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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Since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, mi...

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Since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, missions have been mandated, with significant success, to boost women's participation in electoral and post-conflict processes, to prevent sexual violence, and to increase the presence of female peacekeeping personnel and trained peacekeepers to address gender issues.

Peacekeeping is an important component of the peacemaking exercise, and great...

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Peacekeeping is an important component of the peacemaking exercise, and greater attention should be given and greater efforts be made to address the issues at the root of conflicts, including issues relating to economic and social development. In peacekeeping it is imperative to formulate and gradually improve transition and exit strategies and to improve dovetailing with peacebuilding.

Targeting schools also has far-reaching and damaging repercussions on develop...

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Targeting schools also has far-reaching and damaging repercussions on development. Indeed, the World Bank, in its report on education in the Middle East and North Africa, argued that the provision of education, particularly for girls, is the single most effective intervention that countries can make to improve human development and to tackle conditions of fragility

To date, more than 7 million boys and girls are enrolled in schools, investin...

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To date, more than 7 million boys and girls are enrolled in schools, investing in their futures. We have constructed more than 4,000 schools across the country; we predict having nine million children enrolled in schools by 2020; and in a country where practically no girls received education just 10 years ago, over 40 per cent of these new students will be girls.

"Peace building efforts need to incorporate strategies that address the ...

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"Peace building efforts need to incorporate strategies that address the context-specific needs of affected communities. These could range from new and prolonged conflict, post-conflict, refugee camps with people in transit or stable environments, the needs of armed personnel, humanitarian workers and most importantly women and children."

"As we know, there is a high prevalence of HIV among women who have been...

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"As we know, there is a high prevalence of HIV among women who have been victims of sexual violence and we cannot disregard this fact and its lasting consequences when we address peacebuilding strategies in post-conflict societies."

"On the ground, we must raise awareness of the parties to conflict rega...

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"On the ground, we must raise awareness of the parties to conflict regarding conduct towards civilian populations in armed conflicts that may exacerbate the spread of HIV/AIDS. It is also important to ensure the operationality of the HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment component in security sector reform activities and in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration mechanisms at the post-conflict stage.

"It will be recalled that on 17 July 2000, the Security Council, at the...

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"It will be recalled that on 17 July 2000, the Security Council, at the initiative of the United States of America, adopted resolution 1308 (2000). Gabon, which had just ended a term on the Council, had supported its preparation. Resolution 1308 (2000) underscored the threat posed by the disease to the staff of peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions.

" In this context, the Security Council has a particular responsibility ...

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" In this context, the Security Council has a particular responsibility — first of all, to act on the factors of the spread of the disease, in particular, sex abuse. Since the adoption of resolution 1308 (2000), the Security

"It must be emphasized that in some situations HIV can negatively affec...

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"It must be emphasized that in some situations HIV can negatively affect and be an obstacle to gender empowerment and the full involvement of women in peacebuilding efforts. Greater protection of women and girls has been emphasized through the adoption of Security Council resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010)."

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