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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APPEAL: Afghan Women in the Transition Process

The Afghan Women's Network is a non-partisan network of women and women's groups working to empower Afghan women and ensure their equal participation in Afghan society. This post summarizes the Network's presentation at the NATO Summit in Chicago in May 2012.

CONFERENCE: Gender and Transitional Justice: Making Women's Voice Heard

Tunis — "Gender and Transitional Justice: Making Women's Voice Heard" is the subject of an international conference which opened works here on Wednesday.

SOUTH AFRICA: Women's Day - Justice Department Continues to Fail Survivors of Sexual Violence

The long-awaited report on the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act, tabled in Parliament last week, has shown the Justice Department's utter lack of concern with regards to the plight of women and children in our country. It has taken the Department nearly four years to produce a report on implementation activities, despite this being required in the Act.

NEW BOOK: Defying Victimhood: Women and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding

Defying Victimhood: Women and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding

Edited by Albrecht Schnabel and Anara Tabyshalieva

BLOG: Genocide in Guatemala, Thirty Years Later

On June 20th, Guatemala asked the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to declare itself incompetent in ruling on a series of massacres against Mayan villagers in Río Negro between 1980 and 1982. More significantly, the State publicly rejected the notion that these were acts of genocide, and Secretary of Peace Antonio Arenales Forno went on to say, not for the first time, that genocide had never occurred in Guatemala.

STATEMENT: Transformative and Culturally Sensitive Reparations for Women Subjected to Violence

Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council

Human Rights Council 20th Session, Geneva, Switzerland


Thank you Mr. Vice President.

UNHCR Works to Bring the Perpetrators of Sexual Crime to Justice

Kiziba Refugee Camp, Rwanda: The cases of rape and other sexual violence in Kiziba refugee camp are falling, but the physical and emotional consequences are immense when they do occur. The culture of silence among the camp's Congolese refugees makes it even worse, fostering impunity and leaving victims feeling scared and alone.

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