Norway

Norway has offered to finance a study for the DPKO on lessons learned and best practices regarding how effective implementation of a gender perspective can contribute to the success of a peace mission.

...Gender awareness must be recognised as the basis for the successful design and implementation of all post-conflict work.

...Also important is the notion that incorporating a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations means ensuring that sex-disaggregated data are included in the Secretary-General's reports to the Security Council. This is necessary to understand the reality experienced in the field by women, men, girls and boys.

Norway welcomes the action plans on gender mainstreaming and the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 from each of the Peacekeeping Missions.

Philippines

Member States, led by Security Council members, must be conscious of the critical transition from the gains of gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping missions to the achievement of sustainable capacities at the local level. The action plan must therefore function as a vehicle to transplant investments in gender mainstreaming long after the peace missions have dissolved. It would therefore be important for UN field presence to be in close contact with national and local authorities, as well as with local NGOs to ensure that gender mainstreaming successes filter through to the most basic governance and civil structures.

Sweden

First and foremost, we have a responsibility as UN Members. As such, we need to deliver on our commitments and promises... [And] when faced with a report without a gender equality perspective, we should ask for additional information.

Tanzania

We note with concern the absence of women across the board, not only in peace operations, but also in the most spheres of decision-making. There is thus a need to increase the efforts in gender training at all levels of peacekeeping operations. Gender training at all levels and for all stakeholders should not be taken as ad hoc measures, but ought to be mainstreamed affirmatively. We need to put on "gender glasses" and actively seek ways to include women at all levels of decision-making and leadership roles.

...We also believe that the spirit and letter of Resolution 1325 should apply in peacekeeping missions by more involvement and participation of women at all levels. The participation of women will inject more gender sensitivity in peacekeeping mandates and in implementing strategies for the protection of civilians in conflict and post conflict situations.

Department of Peacekeeping Operations

We successfully integrated a gender perspective in the DDR process in Liberia, which ensured that the eligibility criteria was revised to include women who played support roles to the combatants, as cooks, porters, sex slaves or spies, and who oftentimes served as part-time combatants …

It must be noted that a significant proportion of peacekeeping personnel still do not have a conceptual understanding of what gender mainstreaming entails, nor have they grasped that it is more than just about hiring more women. This may explain in part why we have yet to institutionalize many of our gender mainstreaming strategies. The perspectives of women are still not adequately harnessed to inform our planning and operational activities. …Thus whilst gender advisors hold regular consultations with women leaders and civil society organizations in peacekeeping missions, such consultations are not established practice for all mission components.

In renewing my Department's commitment to implement Security Council Resolution 1325, I intend to vigorously address these challenges in the coming years ….I will underline a commitment to gender mainstreaming within all reporting and accountability mechanisms at our disposal.

Japan

First, one of the major causes of the sexual misconduct involving peacekeeping personnel is considered to be the lack of training and education of soldiers by troop contributing countries. It is my delegation's view that this perspective should also be taken into account in the formulation of the action plan.

Malaysia

My delegation condemns in the strongest term, all acts of sexual misconduct by all categories of personnel in the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions. We welcome the comprehensive report on sexual exploitation end abuse by the United Nations Peacekeeping Personnel as contained in document A59/710 and the report of the resumed session of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping (A/59/19/Add.l). In this connection, we join the Council in supporting the efforts of the United Nations to fully implement codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation as well as to enhance monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. We are convinced that the strategies and actions included in the System-Wide Action Plan to fully implement the codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures may contribute to the reduction of the sexual exploitation and abuse.

Myanmar

We are particularly pleased that preventing aid responding to sexual exploitation and abuse by UN staff, related personnel and UN partners is included as one of these action areas. Myanmar's values, tradition and culture abhor sexual exploitation of women. We therefore strongly support the implementation of zero tolerance policy. We are also happy to see that the plan of action has incorporated accountability mechanisms.

Norway

Despite the substantial efforts made by the UN following the reports of sexual abuse and exploitation by personnel in MONUC last year, this continues to be a problem. Sexual abuse and exploitations of civilians by peacekeepers is unacceptable. It undermines the credibility of the UN and erodes the moral stature of the organisation. The troop-contributing countries have a clear responsibility for the behaviour of their troops and must ensure that codes of conduct are enforced. Impunity for these serious acts of violence must end. Member States should make every effort to contribute to systematic pre-deployment gender training for military and police. We must help empowering local women and assist women's networks and organisations to conduct public information campaigns to combat the culture of abuse and silence.

