday to stop women from going to work, a rebel leader said.

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3. FEATURE Initiative

MAKE THE UNITED NATIONS MORE EFFECTIVE IN REALIZING WOMEN'S RIGHTS
Amnesty International, November 2009

The United Nations is a galvanizing force in setting new international standards and commitments to protect and promote women's human rights. But, the UN's capacity to support national implementation of these standards and commitments is woefully underfunded and inadequate. This has limited the potential for women around the world, especially those at risk of violence, or facing poverty, to fully enjoy their rights in practice.

A global network of over 300 women's, human rights and social justice groups representing millions of people, are campaigning for a new strong UN agency for women to effectively support the protection and promotion of women's human rights. Show your solidarity for women worldwide and sign the global petition to the President of the UN General Assembly!
As the representative of all 192 UN member states, the President of the UN General Assembly, His Excellency Dr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, can help to prioritize the establishment of the new UN women's agency, making sure it becomes fully operational in 2010 - the 15th anniversary year of the Beijing World Conference on Women.

The new agency for women must have:

* World coverage and the necessary country presence and strong policy and programmatic mandate to effectively improve the lives of women worldwide.

* Accountability mechanisms in place at both national and international levels, including through meaningful involvement of civil society, particularly women's non-governmental organizations.

* Substantial and predictable resources to ensure the capacity to meet expectations and deliver results at all levels. It must be funded initially at a minimum level of $1 billion USD, with increases over time.

* An Under-Secretary-General, appointed by International Women's Day on 8 March 2010, in order to lead the agency

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4. Feature resourceS

ILC infonote and Q&A: “How to use CEDAW as an advocacy tool"
International Land Coalition, November 2009

CEDAW is the only human rights treaty that deals specifically with rural women, highlighting the need for women's participation and access to basic social services - and is therefore a powerful tool to advocate for rural women. ILC has produced this infonote to inform civil society organisations (referred to as NGOs in CEDAW terminology) how they can engage in the CEDAW review process. There is also a separate Questions and Answers document that provides detailed information on specific aspects of this process.

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Gender and Early Warning Systems - An Introduction
Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE, November 2009

In line with ODIHR's mandate to assist participating States in implementing their commitments in the human dimension, and in particular in the field of human rights and gender equality, ODIHR is publishing a series of briefs on integrating a gender perspective into early warning systems. This brief - the first in the series - provides an introduction to the topic. It reviews how the integration of a gender perspective can help to identify underlying causes of conflict and thus may provide earlier warning of conflict.

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New Manual of Security Strategies for Women Human Rights Defenders: Insist, Persist, Resist, Exist
Frontline, 2008/2009

To mark International Women's Day 2009 and to celebrate 30 years of CEDAW, Front Line has launched a new manual of security strategies for Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs). Front Line, along with The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation (KtK) and Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights (UAF) produced this book primarily for WHRDs in the hope that they will take away from it practical perspectives about the threats they face and a range of useful ideas about security strategies from around the world.

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5. Security Council Monitor

SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS IN ARMED CONFLICT
November 11, 2009

The Security Council, under the Presidency of Austria, held an Open Debate on the “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict.” During the Open Debate, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1894.

Open Debate Governmental, UN & other Statements:

Security Council Members:

Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Japan, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mexico, Russian Federation, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States, Viet Nam.

Non-Security Council Members:

Afghanistan, Argentina, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Islamic republic of Iran, Italy, Kenya, Malta, Norway, Qatar, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Sweden (on behalf of the EU), Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Zambia

UN & Other:

∑ H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General
∑ Mr. John Holmes, Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
∑ Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights

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The PeaceWomen Thematic Index

The PeaceWomen Project has compiled excerpts from statements made during the Security Council Open Debate held on 11 November 2009. Statements were selected if they mentioned gender specific themes, regardless of what was said about that theme.

