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Implementing the United Nations
Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security: Integrating
Gender into Early Warning Systems: Report on First Expert Consultative
Meeting
International Alert and Swiss Peace Foundation, Susanne Schmeidl
and Feyzi Ismail, with contributions from Eugenia Piza-Lopez, 7
May 2001, Nairobi, Kenya
International Alert and
the Swiss Peace Foundation have produced a draft framework paper
entitled Gender and Conflict Early Warning: A Preliminary Framework.
The paper aims to create awareness among individuals and organisations
working in conflict prevention and early warning, and influence
the development of early warning systems and related international
policy. The paper grew out of the realisation that early warning
is the sine qua non of effective conflict prevention and peacebuilding
and that a gender-sensitive approach is needed for the early identification
of conflicts at the micro-level and in order to prepare adequate
response options that ensure the human security of both women and
men. The paper has been extensively consulted in the academic, conflict
prevention and early warning communities and will be finalised in
the coming months. Contributions from the Expert Consultative Meetings
will be incorporated into the paper and used to identify gaps in
the proposed framework on how to engender early warning through
gender-sensitive early warning indicators, gender analysis and the
formulation of gender-sensitive response options. Subsequent consultations,
to take place over the next two months in Berne, Switzerland and
London, UK, also aim to identify areas of further research and reflection,
and will be used to test the applicability of the framework in four
conflict regions. This action research will then form part of a
publication with recommendations, launching this pilot project into
a greater research and advocacy effort. International Alert and
the Swiss Peace Foundation would like to thank the Forum on Early
Warning and Early Response (FEWER) and the Africa Peace Forum (APFO)
for supporting and co-sponsoring the Nairobi meeting.
Introduction
The purpose of the consultative
meeting in Nairobi was to gather the perspectives and experiences
of women and women’s organisations working in conflict, in
addition to other civil society groups and NGOs, government bodies
and UN agencies, in order to inform the development of gender-sensitive
early warning indicators for conflict prevention, management and
response to crises. Forty individuals representing these organisations
participated in the meeting. Presentations focused on the link between
UN Security Council Resolution 1325 Women, Peace and Security
and the need for gender-sensitive early warning indicators (Feyzi
Ismail, International Alert) and an overview of the value of
integrating gender into conflict early warning (Susanne Schmeidl,
Swiss Peace Foundation).
Background
The historic press statement issued
by Ambassador Chowdhury of Bangladesh on International Women’s
Day 2000, acknowledging that peace is inextricably linked with equality
between men and women, was a key step forward for the international
movement pushing for concrete action on the issue of women and armed
conflict. For the first time at an international level, it was publicly
recognised that the full involvement of women in conflict prevention
is essential to the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.
The statement was also instrumental in providing the opportunity
for both civil society organisations and UN agencies to come together
and lobby the Security Council to adopt a Resolution related to
the issue. The Namibian Government, together with the United Nations
Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the NGO Working Group on
Women and International Peace and Security, continued to work toward
this end. The result was Resolution 1325 Women, Peace and Security,
unanimously passed at the end of October 2000 under the Namibian
presidency. The Resolution has critical implications for the protection
of women in conflict zones and the inclusion of women’s groups
and civil society in peace processes. As the Resolution is legally-binding
for Member States of the UN regarding all operational points, it
also has implications for the integration of gender into early warning
indicators for conflict prevention and the implementation of these
indicators to ensure more effective responses in humanitarian crises.
The protection and inclusion of women in peace and reconciliation
processes, as well as the involvement of women in information collection,
analysis and the formulation of response options in order to inform
early warning, emerge as critical and cross-cutting issues.
Key Issues Identified
While participants welcomed the
idea of early warning in general, and integrating a gender-sensitive
focus in particular, many felt that early action and response to
humanitarian crises, equally considering the needs of women and
men, is more important than even the formulation of response options.
Though effective early warning does not necessarily lead to the
most appropriate or effective response, it does increase the chance
for a response and therefore the opportunity for conflict to be
prevented or mitigated. In many conflict zones, however, people
are already suffering and early warning and preventive action are
too late. In these situations, effective response must include linking
relief efforts and post-conflict support with preventive efforts.
It is also crucial to consider gender inequities not just before
conflict breaks out, but also when formulating response options.
