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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CAR: The ICC Takes On Gender Crimes

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been operational since 2002, yet victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide are still awaiting the court's first judgment.

The court as a whole has been hammered most recently for its slowness, for missteps in its first trial--the Lubanga case, and for not always showing gender sensitivity or, arguably, even gender competence in a few instances.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Peace-Building, Protocols and Policy - Women and Conflict in the Region

This year's 16 Days of Activism campaign focuses on women and conflict, a timely theme considering we are also reviewing 10 years since the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325.

This resolution linked violence against women during conflict and their marginalisation during peace processes with the challenges of maintaining international peace and security.

RWANDA: GBV Cases On the Decline

Joint efforts by the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, the National Police and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) in fighting Gender Based Violence (GBV) are bearing fruit with the number of cases drastically going down.

LIBERIA: Launches Agenda On Women, HIV Issues

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has officially launched the Agenda for Acceleratig Country Action on Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV, a pilot program which again puts Liberia at the verge of history-making.

KURDISTAN: Kurdistan Takes Measures Against Gender-Based Violence

As Kurdistan is fast progressing, becoming democratized and westernized, it faces serious difficulties with its conservative culture that has subjected women to painful and deadly rituals including honor killing. Barham Salih, prime minister of Kurdistan, promised on Thursday to put the issue of women first in his government's policies and eliminate violence against women, who constitute more than half of the Kurdish society.

AFGHANSISTAN: Women Are Essential to Peacebuilding

October 2010 marked the 10th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which calls for women to be engaged in all phases of securing, building, and maintaining peace. Commemorative events have focused on the challenge of implementing resolutions that call for the protection of women and the transformative inclusion of women in conflict prevention, resolution, and recovery.

BURMA: Women; Children Suffered During Election: WLB

Women and children suffered terribly during the 2010 general election given the gun battles in border areas, according to a Women's League of Burma (WLB) statement issued on Thursday, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: African Women Still Struggling for Equality

Despite the political will shown by leaders on the African continent, women in Africa faced serious challenges with regards to empowerment and parity.

This is according to Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who was speaking at the launch of the 2010 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development on Monday.

The Minister noted in some countries in the SADC region, women had minority status.

IRAQ: No Country for Women

The improved political representation of women in Iraq is in sharp contrast to their broader disempowerment, as highlighted by the persistence of domestic violence and early marriage, according to a new report by the UN Inter-Agency Information and Analysis Unit.

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