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Extracts from Thematic Index

Secretary General
H.E. Mr. Ban Ki Moon

At the moment, under mandates from this Council, we are able to examine and report on the impact of armed conflict on children and, soon, on sexual violence perpetrated against women wherever there is conflict and without additional procedural hurdle. This has been a welcome step. I now welcome members' thoughts on what we have learned from these mechanisms that could be applied to the broader task of protecting civilians.

Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
Mr. John Holmes

Even an optimistic assessment suggests that we still have far to go, first, in closing the gap between the rhetoric of internationally agreed laws for the protection of civilians and the reality of widespread non-compliance with those laws. From Afghanistan to Chad to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the occupied Palestinian territories, Somalia, the Sudan, Yemen and beyond, the lack of compliance with the law by parties to conflict, both State and non-State, results in thousands of civilians killed or injured every month and thousands more forced from their homes into situations of dependency, destitution and yet further violations, including rape and other forms of sexual violence.
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[A]ll missions should develop protection of- civilians strategies, in consultation with humanitarian and human rights actors, and based on a realistic assessment of the threats and risks to the population…such protection strategies must be based on the understanding that protection mandates are not limited to the protection of civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, but involve a much broader range of activities including, for example, facilitating humanitarian access, the return of refugees and displaced persons, human rights monitoring, child protection and addressing sexual violence.
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Finally, I believe that there is a gap between rhetoric and reality as it relates to the consistency with which the Council itself pursues its stated commitment to the protection of civilians. For example, targeted sanctions are a critical tool for seeking compliance with the law. They have been imposed against those responsible for humanitarian and human rights law violations in Côte d'Ivoire and in the Sudan. But in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, only those committing violations involving the targeting of children or women or obstructing the access to or the distribution of humanitarian assistance are subject to such measures.

Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
Ms. Kyung-wha Kang

The situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is a horrifying reminder of the depths to which inhumanity can spiral if left unchecked…sexual violence, including rape, has increased drastically…recent public statements by senior Government officials demonstrate a lack of political will to investigate high ranking officials and raise doubts regarding the zero-tolerance policy against sexual violence proclaimed by the President. Under these circumstances, the sustained and unequivocal support of the Council to the fight against impunity is urgently needed.

Afghanistan

This week Europe and America commemorate the ends of two world wars, international conflicts conducted between States and empires. Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. Where 60 years ago State actors were the central players in international war, today asymmetric warfare with non-State actors is increasingly common. Now…girls become targets just for trying to go to school.

Argentina

As to the integration of the components, it is important to ensure the necessary structure to guarantee the protection of women, especially from sexual violence. At the same time, we must also take into account the need to protect children, and in particular to prevent the recruitment of girls and boys and to rehabilitate child soldiers.

Austria

Ten years ago, the Security Council took the unanimous decision to begin to address the protection of civilians in armed conflict in a systematic manner. Today, we are still facing tremendous challenges, and civilians, more than ever, have to pay the price of war. They have to flee their homes. They become victims of violence, armed attacks and rape. In armed conflicts all over the world, United Nations peacekeeping missions and humanitarian organizations do their utmost to alleviate the suffering of civilians, including women and children. But more needs to be done to improve the protection of civilians on the ground.

Burkina Faso

Here, the legal arsenal to address the matter has grown over time. Resolution 1674 (2006) has the merit of having included the concept of impunity with that of the protection of civilians. Six other resolutions pertaining to specific aspects of the protection of civilians have made it possible to draw attention to the situation of women and children, as well as sexual violence.
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Unfortunately, despite such notable progress, much remains to be done because of the persistence of grave violations of international humanitarian law and in spite of all the relevant Security Council resolutions. In fact, we witness, sadly, that civilians continue to be the first targets and victims of the same atrocities: sexual violence, fires, destructions of homes and infrastructure, forced recruitment of children, sexual slavery, denial of access to humanitarian aid, forced displacement and others. In the face of those failures it is only right to remind all actors, and first and foremost combatants, of their duties and obligations.
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Given the multisectoral nature of the protection of civilians, it is imperative to improve coordination between the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, the Special Representative on sexual violence to be appointed and all other partners on the ground, in order to meet the urgent needs of civilians.

