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: Nepal Misses Pro-Women Constitution

After four years of intense work, the 601-member Constituent Assembly (CA) missed a May 27 deadline to adopt a new constitution with political parties failing to agree on restructuring the country into a federation of states based on ethnic lines.

AFGHANISTAN: ISAF Highlights Afghan Women Leaders at Gender Integration Discussions

International Security Assistance Force commander U.S. Marine Gen. John R. Allen and NATO's senior civilian representative to Afghanistan Simon Gass hosted a roundtable discussion at ISAF Headquarters, June 3, inviting female members of the Afghan Parliament, members of the High Peace Council, and prominent members of civil society.

HAITI: Female Entrepeneurs Continue to Struggle for Economic Resources After Earthquae

Elda Vilmeney had a business selling Coca-Cola in bulk on Third Avenue in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. But the 7.0 earthquake destroyed much of Haiti in January 2010, and she hasn't been able to economically recover in the more than two years since the disaster.

BURMA: Peace Process Needs Women: Activists

Including women in the peacemaking process could bring about a speedier and more durable resolution to Myanmar's ethnic conflicts, activists say.

Daw Ja Nan, vice president of non-govern-ment organisation Nyein (Shalom) Foundation, said sustainable peace required the involvement of all citizens but women were normally excluded from the process, both formally and informally.

AFGHANISTAN: Chicago's Other Summit: The Future of Afghanistan's Women

Anchor Aaron Schachter talks with journalist Gayle Lemmon about a “shadow summit” on Afghanistan's women that took place Sunday in Chicago alongside the NATO summit there.

The summit was organized by Amnesty International.

Meanwhile, protesters have been demonstrating outside the main NATO summit in Chicago.

PHILIPPINES: Government Localizes National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

The government has kicked off efforts of Localizing the National Action Plan (LNAP) on Women, Peace and Security in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

HAITI: Q&A with Peacekeeper Saheley Ferdous, Superintendent in the Bangladesh Formed Police Unit, Haiti

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, commemorated each year on 29 of May, is an occasion to salute the 120,000 peacekeepers serving in 17 missions in some of the world's most volatile and dangerous environments. In the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), the Bangladeshi contingent is composed entirely of women.

GUATEMALA: Seeking Justice for Village Where Hundreds Were Raped, Tortured, Killed

In 1982, the Guatemalan Army attacked a tiny village in the desolate northern region of Peten, raping, torturing and killing at least 200 peasants, including pregnant women and infants, tossing their bodies in a well and wiping the village off the map.

AFGHANISTAN: Open Letter to Obama, Karzai, Urges Women's Inclusion in Afghanistan Talks

Amnesty International issued an open letter to President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai at their "Shadow Summit" Saturday urging both leaders to safeguard women's rights.

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