A. Women and Gender in Early Warning
An important point highlighted throughout
the consultation was that any response should not merely focus on
how to include women into early warning processes, but also men,
thus truly engendering early warning. Many participants felt
that if women were to work on issues of conflict prevention separately
from men, it would create further tensions between them, especially
in societies with clear gender hierarchies that discriminate against
women. Mutual inclusiveness of both men and women into early warning
and response, in addition to raising awareness among men about the
specific experiences, perspectives, needs and rights of women in
conflict situations, is key. Activities such as training and education,
establishing structures or organisations, developing strategies
or methodologies for peace reconstruction and reconciliation and
conflict prevention, should involve and encourage women and men
alike.
Gender and the Impact of Conflict
- While gender relations are often carried over
from pre-conflict to all other stages of conflict, they can also
change after conflict has erupted. It is important, therefore,
to fully understand pre-conflict gender relations in order to
formulate appropriate response options. It is also important to
recognise the role of women in different contexts and cultures
and acknowledge that gender dynamics are not the same in all conflict
situations.
- Conflict can be an opportunity for producing
changes in gender relations, as during conflict, women take on
non-traditional roles, and in many cases, become heads of households.
Yet personal and psychological factors, such as rape, abuse and
insecurity, as well as economic factors, such as access to land
and property, can have serious negative impacts on the empowerment
of women.
- Issues threatening women include both physical
and psychological, and thus both must be considered in the development
of effective protection mechanisms, which is an emerging issue
integral to building effective early warning systems.
The Role of Women in Early Warning
- Women should play a role at all levels of early
warning, including information collection, analysis and the formulation
of response options. Fundamental to this inclusion, however, is
the great challenge—equity with men.
- As many women work at the community and grassroots
levels, an increased involvement of communities in the development
of early warning and early response would begin to ensure that
the voices of women are heard.
B. Early Warning at the Community Level
It is important to acknowledge that
early warning and response can and do occur at different levels.
In many cases, local communities have far greater knowledge of issues
on the ground, and can therefore be more effective in preventing
and mitigating crisis.
The Role of Local Communities: Early Warning
for Whom?
- A crucial consideration in early warning processes
is who is responding to crisis. Too often the focus is
on large NGOs, UN agencies, governments and intergovernmental
bodies as the sole response-vehicles. Local communities often
do not need to wait for external involvement, yet if they do,
the parties involved need to ensure that the response is co-ordinated
and complementary, rather than counterproductive. Working on the
basis of equal partnerships, therefore, is crucial. Local initiatives
and capacities can be strengthened, built upon and supported,
and international organisations can be informed as to how to develop
more effective response.
- Women and women’s organisations can play
crucial roles not just as providers of information, but also as
leaders that can both formulate and implement response options.
It is important to consider, however, varying cultural contexts
which will influence this potential role in early warning. Any
capacity-building at community level, focusing on the analysis
of information, how to use information or building confidence
among communities, should target women specifically.
Operationalising Early Warning at the Community
Level
- Formulating concrete methods of implementing
the theory of early warning and making these relevant to practitioners
is essential. For example, proposals on how to incorporate women
into information collection processes, or how to overcome security
issues when getting information from women in conflict situations
or how to influence institutional set-ups to integrate women into
all aspects of early warning and conflict prevention.
- In Kenya, and to some degree Uganda, there are
Peace and Development Committees, existing at both village and
District level. These are interesting examples of existing institutionalised
methods of collection, analysis and exchange of information, as
well as collaboration between state and civil society in the formulation
of responses. These and other similar efforts could either be
linked up with local early warning systems, or built upon to create
early warning systems, if none existed previously.
- Creating sustainable structures for the
purposes of early warning is crucial. If traditional mechanisms
can be utilised and adapted, they are more likely to be accepted
and effective.
- Early Warning Theory and Practice
Practical and effective early warning
systems involve local communities and ensure a transparent process,
where the collectors of information benefit from imparting their
knowledge to those who are responding. Learning from local efforts
and skills can only happen when members of the community, including
women, are incorporated into the process of scenario-building for
action and formulating and implementing response options. In order
to ensure the development of appropriate response options, however,
it was highlighted that analysis must be done together with affected
populations, as most early warning analysis uses context-specific
qualitative methods, requiring community involvement and as many
contributions as possible. Strategies of early warning, therefore,
will vary depending on the type of conflict, the histories and background
of the different communities, the location of the conflict, timing
and many other factors. Women and men already engaged in developing
early warning and conflict prevention activities must be recognised,
supported and worked with.