Canada

On balance, important progress has been made. We have a normative framework in place, which has been buttressed by practical strategies, including on questions related to humanitarian access, child protection, sexual and gender-based violence and issues of accountability. These are all encouraging developments. And yet, it is clear that important challenges remain.

I would now like to mention three main areas of action critical to strengthening the protection of civilians…throughout the process, all challenges to protection, in particular for specific sectors of the population, including women and children, must moreover be clearly identified.

Thirdly, we need to enhance dialogue and cooperation on overlapping issues, such as children in armed conflict and women and peace and security. We cannot operate in silos. We can learn a great deal from our practices in each sphere of activity. For its part, Canada is helping to organize a series of conferences to promote dialogue among Member States on the future of peacekeeping operations. We hope that that will also contribute to breaking down the silos in those various fields.

Indeed, in most cases, intra-State armed conflicts and armed insurgencies are the result of frustration brought about by poverty, the poor distribution of wealth and rivalries of all kinds. Such conflicts, fuelled by trafficking in persons, arms and drugs, affect above all women, the elderly and children, in addition to the threats that they pose to regional and international security.

Costa Rica

During its membership in the Security Council, Costa Rica has participated in the renewal of the comprehensive protection framework. In the past two years, we have contributed to the adoption of resolutions on children in armed conflict (resolution 1882 (2009)), sexual violence (resolution 1820 (2008)), women and peace and security (resolutions 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009)), and also to the update of the aide-mémoire. Today, we close the cycle by bringing this framework up to date through the adoption of the new resolution on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (resolution 1894 (2009)).

Croatia

It is evident that the nature of contemporary conflict has changed in the modern era. Nowadays, in the conduct of armed conflict, civilians more often than not become the targets of armed attacks and atrocities, including murder, deportation and ethnic cleansing, as well as rape and sexual violence. This is not only as a consequence of war but as a method and means of conducting war. Such atrocities were once considered as exceptions in the conduct of armed conflict, while today they have frequently become the rule.
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In spite of numerous positive developments in the Council, Croatia remains extremely concerned about the severity and prevalence of constraints on humanitarian access in the field, as well as the frequency and gravity of attacks on humanitarian personnel, bearing in mind the impact they also has on civilians, especially women and children.

Denmark

The need for concrete action on the ground is more urgent than ever. Civilians are increasingly being targeted during conflict, which brings death, displacement, rape and torture to populations affected by the conflict. Women and children are subjected to sexual violence and abuse, often as part of horrifying war strategies.

Finland

Secondly, children and women deserve special protection in times of conflict and the mechanisms established to that end need to be made operational as soon as possible.
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Already in the Secretary-General's very first report on the protection of civilians (S/1999/957), children and women were identified as requiring special protection measures. Finland continues to fully agree with that assessment, and we would like to express our support for the work done by this Council and by all parts of the United Nations system in the thematic areas of women, peace and security and children and armed conflict.
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This year we commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Its principles should also guide us when it comes to the protection of children in armed conflict. Finland is highly concerned about the increasing number of attacks against schools and violence directed at children — especially girls — attending schools in many parts of the world. Such violence is to be universally condemned and countered as a fundamental violation of the right of every child to life and development.
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With regard to violence against women in armed conflict, Finland wishes to express its support for the recent advances made by the Security Council with resolutions 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009). We consider extremely important the timely appointment of a special representative of the Secretary-General to lead the United Nations efforts in addressing sexual violence in armed conflict. There is an urgent need for coherent and strategic leadership, for enhanced data gathering and reporting methods and for an operational rapid response team. At the same time, active participation of women at all levels of decision making — in times of conflict and in times of peace — remains the best tool for preventing violence from happening in the first place.

