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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ZIMBABWE: Maternal Mortality on the Increase

NEGLIGENCE on the part of nursing staff and lack of adequate resources in hospitals has resulted in an increase in the maternal mortality rate, a Government official has said.

In an interview with Sunday News, Deputy Prime Minister Ms Thokozani Khupe said Government was working on addressing the serious increase in the maternal mortality rate in the country.

SOUTH AFRICA: Abused Women Need More Protection

The criminal justice system (CJS) needs to do more to protect women and to deal with all social and political issues affecting women living in abusive conditions, Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Tuesday.

"Failure to do so, makes the system an equal perpetrator of injustice," she said at the South African launch of the 16 days of activism campaign on no violence against women and children.

AFRICA: USAID Gives U.S.$731,000 for Health in Eastern, Southern Africa

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has given a grant of $731,000 for strengthening and advocacy for maternal child health in East, Central and Southern African region.

The funds for the one year project that commenced in October will be administered through the East, Central and Southern African Health Community (ECSA-HC) secretariat based in Arusha, Tanzania

ANGOLA: Minister Highlights Importance of Gender Equality

The Angolan Women Promotion and Family minister, Genoveva Lino, Monday, here, highlighted the importance of gender equality, as key element for the building of an equal and just society.

INTERNATIONAL: Women, Girls And HIV/AIDS: A Time For Action

Informed by the research data that have emanated from the many studies, commissions and high-level debates, the United Nations has made a concerted effort to refocus on the outstanding issues of women and girls' unequal status.

ZIMBABWE: Graça Machel Says Women, Children Need Focus in New Zimbabwe Constitution

UNICEF Children's Advocate Graça Machel says it is important for Zimbabwe to put children's and women's rights onto the agenda of the country's constitution making process.

Graça Machel said she visited Zimbabwe this week to learn how it was dealing with developmental challenges, particularly in relation to women and children, since the formation of the unity government last year.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Southern Africa Lags Behind in Gender Targets

Tougher measures are needed if Southern Africa is to attain its 50-percent target for representation of women in political and decision-making positions at all levels by the 2015 deadline.

The low number of women who made it into parliament in the recent elections held in some Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries in 2008 and 2009 proved a major setback towards achieving the desired goal by 2015.

PHILIPPINES: Women Leaders Want End to Conflict, Protection of Women in Conflict Situations

Women leaders rallied behind Secretary Teresita Deles of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) as they gathered to launch WE Act 1325 on November 17, 2010, at Miriam College, Quezon City.

In a press release distributed by Myra Tambor, Executive Director of a woman's group in Samar called Katungod han Samareña Foundation (KSFI), it said that the movement has four objectives.

AFGHANISTAN: Female Power – the Role of Afghan Women in Counterinsurgency

The Taliban movement is harassing, threatening and killing local women who are working as professionals for the Afghan government or as leaders of women's networks in the province of Helmand (teachers, headmasters, police, health workers and leaders of women's groups/centres). Sometimes threats and violence have been imposed on their husbands too.

SOUTH AFRICA: We Have a Major Problem in South Africa

The murder of a British honeymooner in a township near Cape Town made the headlines – but what about the women living in a country where they are more likely to be raped than to learn to read?

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