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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IRAN: Women at Forefront of Iranian Protests

Iranian women are not the type of women who remain silent and consider themselves lesser than men. Unfortunately, after their revolution, women's rights have been violated. Today, we see that women are ahead of men in the rightful protests. No matter what results from the current crisis, majority of them believe that women, who make up about 65 percent of Iran's university students, will keep pushing for more rights.

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan Women's Shelter Advocates Call for International Solidarity

This morning, leading women's rights activists reiterated their position that the Afghan government's impending takeover of women's shelters will be a human rights disaster and stressed the need for international solidarity and diplomatic support for their cause. UN Dispatch was there.

The activists' main points:

INTERNATIONAL: Security Council Discovers Linkages Between Poverty and Peace

Better late than never: Following this axiom, the UN Security Council which normally debates country-specific and war-and-peace issues such as Sudan and the Middle East, decided to widen its horizon and discussed in a high-level session some of the root causes underlying conflicts around the world.

SIERRA LEONE: Government of Sierra Leone and UNDP hold Review and Planning Meeting in Sierra Leone

The Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held a meeting at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, in Freetown on Tuesday 8th February 2011to review results achieved in 2010 by UNDP and national counterparts and to agree on strategic priories for 2011-2012.

UNITED STATES: U.S. Lags in Women Political Leaders; Groups try to Close Gaps

Judging from her résumé, Leah Cox has the makings of a solid political candidate.

The Orangevale woman heads a nonprofit group that briefs legislators on obesity-prevention policy and speaks with a confidence that comes from years in public life.

PAKISTAN: Government Urged to Take Steps for Reducing Gender Gap

Civil society has called upon the government to take special measures for reducing gender gaps as are revealed in national and international reports, particularly in the area of education and health sectors.

EGYPT: Egypt's Harassed Women Need their Own Revolution

Several months before the revolution, I wrote a piece for CNN.com on the sexual harassment of women in Cairo.

News of the chilling attack on CBS reporter Lara Logan, as well as other sexual assaults against women during Egypt's uprising, show that attacks against women have not gone away.

KURDISTAN: President Barzani: Women's Rights Must be Respected

In a meeting on Sunday with more than 20 representatives of women's organisations in the Kurdistan Region, President Masoud Barzani reiterated his strong support for women's rights.

PAKISTAN: Violence Against Women Remains High in Pakistan

Physical torture, abuse, forced abductions, sexual harassment, forced marriages, and other brutal practices are everyday events in the Islamic republic of Pakistan. Women in Pakistan still face daunting hardships in the male-dominated society. Although seemingly every other day the government announces plans to secure the rights of women — it has been of no use.

CAR: 'Bemba Soldiers Raped Me, My Four Children and My Husband'

A prosecution witness today recounted how she, her four children, and her husband were subjected to multiple rapes by soldiers belonging to the group founded by war crimes accused Jean-Pierre Bemba.

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