Germany

The Council also addressed the protection of specific groups, which are particularly vulnerable in armed conflict. In that context, let me welcome the Council's and the Secretariat's work on the protection needs of children as well as on the issues of women and girls and sexual violence in armed conflict. Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008) and 1889 (2009) — the latter adopted only a few weeks ago — stress that the protection and empowerment of women are key issues of international security policy. In that regard, we are also looking forward to the speedy creation of the new United Nations gender entity and hope that actors in peacekeeping such as the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and troop contributors will cooperate closely with it.

Ghana

Children are being forcefully recruited as child soldiers or sex slaves; the raping of women and girls as a weapon of warfare persists; many victims have no access to food, water or schools, while others have been compelled to flee their homes, while humanitarian workers and peacekeeping personnel are deliberately killed or injured. Such atrocities are being committed in flagrant violation of the principles of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Islamic Republic of Iran

There have also been numerous reports of violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of human rights during the military aggression by the regime occupying Palestine. The killing of women and children is among these violations and is well documented in the Goldstone report (A/64/490, annex).

Italy

Ending sexual violence in situations of armed conflict is a key element of the protection of civilians agenda. The Security Council has shown great leadership in this regard in the last year and a half, starting with the adoption of landmark resolution 1820 (2008), which stated once and for all that sexual violence, when used as a tactic of war, is a matter of peace and security and therefore the business of the Security Council. Resolution 1888 (2009), adopted in September, is another important step forward, as it provides the Council with effective new tools designed to end impunity and to hold accountable the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. It is now up to the Council to use these tools and to implement these resolutions in full and without delay. In this respect, the Secretary-General's early appointment of a special representative for women, peace and security will provide much-needed leadership, coordination and advocacy in this field.

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[T]raining should be standardized and based on the aforementioned guidelines. It should address the ability to manage crisis situations that pose a threat to the lives of civilians, particularly women and children. Italy is cooperating with the Secretariat in this area through its Centres of Excellence. In this spirit, it has helped to finance some Police Division projects.

Japan

The Security Council has developed a number of normative standards and frameworks on the protection of civilians since it adopted resolution 1265 (1999). They include, inter alia, the aide-mémoire for reviewing mission mandates, revised earlier this year, and resolution 1894 (2009), just adopted. At the same time, we should acknowledge that enormous and wide-ranging challenges to the protection of civilians — such as sexual violence, child soldiers, deliberate attacks on humanitarian personnel and other violations of international humanitarian and human rights law remain in many parts of the world. The most pressing task for us now is to determine how we can put those normative frameworks and standards into practice.

Kenya

We welcome the Security Council's engagement since February 1999 in enhancing the protection of civilians. The adoption by the Council of additional resolutions, the aide-mémoire (see S/PRST/2009/1, annex) and the establishment of the Security Council Expert Group have given impetus to the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Equally important are the measures the Council has taken in addressing the impact of war on women and children in armed conflict.
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My delegation recognizes that sexual violence is no longer considered to be a simple by-product of armed conflict. It is being used as a tool of warfare. It dehumanizes and instills fear in civilians during armed conflict in order to achieve political and military objectives. The adoption by the Council of resolution 1820 (2008) against sexual and other forms of violence against civilians in armed conflict situations, in particular women and children, was a significant development. However, there is a lot that needs to be done to enhance its implementation. We must move from words to deeds to ensure protection of sexually vulnerable populations in armed conflict situations. The recent creation of a post of a special representative of the Secretary-General to address sexual violence in armed conflict will, we believe, complement those efforts.

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

The number of victims of armed conflict, including victims of foreign occupation, has not decreased. The suffering of victims has increased. This suffering includes torture and other forms of inhumane treatment such as gender-based and sexual violence, violence against children, the recruitment of child soldiers, trafficking in persons, displacement and the deliberate denial of access to international assistance.

Malta

The systematic use of rape and mutilation of civilians has become a tactic of choice of militia groups and armed forces in several regions, especially in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where sexual violence and rape are part of the military strategy of disruption.