We cannot put the entire responsibility on the troop-contributing countries. The full backing of the UN organisation, including the DPKO, is needed to reverse this negative trend. Norway has offered to finance a study for the DPKO on lessons learned and best practices regarding how effective implementation of a gender perspective can contribute to the success of a peace mission.

South Africa

My delegation also wishes to reiterate its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of all acts of sexual misconduct by all categories of personnel in UN Peacekeeping Missions. In this regard, South Africa welcomes the comprehensive report on sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations Peacekeeping Personnel (A/59/710). South Africa expresses its support to the efforts of the United Nations to fully implement codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and enhance monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. We note with appreciation, the strategies and actions included in the System-wide Action Plan to fully implement those codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures.

Sweden

First and foremost, we have a responsibility as UN Members. As such, we need to deliver on our commitments and promises... [W]e have to demonstrate in the strongest possible ways that sexual exploitation and abuse is completely unacceptable.

Tanzania

Sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeeping personnel is a violation of trust of those who entrusted them and should be condemned by all of us. We commend the Secretary General on his zero-tolerance policy towards acts of sexual harassment and abuse. To prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, all allegations should be investigated and reported. More robust measures should be taken by the Security Council and troop contributing countries.

United Kingdom (on behalf of EU)

The EU also condemns all violations of the human rights of women and girls in situations of armed conflict and the use of sexual exploitation, violence and abuse. The EU urges the complete cessation by all parties, including UN staff, related personnel and partners, of such acts with immediate effect. The EU stresses the need to end impunity for such acts as part of a comprehensive approach to seeking peace, justice, truth and national reconciliation and to develop and fully implement codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures. Sexual and gender based violence affects not only women, but families and societies as well, and adds to the creation of a culture of violence. Promoting both the ratification and implementation of CEDAW, human rights education for boys and girls, and ending impunity for perpetrators of sexual and gender based violence, will create a safer and more sustainable environment for women's participation.

Department of Peacekeeping Operations

Our most severe setback in recent years has been the damning and shameful revelation that some of our peacekeepers have been engaged in sexual exploitation of women and girls who rely on them to promote a safe environment. Beyond pointing to a series of systemic weaknesses that account for such gross misconduct, this problem should be a wake up call for all of us to attach even more importance to incorporating a gender perspective in our work. Ultimately, we will not be able to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping contexts without empowering women and girls. We must also remember that gender mainstreaming is much more than the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse.

UNIFEM

[T]he focus must not only be on the men and boys of the conflict-affected country. It must also be on UN peacekeepers and staff to put an immediate stop to the outrageous incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse toward the very women to whom they are supposed to protect and assist.

Norway

Member States should make every effort to contribute to systematic pre-deployment gender training for military and police.

Tanzania

Gender training at all levels and for all stakeholders should not be taken as ad hoc measures, but ought to be mainstreamed affirmatively. We need to put on "gender glasses" and actively seek ways to include women at all levels of decision-making and leadership roles.

Sweden

The UN system has undertaken commendable efforts in developing a comprehensive action plan to implement SCR 1325. But member states also have a responsibility.
First and foremost, we have a responsibility as UN Members. As such, we need to deliver on our commitments and promises. We must both contribute more women to peace operations and reinforce the preparedness and awareness of our contingents, staff and experts.

Department of Peacekeeping Operations

It is vital that meaningful pre-deployment gender training is provided to uniformed peacekeeping personnel - women and men alike - to ensure that they understand how critical their contribution is to implementation of this resolution.

Commonwealth Secretariat

Along with our strong constituents at the country level, we are working in collaboration with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and member governments to address some of the challenges highlighted in Resolution 1325 related to enhancing the gender awareness of troops from Commonwealth member states which represent 7 of the 12 highest troop-contributing countries.

Italy

The experience of the European Union shows the crucial importance of involving female personnel in the whole peace process. The increased presence of women in the civilian military and police components of peacekeeping in the former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan, for example, has greatly improved relations with local communities; and has facilitated communications with the most vulnerable groups: namely women and children.

Norway

It is particularly important to improve the gender balance in peace missions. Norway supports the Swedish proposal that the observer categories participating in UN peace missions to be expanded to include civilian observers. This would broaden the recruitment base and make a better gender balance in UN peace missions more achievable. The experience from mixed military and civilian Provincial Reconstruction Teams in ISAF can provide valuable input to the discussion on the inclusion of civilian observers in UN peace missions.