Women as Providers of Early Warning Information
- There are several platforms for the exchange
of information that are often used by women. Examples include
religious gatherings, markets, self-help groups around specific
issues, merry-go-rounds, micro-credit schemes and others. The
degree to which women can utilise these platforms will differ
and change in different contexts. For example, the market in conflict
situations can become less secure. However, if women are to be
included in information-sharing processes and use these platforms
to implement responses, the capacities of women need to have local,
national and international support in order to be strengthened.
- In environments that are particularly insecure,
church and international organisations may be the only channels
for information transmission. Faith-based organisations particularly
have intimate contact with constituencies.
Improving Channels of Communication
- Ways to strengthen channels of communication
are to improve access to technologies and increase trust between
local populations and authorities. Changing attitudes and building
trust and confidence can to some extent be facilitated by peacebuilders
holding forums, mediating and facilitating discussion on issues
of concern.
- Many organisations and individuals do not have
an early warning agenda and do not think they have useful information
to share. There is a need to facilitate communication between
organisations who have information and then to overcome the challenge
of sharing it through encouragement, building trust and empowering
both men and women. Women’s organisations must be supported
in order that women can have fora to meet. The only way we can
talk of empowerment is to bring women to the centre of peacebuilding.
- Coding and decoding information is important
in order to interpret signals accurately. In order to understand
codes of communication, experience and knowledge of the culture,
history, context and power relations, is necessary.
The Role of Institutions
- When developing the framework on early warning
indicators, it cannot be assumed that gender is already a priority
within institutions, governments or international organisations
or that gender-sensitivity already exists within institutional
cultures. For example, it is difficult for gender-blind institutions
to address and attend to gender-sensitive indicators, when they
are developed, if there is still debate over whether information
coming from women is actually valid.
D. Indicators for Early Warning
Conflict early warning is about
being able to predict the resumption of violence and prevent it
from recurring. In discussing early warning indicators during the
consultation, it was suggested by one of the working groups to structure
early warning around the following components: signs (e.g.
the use of scouts to gather information; the unwillingness of women
to meet); sensors (e.g. churches and church sensitivity);
signifiers, which are a measure of changing trends (e.g.
changes in market production, trade or governing institutions);
and signals (e.g. women becoming involved in politics or
being briefed by elders; the beating of drums to alert others).
Additions to the Indicator List
- Increased activity of women in the preparation
of food prior to the launch of an attack by the community, particularly
men.
- Increased activity of women in the production
of weapons, particularly traditional ones, for the purposes of
defense or attack
- Children informing mothers of recruitment into
military or armed groups.
- Context-specific indicators—In rural
Kenya, women wearing belts to protect their sons from being killed
in war.
Recommendations
- Develop indicators that are most commonly present
prior to the outbreak of armed conflict.
- Develop training modules for gender-sensitive
early warning for policy-makers, governments and local, national
and international civil society organisations.
- Provide concrete suggestions on how to build
gender-sensitive early warning systems through institutional efforts,
including how to build effective partnerships.
- Consider the biases that are contributing to
and affecting the quality and accuracy of information transmitted
and ensure that gender-bias does not cloud the indicators or response
options.
- Develop concrete suggestions on improving the
security for information providers and collectors of politically-sensitive
information.
- Discuss in consultation and collaboration with
communities how to mobilise and harness the energy of civil society
for effective early warning i.e. training; establishing early
warning structures; sharing and collecting information etc.
- Discuss solutions to the problem of extracting
information from the community and how structures of early warning
and information feedback to the community can be created in areas
where they do not currently exist.
APPENDIX ONE
Questions Raised by Participants for Discussion
in Working Groups
- What are the issues that affect gender relations
and women at different stages of conflict that should be reflected
in the early warning indicators and the formulation of response
options?
- What are the main gaps in the framework
presented?
- Where and how do you see the role
of women in early warning systems with regard to the collection
of information, analysis and response options?
- How best can gender be integrated
into existing early warning indicators to maximise their effectiveness?
- Do have any suggestions for the improvement
of the indicators put forth?
- What kind of responses would best
address women's needs in conflict situations?
- How can the use of gender-sensitive
early warning indicators best be integrated into early warning
activities, reports of policy-makers, humanitarian agencies and
others in order to ensure a gender-sensitive response?
- How can early warning be made more
operational, in order to bridge the gap between theory and practice?
