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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BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: In the Land of Blood and Honey

Rape as a tool of war is uncomfortable subject matter. Not only are the stories of women in conflict unpalatable to watch on screen but they run the risk of resurrecting dormant trauma for the victims. Angelina Jolie's directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey tells the stories of women in the breakup of Yugoslavia, particularly Muslim women forced into rape camps and the Sarajevo siege.

EGYPT: Egypt's Attack on Women Protesters a 'Disgrace', Clinton Says

Egyptian women protesters “are being attacked, stripped and beaten in the streets” by security forces, a “disgrace” that dishonors the country, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday.

The top U.S. diplomat said Egypt's leaders, in the military and in its political parties, are excluding women from decision- making as the country makes its transition to civilian-led rule.

LIBERIA: 'You Did it' - Leymah Says of Women

When the bazooka ruled in 2003 and only the opinions of Liberian warlords and a beleaguered head of state mattered to the world community, Leymah Gbowee and seven immortal others rose to project the power of peace through non-violence.

INTERNATIOAL: Women Building Peace in Sudan, Bonn, Oslo

Imagine a world where women living directly with the realities of war help build the peace. Jacqueline O'Neill says three major events this month show that vision--and the ideals of "inclusive security"--gaining hold.

INTERNATIONAL: Nobel Prize has a Gender Imbalance

Anyone lucky enough to be teaching peace studies courses soon notices that more females are in the classes than males. Many, many more. Noticeable also is that women tend to write more passionate papers, ask more cogent questions and know how to keep class discussions lively. Puzzled by all this, I explained it away by theorizing that it must be genetic: Women have a peace gene floating around inside them.

INTERNATIONAL: Iron Ladies of Peace

History was made in Oslo on Saturday, when the eyes of the world watched as three great women received the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. These women -- President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Leymah Gbowee of Liberia, and Tawakkol Karman of Yemen -- risked their lives to stand for peace and refused to accept a world of violence, oppression, and injustice.

MIDDLE EAST: Libyan Women Battle for Empowerment

"We have a lot of work ahead of us," says Sara Mazik, from Women for Libya, a new group of women who have recently returned from exile.

Women now head two ministries in the new government - health and social affairs.

Salha Soussi, smartly dressed in a head scarf, high heels and a modest black gown, is unimpressed.

INTERNATIONAL: "Don't talk to me about war. My life's a battlefield."

I remember one day, when I was working in Belfast – it was back in the nineties. That battered city was very poor and very violent. But it had one thing going for it – it had quite a few women's community centres. I remember so clearly a woman in one of them who said to me, “Don't talk to me about war.

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