Terror is an epidemic. Militiamen and rebels perpetrate many of these outrages, often directed at young women or even little girls and sometimes little boys. The Order is working with victims in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to prevent or treat sexually transmitted diseases and to provide psychological counseling to them. We have treated and counseled more than 30,000 women in the past four years, and we have also successfully worked with soldiers and rebels in order to try to prevent such crimes in the future.
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The Order has observed at least four types of violence perpetrated against civilians in the course of armed conflict, and the Council should address each one. They are, first, direct attacks on civilians, including by use of sexual violence, suicide bombings or assaults on facilities for refugees and displaced persons for the purpose of destabilizing society or generating terror for military or political objectives; secondly, the taking of civilian hostages to serve as human shields or the misuse of protected facilities, such as hospitals or aid stations, for the purpose of protecting combatants or combatant facilities or operations; thirdly, the inflicting of incidental or collateral damage upon civilians, including aid workers and medical personnel, as part of military operations that create a high degree of probability that innocent civilians will be killed or injured in pursuing what would otherwise be legitimate military objectives; and fourthly, the targeting of humanitarian facilities or aid workers, such a medical personnel and volunteers, for the purpose of denying civilians refuge, food, shelter or medical care.

Mexico

Mexico attaches a great deal of importance to this topic, and we commend the Security Council for the work it has done in this area over the past decade. In particular, we welcome the recent adoption of resolutions 1882 (2009), 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009), to which we can now add the resolution adopted today (1894 (2009)), which will no doubt revitalize the protection in armed conflict of civilians, especially the most vulnerable groups, such as women and children.

Norway

Women and children, innocent bystanders — civilians — who are caught up in armed conflict too often lack the effective protection to which they are entitled under humanitarian law. We can and must restore respect for and adherence to international humanitarian law. While the core principles of international humanitarian law are as valid as ever, the complexity of modern armed conflicts demands renewed reflection on the application of these principles in order to ensure adequate protection for civilians.
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Clear guidance to peacekeeping personnel is needed on how to operationalize protection of civilians mandates. One area of particular concern is the protection of women and children from sexual violence. To our knowledge, not one national army has developed operational guidance to combat sexual violence in conflict. DPKO and national Governments need to put in place such operational tools as a matter of urgency.

The overall lack of tailored training for troops required to address sexual violence is worrisome. It is a mistake to assume that women's and children's protection against sexual violence will come intuitively to soldiers trained in war-fighting. When peacekeepers confront a highly sensitive security problem they have never encountered in training, they are likely to make mistakes. The international community also needs to deploy more uniformed female personnel. I take this opportunity to commend the efforts of the all-women Indian police contingent working in Liberia. They should be an inspiration to us all. A police force plays a leading role in a State's ability to protect its citizens. That is why Norway funds the development of a strategic doctrinal framework for international police peacekeeping, the purpose of which is to provide a consistent model for policing. This will help United Nations police as they seek to protect civilians and assist in building local police capacity. We need to see stronger political will and leadership in demanding a response to sexual violence in conflict — from the field commander to the special representative of the Secretary-General and from the Secretary-General to the Security Council. This must be manifested in strong and specific mandates to ensure timely delivery and the deployment of resources. Some progress has been made. The Comprehensive Strategy on Combating Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a case in point. But such strategies will remain futile unless there is a mission-wide and, indeed, a society wide commitment to implement them.

Fostering greater political will is one of the tasks of the soon to be appointed special representative of the Secretary-General on sexual violence in armed conflict. Norway calls on the Secretary-General to expedite the appointment of the special representative and urges all Member States to give strong political support to the new representative's work. Where criminals in uniform are free to rape and murder, civilian criminals are often free to do the same. Impunity serves as an incentive for continued violence to soldier and citizen alike. Members of parties to conflict, from the lowest ranks to the commanding officer, are accountable and must be held accountable for their actions. The certainty of investigation, prosecution and punishment is vital to preventing and protecting civilians from abuse. Justice alone can show would-be perpetrators that civilian lives matter.

Qatar

Those efforts include the establishment of the Security Council Expert Group on the Protection of Civilians and the development of plans to address all forms of violence, including murder, mutilation and sexual violence, and to include protection activities in the mandates of peacekeeping missions.

