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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NEPAL: Meaningful Participation of Women in Peace Building 'Weak': Report

Although Nepal met the objective of increased women´s participation in the ongoing peace building and state restructuring process -- of at least 33 percent -- meaningful participation of women in the process has yet to be achieved, a report claimed.

COLOMBIA: Colombia's War Widows Look to Santos to FulFill Dreams

Women and children, particularly from Afro-Colombian and indigenous groups, have borne the brunt of Colombia's 50-year war and make up the majority of those displaced by the fighting between warring factions.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Women in Northern Ireland - Sharing the Learning

Lasting peace in Northern Ireland will not be achieved if women are not fully involved in the prolonged task of post-conflict reconstruction. The importance of women's full and equal participation has been described elsewhere. This article provides an insight into one of the attempts being made to listen to and put forward the voices of women today.

AFGHANISTAN: For women of Afghanistan, Life is Better

We awoke one morning in Kabul to the sound of not-too-distant explosions, marking the start to the fighting season. But bombs were not the foremost takeaway from our Mother's Day trip to Afghanistan -- the women fighting to stop the bombs left a more lasting impression.

SYRIA: Syrian Women Push to Build Peace Among Warring Factions

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – In the early days of Syria's uprising, many women called on men not to take up arms in response to the Syrian government's brutal clampdown on street protests. Now, they are trying to build peace between supporters of rebel groups and supporters of the government.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: UN, African Officials Urge Efforts to Advance Peace and Stability in CAR

UN, African officials urge efforts to advance peace and stability in CAR

ADDIS ABABA, June 2 (Xinhua) --- Officials from the United Nations, the African Union and the regional bloc ECCAS, who have conducted a three-day joint mission to the Central African Republic (CAR), are calling for further international efforts to advance peace and stability in the country.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: US Applauds Bougainville Women

The United States government has recognised Bougainville women for their contribution to peace building before, during and after the Crisis.

EM TV reports that a two year $US1.5 million, 'Women's Peace Building Initiative Project' is to be implemented in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province, to support more inclusive, sustainable and transparent economic growth.

FIJI: Pacific Women Learn How to Influence Social Change

Women from around the region are in Fiji to learn how to influence social change, and to take that influence beyond the community level.
Women from Bougainville, West Papua, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Kenya are attending the training course hosted by the Pacific Centre for Peacebuilding

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The centre's executive director, Koila Costello-Olsson, says there is a need for more women in influential positions.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Counterpart International Launches Capacity Building Program In Support Of Women's Peace Building Efforts In Papua New Guinea

Counterpart International, a global leader in the development of the social sector, announced the official launch of its two-year Women's Peace Building Initiative (WPBI) under a Cooperative Agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The launch is taking place in Buka, Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARB) at the Kuri Village Resort on May 20, 2014.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Women in Northern Ireland Should Be Leading Peacebuilders Again

The 9th of February, 1996. That was a Friday evening I will never forget. When I heard the news of the Canary Wharf bombing, the breakdown in the IRA ceasefire, I stopped everything. With the support of Women Together members I started to help organise a vigil to take place outside City Hall, Belfast, at 12 noon the following Monday.

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