- What structures exist locally that
can be used for early warning purposes?
- How can these structures be made
more effective for conflict early warning? Where do they need
to be supported and how can they be made more inclusive?
- What channels need to be strengthened
in order to improve the communication aspect of early warning?
How could these channels be strengthened?
- How can women be empowered to play
a more effective role in conflict early warning at all levels?
- How can other excluded groups be
brought into the process of early warning in order to enhance
its comprehensiveness and inclusiveness?
APPENDIX TWO
Participants List
NGOs and Grassroots Organisations
- Abantu for Development
P.O. Box 56241
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-570343/564033
Fax: + 254-2-570668
E-mail: abantu@africaonline.co.ke
- African Indigenous Women Organization
- Mary Kuku, Nuba Association
P.O. Box 74908
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-729607/715274
Fax: + 254-2-729607/715274
E-mail: iin@iin.co.ke
- Africa Initiative Programme
- Brigitte Mutambala Mapendo
P.O. Box 10321
Tel: + 254-2-725843
Fax: + 254-2-725843
E-mail: celipe5@yahoo.fr
- Africa Peace Forum (APFO)
P.O. Box 76621, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-574092/6
Fax: + 254-2-561357
E-mail: kilenem@africaonline.co.ke
- Association des femmes Congolaises à
Nairobi
- Noelle Nyakadekere Gisenya
P.O. Box 47214
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-575930
E-mail: noellegisenya@yahoo.com
- Building Eastern Africa Community Network
(BEACON)
- Agnes Abuom, Regional Co-ordinator
P.O. Box 10476
00100-Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-712700
Fax: + 254-2-713281
E-mail: beaconre@africaonline.co.ke
- Chemchemi Ya Ukweli
P.O. Box 14370
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-446970
Fax: + 254-2-444023
E-mail: chemchemi@clubinternetk.com
- Christian Partners Development Agency (CPDA)
- Alice Kirambi, Executive Chairperson
P.O. Box 13988
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254 442838/441994
Fax: + 254 443241
E-mail: cpda@skyweb.co.ke or aacc-witness@maf.org
- Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development
- Miriam Gachago, Gender Expert
P.O. Box 52855
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-2-537100
E-mail: mwgachago@hotmail.com
- Education Centre for Women in Democracy (ECWD)
- Jerotich Seii, Programme Co-ordinator
Ndemi Close, Off Ndemi Road, Off Ngong Road
P.O. Box 62714, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: ecwd@swiftkenya.com
Tel: + 254-2-570386/562304
Fax: + 254-2-561316
- Education Centre for Women in Democracy (ECWD)
- Patrick O. Onyango, Senior Programmes Officer
Ndemi Close, Off Ndemi Road, Off Ngong Road
P.O. Box 62714, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: ecwd@swiftkenya.com
Tel: + 254-2-570386/562304
Fax: + 254-2-561316
- Education Centre for Women in Democracy (ECWD)
Ndemi Close, Off Ndemi Road, Off Ngong Road
P.O. Box 62714, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: ecwd@swiftkenya.com
Tel: + 254-2-570386/562304
Fax: + 254-2-561316
13. Federation of National Associations of Women
in Business in Eastern and Southern Africa (FEMCOM), Kenya
P.O. Box 10475, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-2-748015
E-mail: femcomk@kenyaweb.com
14. Grafadeco Kinshasa
- Ruth Vakebila-di-Banda, Coordinatrice des femmes
pour le developpement et la paix
P.O. Box 60954
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-72722604
E-mail: grafadeco@yahoo.com
15. Grafadeco Kinshasa
- Assani Bonzatina, Representante de la CAPI et
Ririgeante des femmes de l’Eglise
P.O. Box 60954
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-72722604
E-mail: grafadeco@yahoo.com
16. Indigenous Information Network
P.O. Box 74908
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-729607/715274
Fax: + 254-2-729607/715274
E-mail: iin@iin.co.ke
17. Interfaith Peace Initiative
c/o Youth Muslim Association
P.O. Box 48509
Nairobi, Kenya
- Nairobi Peace Initiative—Africa
- Bertha Amisi, Programme Advisor
P.O. Box 14894
5th Floor Waumini House, Westlands
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-2-441444/440098
Fax: +254-2-440097
E-mail: berita@iconnect.co.ke
- National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK)