Republic of Korea

Women and girls deserve special attention, since they are the most vulnerable group in conflict situations, and since sexual violence has a devastating and corrosive effect on society as a whole. My delegation has been strongly articulating our determination to put a stop to this most cowardly form of violence, and we welcomed the landmark Security Council resolution 1888 (2009) in this regard. Today's resolution adequately reflects the spirit of resolution 1888 (2009) and will add important political momentum to our efforts to eradicate sexual violence and exploitation.

Russian Federation

The Russian Federation supports the peaceful settlement of disputes. There should be no room for violence and armed conflict in the twenty-first century. However, we live in the real world. In spite of efforts by the international community, conflicts continue to occur and to take the lives of many people, most of them civilians. It is therefore civilians who require our special protection, first and foremost women, children, older persons and the humanitarian staff who assist them.

South Africa

The deliberate targeting of civilians in armed conflicts, together with the indiscriminate use of force, gender-based violence, forced displacement, lack of safety and access to humanitarian personnel, all have a devastating effect on civilians and wide ramifications for their societies.

Sweden (on behalf of The European Union)

The European Union calls for the implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000), 1612 (2005), 1820 (2008), 1889 (2009) and 1888 (2009), mandating peacekeeping missions and all other relevant actors to take effective measures to protect women and girls, as well as boys and men, from sexual violence in armed conflict. We look forward to the Secretary-General's appointment of a special representative to lead concerted international action against sexual violence.

Switzerland

The past 10 years have been marked by a significant increase in the work of the Security Council on the protection of civilians. Encouraging progress has been made, particularly in establishing a general normative framework and in considering the specific protection needs of women and children. These positive developments, however, will have little value if they do not translate into tangible improvements in the protection of civilians on the ground.

Turkey

The Secretary-General's recent report (S/2009/277) gives us a comprehensive account of the latest situation in protecting civilians in armed conflicts. The report indicates the difficulties and challenges for the future. However, recent developments offer hope as well. The adoption over the past months of Security Council resolution 1882 (2009) on children and armed conflict, as well as resolutions 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009) on women and peace and security, indicates an important evolution in protecting civilians in armed conflicts. In the light of those developments, we are pleased that the Austrian presidency has broadly included the peacekeeping aspect in the resolution.

Uganda

Civilians continue to be targeted by parties to conflicts and subjected to indiscriminate attacks and other forms of violations, such as forced displacement, sexual violence, forced conscription, indiscriminate killings, mutilation, maiming, hunger, disease and loss of livelihood.
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The new resolution (1894 (2009)) covers important areas that are often taken for granted. It recognizes the need for safeguards for vulnerable people, especially women, the elderly, the disabled, and children, the civilians envisaged in such terminology.

United Arab Emirates

However, the international community unfortunately continues to witness the suffering endured by thousands of civilians in armed conflict around the world, especially women and children, the victims of increasingly complex forms of blind acts of violence that lead to numerous deaths and disabilities and an increasing number of wounded, as well as acute humanitarian crises that are hard to contain.

Zambia

As most conflicts occur on our continent, Africa calls upon the Security Council to be proactive in early warning and response to conflict. In this regard, the Security Council should strengthen its early warning mechanisms to detect, assess and discuss potential conflict situations before they happen. In addition, there is a need for the adoption of clear mandates for peacekeeping missions that would make the protection of civilian populations, of which women and children constitute the majority in every conflict situation, their top priority.
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It should, however, be understood that durable conflict prevention can be successful only if the root causes of conflict are addressed. As long as we continue to have oceans of poverty and underdevelopment surrounding the few islands of wealth around the world; as long as we hold sections of humanity under the bondage of colonialism and foreign occupation; as long as we continue to treat women, who comprise half of humanity, as second class citizens; as long as we continue with trade practices that disadvantage developing countries; as long as we continue to deny human rights and due process to sections of world citizens; and indeed, as long as we do not address governance challenges around the world, the scourge of conflict will be a constant, ever-present menace.

