Reconstruction and Peacebuilding

The Reconstruction and Peacebuilding theme focuses on the application of a gender perspective to peacebuilding. The response of local, national, and international systems to women’s priorities in post-conflict situations can significantly impact stability and development.

The realisation of women’s right to full participation in preventing, resolving and recovering from conflict, is critical to building sustainable peace and the fulfilment of human security. Furthermore, the response of local, national and international systems to women’s priorities in post-conflict situations, can significantly impacts the stability and development of communities.

The engagement of women in early stages of peacemaking can increase gender analysis in post-conflict planning, lead to improved outcomes for women, and enhance their capacity to participate in longer-term peacebuilding. However, women’s rights and concerns should not be dependent on the presence of women in peace processes. Systems must be in place to ensure their inclusion is standard operating procedure.

In SCR 1325, the Security Council recognises that addressing the unique needs of women and girls during post-conflict reconstruction requires integrating a gender perspective at all stages (1325,OP8). The Security Council acknowledges the need to counter negative societal attitudes regarding women’s equal capacity for involvement, and calls for the promotion of women’s leadership and support for women’s organizations (1889,OP1). In addition, the Security Council requests training on the protection, rights and needs of women in all peacebuilding measures (1325,OP6).

To achieve this, the Security Council tasks the Secretary-General to report on challenges and make recommendations relevant to the participation of women and gender mainstreaming in peacebuilding and recovery efforts (1888,OP19). In response, the Secretary-General issued a report on women’s participation in peacebuilding in 2010. The report details the challenges obstacles women must confront in participating in recovery and peacebuilding efforts, and advocates for a Seven-Point Action Plan to respond to these challenges.


First, the plan calls to increase women’s engagement in peace processes and to address gender issues in the context of peace agreements. Secondly, the plan urges for the inclusion of gender expertise at senior levels in the UN’s mediation support activities. Thirdly, the plan notes that, while the international community cannot control the gender composition of the negotiating parties, it must investigate strategies for the inclusion of more women. Fourthly, the plan calls for the establishment of mechanisms to ensure that negotiating parties engage with women’s civil society organisations. The Action Plan’s fifth commitment involves increasing the proportion of women decision makers in post-conflict governance institutions. The sixth point addresses rule of law, emphasising the importance of issues such as women’s access to justice and a gender perspective to legal reform. The Action Plan’s seventh commitment is concerned with women’s economic empowerment. The Action Plan’s implementation remains the challenge.

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Secondly, ensuring the participation of women in conflict resolution and prev...

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Secondly, ensuring the participation of women in conflict resolution and prevention and in rehabilitation and reconstruction is an important part of the efforts to implement resolution 1325 (2000). China supports a bigger role for women in good offices and dispute mediation.

The implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) is not the exclusive province of...

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The implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) is not the exclusive province of the Security Council or of the United Nations system; it is also incumbent upon the international community as a whole. In that respect, the formulation and development of a national action plan is crucial. Chile has had such a plan in place since 2009.

Eleven years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), the Council has co...

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Eleven years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), the Council has continued to make progress in providing guidelines on strengthening the protection of women in situations of armed conflict. To that end, in 2008, the Council adopted resolution 1820 (2008), which noted that attacks on women in armed conflicts continued to occur. On 16 December 2010, the Council adopted resolution 1960 (2010).

During his recent visit to Tripoli, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs the ...

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During his recent visit to Tripoli, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs the Honourable John Baird met with Libyan women's groups to discuss the important role that women's leadership will play in the new Libya and its democratic institutions. The Minister urged the new government of Libya to ensure the participation of women in decision-making during Libya's transition.

The United Nations and its Member States need to further increase the number ...

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The United Nations and its Member States need to further increase the number of women in peacekeeping operations and political missions in order to ensure gender expertise in the planning of missions and in all mediation efforts, and to enhance the appointment of women to senior leadership positions.

The effective representation and full involvement of women in peace processes...

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The effective representation and full involvement of women in peace processes, in transitional governments and in political life is a prerequisite for addressing their specific needs and concerns and for ensuring that their rights are adequately reflected in State structures, peace agreements, law enforcement processes, et cetera. One half of the population cannot claim to represent the other half. Women need to represent themselves.

As the President's concept note (S/2011/654) rightly points out, many gaps an...

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As the President's concept note (S/2011/654) rightly points out, many gaps and challenges remain on the road to translating words into action and ensuring the full participation of women in all stages of conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

In that respect, it is worth noting that security sector reform cannot succee...

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In that respect, it is worth noting that security sector reform cannot succeed without taking into account the gender perspective. By deploying female military and police officials, peacekeeping missions can indirectly encourage host countries to include women in their security institutions.

Special attention should be paid to the participation of women in planning, l...

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Special attention should be paid to the participation of women in planning, leading and implementing security sector reforms. Women are actors and stakeholders in upholding and promoting security and the rule of law. In this regard, we would like to recall the action plan of the Secretary-General on women's participation in peacebuilding.

It is important to catalyse partnerships between all relevant actors: civil s...

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It is important to catalyse partnerships between all relevant actors: civil society, parliaments, academic institutions and women's and youth organizations, as well as the labour and business community.

Their presence on the ground and their very nature and objectives make them particularly useful and appropriate agents to warn of possible nascent conflicts and to help find mutually acceptable solutions.

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