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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GUATEMALA: Guatemala Must Act to Stop the Killing of Women

Amnesty International today urged the Guatemalan authorities to act to stop the high numbers of women being killed across the country and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, ahead of International Women's Day on 8 March.

SIERRA LEONE: In Sierra Leone, Rural Women Engaged on Access to Justice

In commemoration of this year's International Women's Day, Action Aid International –Sierra Leone (AAI-SL) over the weekend concluded a one-day interactive seminar on access to justice for women. The workshop held at Action Aid's Head Office in Lumley, Freetown, attracted rural women from Bo, Bombali and Kono Districts.

EGYPT: Egyptian Women's Protest for Equal Rights Turns Violent

Hundreds of women take the streets of Cairo only to face men telling them to "go home where they belong".

A protest by hundreds of Egyptian women demanding an end to sexual harassment and equal rights has turned violent when men verbally abused and shoved the demonstrators.

INTERNATIONAL: Female Farmer's Could Fight Hunger

Empowering women in agriculture could reduce the number of hungry people in the world by 100 million to 150 million, the United Nations said.

Female farmers across all regions control less land and livestock than men, use less improved seed varieties and fertilizer, and are less likely to use credit and insurance, the UN's Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization said in a report on Monday.

NEPAL: Nepal Commits to Post-Conflict Support and Participation

The United Nations Security Council, in resolutions 1325 and 1820, recognized that women and girls need protection and support during and following all conflicts, and called for women's full participation in peacebuilding.

HAITI: Women Key to Haitian Rebuilding

Voters in Haiti go to the polls on Sunday, March 20, 2011 to elect a new president and a new Parliament. Those elected will face daunting challenges as Haiti rebuilds itself: quake-related devastation, systemic poverty, ongoing crises in the delivery of basic services such as health care and education, and violence.

PAKISTAN: Govt Committed to Empower Women, Girls: Sharmila

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Women Wing Sindh Information Secretary Ms Sharmila Farooqui left here on Sunday for the United States to attend the 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day to be held next week in Washington under the aegis of the State Department and its programme `Year of Empowering Women and Girls through International Exchanges'.

SRI LANKA: Where are the Women in Local Government?

Women in Sri Lanka won the right to vote in 1931, seventeen years before independence. In the post independence period, Sri Lankan women made rapid progress in relation to health, education and employment, and their human development indicators are still considered a model for South Asia.

IRAQ: Women's Global Peace Organization Defends Rights of Ashraf Residents

One of the most prominent women's organizations in the world has written a letter to the UN Secretary General, calling for an end to the Iraqi government's abuses and threats against the residents of Camp Ashraf.

Camp Ashraf, Iraq, is home to 3,400 members of the main Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).

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