It is crucial that the UN itself is a model for securing fair and balanced representation between the sexes at all levels. The under-representation of women in the UN Secretariat, in particular at senior level, is therefore a serious cause for concern.

Samoa (on behalf of Pacific Islands Forum)

United Nations peace operations must lead by example. We wish to see greater participation by women in peacekeeping missions and increased accountability for the implementation of gender mainstreaming in the United Nations as a whole.

Sweden

The UN system has undertaken commendable efforts in developing a comprehensive action plan to implement SCR 1325. But member states also have a responsibility. First and foremost, we have a responsibility as UN Members. As such, we need to deliver on our commitments and promises. We must both contribute more women to peace operations and reinforce the preparedness and awareness of our contingents, staff and experts.

Based on its own experience in the field and to meet the changing demands of multifunctional peace operations, Sweden has put forward the idea of civilian observers. In a transitional phase of a mission, where, for instance, expertise in areas such as elections and human rights is needed, civilian personnel could be phased in into military observer teams. This new category of seconded civilian personnel could significantly increase the number of female mission members at the field level, where military observer teams very often constitute the only presence of a peace mission.

Tanzania

There is thus a need to increase the efforts in gender training at all levels of peacekeeping operations. Gender training at all levels and for all stakeholders should not be taken as ad hoc measures, but ought to be mainstreamed affirmatively.

We also believe that the spirit and letter of Resolution 1325 should apply in peacekeeping missions by more involvement and participation of women at all levels. The participation of women will inject more gender sensitivity in peacekeeping mandates and in implementing strategies for the protection of civilians in conflict and post conflict situations.

Department of Peacekeeping Operations

Many women in Burundi have [also] attested to the importance of having a female SRSG as a role model to spur their political aspirations.

…We have [also] made limited progress in increasing the number of female personnel in peacekeeping, particularly in uniformed functions and in senior leadership positions.

While recognizing that Member States have generally limited numbers of women serving in their national military and police forces, much more can be done to deploy women from countries that do have the capacity to do so.

In renewing my Department's commitment to implement Security Council Resolution 1325, I intend to vigorously address these challenges in the coming years… I will work to ensure that we make marked progress towards increasing the numbers of women in peacekeeping.

Japan

[W]e welcome the assignment of gender advisers in peacekeeping operations and the expansion of their responsibilities and we believe that it is necessary to evaluate how well they have carried out their duties and whether the peacekeeping structure, including those at the higher levels, pay enough attention to these advisers and their work. Furthermore, in assigning gender advisers, we should ensure the effectiveness of their efforts by avoiding duplication with work done in other similar schemes, for example, by child protection advisers.

Norway

More importance should be attached to the gender advisers. Only 10 missions have a full-time gender advisory position, while what is needed is teams of gender specialists to support the gender advisers in dealing with the huge requirements and scope of programmes undertaken as part of the mission. Gender awareness must be recognised as the basis for the successful design and implementation of all post-conflict work.

Department of Peacekeeping Operations

In the policing sector, gender advisors provide training to police personnel in restructured police forces to ensure that victims of rape and other forms of gender-based violence have access to confidential and gender-sensitive case reporting. The first specialist police unit to deal with gender-based violence crimes in peacekeeping missions was established in Timor-Leste and similar units have since been established in other missions.
Gender units are supporting the integration of gender perspectives in the judicial and legal sector through the implementation of training activities for judges, lawyers and prosecutors in a number of missions, including Kosovo and the DRC. Furthermore, in Liberia, the gender unit is supporting national partners in their efforts to adopt a new rape law and in Timor Leste, similar support is ongoing for the adoption of a bill on domestic violence.

Norway

Norway welcomes the action plans on gender mainstreaming and the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 from each of the Peacekeeping Missions. It is crucial that the UN itself is a model for the securing fair and balanced representation between the ages and sexes at all levels. The under-representation of women in the UN Secretariat, in particular at senior level, is therefore a serious cause for concern.

Department of Peacekeeping Operations

In March of this year, I issued a policy statement on gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping, which provides an operational framework at the field and headquarters level to implement resolution 1325. As part of this policy, and in line with the recommendation of the Council last year, my Department is currently finalizing a comprehensive action plan for implementation of resolution 1325, which builds on the System-wide Action Plan before you today.