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For the full thematic index please click HERE

6. Feature Event

A 15-year Review of the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Outcomes of the Twenty-Third Special Session of the General Assembly
Commission on the Status of Women, March 1-12, 2010

In March 2010, the Commission on the Status of Women will undertake a fifteen-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. Emphasis will be placed on the sharing of experiences and good practices, with a view to overcoming remaining obstacles and new challenges, including those related to the Millennium Development Goals. Member States and representatives of non-governmental organizations and of UN entities will participate in the session. A series of parallel events will provide additional opportunities for information exchange and networking.

Ongoing national and regional review processes are feeding into the global review process.

The General Assembly is expected to mark the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in a commemorative meeting during CSW.RE

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Beijing Plus 15 Online Discussions
The Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE), 2009-2010

Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE) is coordinating moderated online discussions on the Critical Areas of Concern of the Beijing Platform for Action. These discussions will contribute to the 15-year Review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action at CSW 54.

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Regional Beijing 15-year Review Processes
The Department for the Advancement of Women (DAW)

Regional review processes - including the preparation of regional review reports and the organization of regional intergovernmental meetings - are being undertaken in all five regions by the United Nations regional commissions – Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

The outcomes of these regional review processes will feed into the fifty-fourth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) from 1-12 March 2010.

The Commission noted the relevance of the regional reviews and outcomes of the regional-level intergovernmental processes in preparation for the “Beijing plus 15” review (CSW resolution 53/1 - E/2009/27). Each of the five UN regional commissions is preparing regional review reports, and intergovernmental meetings are being organized to contribute to the global review process in the Commission on the Status of Women.

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7. NGO WORKING GROUP UPDATE

Monthly Action Points (MAP) on Women, Peace and Security for the Security Council

In October, 2010, the international community will mark the 10th Anniversary of the adoption of 1325, the first Security Council Resolution on women, peace and security. Throughout the year leading up to this anniversary, the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security is producing Monthly Action Points, or MAPs, a series of recommendations that show how each United Nations Security Council President can provide leadership on, and how the Security Council as a whole can systematically meet its obligations to women in conflict.

For a full description of this project, please visit:
http://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/advocacy/map/

Burkina Faso's Support for Women, Peace and Security in the Security Council

Burkina Faso's 2008-2009 Security Council membership has included a particular focus on mediation and negotiation processes. During Burkina Faso's Security Council Presidency in September 2008, a Presidential Statement was issued that included an emphasis on the importance of including women in mediation and negotiation efforts.

Burkina Faso's relevant international commitments include: Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Ratified 16 April 2004); Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (Acceded 14 October 1987; ratified the Optional Protocol 10 Oct 2005).Action Previously Requested by the Security Council

The Security Council and Member States should follow up on the recommendation in Security Council resolution 1888 on Women Peace and Security for the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG). We encourage the Security Council to ensure the SRSG and her/his office has the expertise, credibility, and authority to effectively discharge the mandate. Effectively addressing sexual violence requires a holistic approach that includes taking into account issues of prevention, protection, women's participation, and access to services for survivors of sexual violence.

The Security Council should also continue to follow up on the recommendations in Security Council resolutions 1888 and 1889, including the deployment of a team of experts focused on ending impunity for sexual violence (1888 OP8); the Secretary-General's upcoming proposals to strengthen the UN response to sexual violence in conflict (1888 OP26); and the Secretary-General's forthcoming set of universal indicators to track implementation of 1325 (1889 OP17).

Country Situations

All mandate renewals and sections of country reports must address the protection and promotion of women's human rights in accordance with Security Council resolutions 1325, 1820 (OP 9), 1888 (OP 11), and 1889 (OP 5) and SC Presidential Statement 2009/1. The absence of specific reporting on women does not imply that there are no women peace and security concerns in the country. Member States should inquire about any such lack of information.