- Wasye M. Musyoni, Co-ordinator, National Agenda
for Peace Project
P.O. Box 45009
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254 2 21556o/217760
Fax: + 254 2 215169/224463
E-mail: ncckadv@iconnect.co.ke
- NEGST
P.O. Box 24686
Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: rdeo2001@yahoo.com or ruberad@hotmail.com
- New Sudan Women Federation
- Sitouna A. Osman, Managing Director
P.O. Box 12109
00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-577531
Fax: + 254-2-577531
E-mail: nswf@todays.co.ke
- Peace and Development Network
- Tecla Wanjala, Co-ordinator
P.O. Box 62023
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-577557/8
Fax: + 254-2-577557
E-mail: peacenet@nbnet.co.ke
- PRM/MAP International
P.O. Box 21663
Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: fnemeyimana@map.org
- Rassemblement Francophone Protestant Nairobi
(RFPN)
P.O. Box 49332
Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: pmukesha@yahoo.com
UN Organisations and International NGOs
- Catholic Relief Services, Kenya/Tanzania
- Sheila Mugo, Gender and Training Officer
P.O. Box 49675 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-0-750788/7, 751246, 740985
Fax: + 254-0-2 741356, 747387
E-mail: s.mugo@crsnairobi.org
- World Vision
- Francis Maklap Tulel, Peace and Reconciliation
Co-ordinator
P.O. Box 842
Eldoret, Kenya
Tel: + 254-0321-62676
27. United States Agency for International Development
- Dr. Ned Greeley, DG Conflict Team Leader
REDSO/ESA
P.O. Box 30261
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254-2-862400/2
Fax: 254-2-860949/860562/860870
E-mail: ngreeley@usaid.gov
28. United States Agency for International Development
- Lee Foley, Democracy Fellow
REDSO/ESA
P.O. Box 30261
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254-2-862400/2
Fax: 254-2-860949/860562/860870
E-mail: lefoley@usaid.gov
29. IRIN (Integrated Regional Information Network),
UN OCHA
- Lucy Hannan, Horn of Africa Desk
P.O. Box 30218
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-624512/622147
Fax: +254-2-622129
E-mail: lucy@ocha.unon.org
30. UNESCO Culture of Peace Network
- Emmanuel Muamba, Regional Co-ordinator
P.O. Box 60954
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-72722604
E-mail: grafadeco@yahoo.com
31. UNESCO
- Nureldin Satti, Director, Regional Programme
for Education for Emergencies, Communication and Culture of Peace
UNESCO/PEER/NAIROBI
P.O. Box 30592, Block C-109
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-622710/622724
Fax: + 254-2-622324
E-mail: nureldin.satti@unesco.unon.org
32. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR)
- Guy Avognon, Senior EPR Officer
P.O. Box 43801
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-2-442052 ext. 2833
E-mail: avognong@unhcr.ch
33. United Nations Development Fund for Women
(UNIFEM)
- Hodan Addou, Project Co-ordinator, Africa Women
for Conflict Resolution and Peace Project
Regional Office for East, Central and the Horn of
Africa
UN Compound, Gigiri, Block Q, Door 104
P.O.Box 30218
Gigiri, Nairobi
Tel: + 254-2-624383
Fax: + 254-2-624494
E-mail: hodan.addou@unifem.unon.org
34. World Bank
- Nyambura Githagui, Social Development Specialist
P.O. Box 30577
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-260443
E-mail: ngithagui@worldbank.org
Research Institutes and Universities
35. African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)
- Jeremy Lind, Research Fellow
P.O. Box 45917
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-524708
E-mail: j.lind@cgiar.org
36. Centre for Conflict Research
- Njeri Karuru, Associate Director
P.O. Box 72321
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254-2-448904/5
Fax: + 254-2-448906
E-mail: wlea@form-net.com
37. Centre for Refugee Studies, Moi University
- John Joseph Okumu, Professor of Political Science
and Co-ordinator
P.O. Box 3900
Eldoret, Kenya
Tel: + 254-0321-43233
Fax: + 254-0321-43047
E-mail: crefugee@irmmoi.com
38. York University
- Howard Adelman, Professor of Philosophy
Centre for Refugee Studies and Centre for Conflict
and Security Studies
York University
Toronto, Canada
M3J 1P3
Tel: 001-416-533-5012
Fax: 001-416-533-3144
E-mail: howardadelman@home.com
39. Yvonne Kambale Kavvo, Consultant
P.O. Box 14205
Nairobi, Kenya
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