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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COLOMBIA: Gender Violence a Crime Against Humanity: Prosecutor General

Prosecutor General Viviane Morales has said that gender violence occurring in the context of Colombia's internal conflict constitutes a crime against humanity.

Morales made this announcement during the third international conference on the Judicial Challenges Faced Regarding Crimes of Sexual Violence, the Office of the Prosecutor General reported Thursday.

GHANA: Women, Youth Schooled in Peace- Building And Conflict Prevention

The Canadian High Commission in collaboration with the Ghana Network for Peace building (GHANEP) has organized a two-day peace-building and conflict prevention capacity building workshop for women and youth drawn from the Dagbon District in the Northern Region. It attracted 60 participants consisting of 30 women and 30 youths.

KASHMIR: Impunity for Killers of Women in Strife-torn Kashmir

Fracha Begam has been unable to come to terms with the deaths of her two teenage daughters, killed by unknown gunmen in the latest incident of violence against women in the Kashmir Valley.

"I want to know what crime my daughters had committed which warranted their brutal killing," Begam demanded.

NEPAL: Women Rights Group ask for Timely Constitution

The Second National Women Social Forum has demanded timely promulgation of the constitution to ensure a women-friendly republic.

Issuing a 27-point Kathmandu Declaration in the capital on Thursday, the Forum demanded proportional representation of women in all bodies of the government, guarantee of women's reproductive health, land, housing and other rights to be guaranteed as the fundamental rights.

MIDDLE EAST: Will the Revolutions Help or Hurt Women? A Country by Country Look

At the 15th annual Women in the World conference, held in New York City last Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced her concern about the future of women's rights in the Middle East:

UNITED STATES/SOUTH AMERICA: Clinton Says U.S. Should Elect Female Presidents

On the eve of President Obama's first trip to South America, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sang praises to the region, saying it had ushered in a period of steady economic growth while consolidating its transformation from dictatorships to democracy.

NEPAL: UN Human Rights Office Urges Nepal to End all Forms of Discrimination

The United Nations human rights office and the national commission on caste-based discrimination in Nepal have urged the Government to fulfil its stated commitment to end all forms of discrimination, saying the problem was widespread and a cause of conflict in the Asian country.

INTERNATIONAL: UN Peace-building Body Seeks More Backing From Member States, UN Leadership

The General Assembly today discussed the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, which seeks to prevent post-conflict countries from lapsing back into bloodshed, with its outgoing chairman calling for greater support from the UN leadership and Member States.

EGYPT: Male Domination in Egypt is Only Half a Revolution

Egyptian women fought for the overthrow of Mubarak alongside men. But now the male-domination of transitional politics is like going backwards, writes Nadya Khalife of Human Rights Watch.

The images of Egyptian men and women standing side-by-side in Cairo's Tahrir Square inspired and captured the attention of the world and shattered stereotypes about the restriction of women from political life.

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