Afghanistan

The resolutions authorizing mandates of the UN mission and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan explicitly refer to the resolutions on Women Peace and Security. However, relevant reporting has been uneven. Firstly, the quarterly report on ISAF operations is overdue. Secondly, although the last UN Secretary-General report (S/2009/475) condemned the severe legislative restrictions on women's rights, the benchmarks in this report did not address the root causes of these restrictions including the need for women's empowerment, nor women's specific security concerns.

- The next UN Secretary-General report on Afghanistan is due mid-December, and presents an opportunity to review good practices regarding reporting on women peace and security in country situations.

Democratic Republic of Congo

As noted in November's NGOWG MAP, the situation for women and girls in the DRC remains dire. In December's review of the MONUC mandate, the Security Council has the opportunity to address some of the difficulties and concerns regarding the implementation of MONUC's previous mandate. Specific action by the Council should include:

- Women protection advisors (WPAs) in the role of monitoring, reporting, and devising protection strategies. WPAs would liaise with MONUC's joint protection teams and Congolese NGOs working on issues of concern to women and girls; gather information on the risks facing women and girls; devise protection strategies to mitigate these risks; ensure communication with the work of child protection advisors; and harness a system-wide UN response to implement those strategies.

- Regarding operation Kimia II, any continuation of MONUC's support to FARDC must be conditional upon compliance by FARDC units and commanders with human rights law and international humanitarian law. The impact of Kimia II on civilian populations must be taken into account, as per the priority the Council has given to protection of civilians in the MONUC mandate.

- The arms embargo should be strictly enforced and should apply to all those suspected of committing violations of human rights or international humanitarian law. The Sanctions Committee should act promptly on the findings of the group of experts. When selecting individuals targeted for sanctions the Security Council should follow a process that is transparent and based on clear criteria and a uniformly applied standard of evidence. Those subject to sanctions must have direct access to an effective, independent, review mechanism.

- Vetting and training of integrated forces, including, human rights and protection training should be mandatory.

- The mandate renewal should include an explicit obligation to support and protect human rights defenders.

- Those indicted at national and international levels should be arrested for international crimes, including crimes of sexual violence.

Guinea

The Secretary-General's Commission of Inquiry has been appointed and is investigating the situation in Guinea. The Security Council should support this commission's specific attention to the reports of targeted violence against women in its investigation. The commission should involve civil society, and ensure that adequate security measures are provided to protect witnesses, victims and their families, staff and others associated with the inquiry. The commission's findings and recommendations should be officially proclaimed and disseminated publicly without undue delay. The recommendations should include measures for redress and guarantees of non-repetition. Women should be represented during talks regarding power-sharing in the country. These talks should include women's rights and interests.

Golan Heights; Cyprus

The only women, peace and security emphasis of the UN mandates in both the Golan Heights and Cyprus has been on sexual exploitation and abuse by the troops monitoring the cease fire. In both countries, any future mandate renewal should require comprehensive and robust gender-specific awareness training for these troops. In addition, as landmines and unexploded ordinance pose huge risks to civilians, especially women and girls, the Security Council should ask for an update on that situation, particularly how these missions are ensuring adequate health care for those maimed by landmines.

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8.WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY CALENDAR

Call for Proposals: The International Indigenous Women's Forum
Indigenous Women's Fund
Continuing: November 2009 to January 15, 2010

The International Indigenous Women´s Forum (IIWF/FIMI) in its commitment to the empowerment of Indigenous women´s human rights and Indigenous peoples collective human rights around the world, is pleased to open the first Indigenous Women´s Fund Call for Proposals from 15 October 2009 to 15 January 2010.

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‘Call for Applications for the 2010 session of the annual Human Rights Advocates Program at Columbia University
Continuing: November 2009 until December 31, 2009

The application for the 2010 session of the annual Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) at Columbia University is now available.

HRAP is designed to prepare proven human rights leaders from the Global South and marginalized communities in the U.S. to participate in national and international policy debates on globalization by building their skills, knowledge, and contacts. The Program features a four-month residency at Columbia University in New York City with a structured curriculum of advocacy, networking, skills-building, and academic coursework.