Gender and Peacekeeping Events

GENDER AND PEACEKEEPING EVENTS

The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34)
The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations meets on an annual basis to conduct a "Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects.” It reports on its work, as required, to the General Assembly, through the Special Political and Decolonization (Fourth) Committee.
As part of its overall mandate, the Special Committee also reports on gender issues within peacekeeping.

For more information on the C-34 and analysis and documentation from recent sessions, please click here

UN SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATES on peacekeeping
•Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Peacekeeping Operations
23 February 2006
On 23 February 2006, a public meeting on the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping operations was convened by the US, in its capacity as president of the Security Council in the month of February. During this meeting the Council heard from the Under-Secretary- General for Peacekeeping Operations and the Adviser to the Secretary-General on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by United Nations Peacekeeping Personnel. Statements were also made by all 15 council members and 4 other states.

For more please click here

•Security Council public meeting on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Peacekeeping Operations
31 May 2005
On 31 May 2005, the Security Council, under the Presidency of Denmark, held its first-ever public meeting devoted exclusively to sexual exploitation and abuse. The Council heard from Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein (Jordan), the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, and Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. The Presidential Statement, issued at the end of the session, was read by Council President Ellen Margrethe Løj (Denmark).

• Security Council Open Debate on Peacekeeping Operations
17 May 2004
Pakistan, as President of the Security Council for the month of May, organized and led a day-long debate on peacekeeping operations, intended to highlight forthcoming challenges, evaluate progress made and analyze future trends. With Pakistan’s Foreign Minister leading the debate, the Council heard from the Secretary-General, 42 Member States, and Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guehenno. A presidential statement was released at the conclusion of the meeting.

The statements by Member States can be characterized by an almost complete lack of gender perspective, (out of 42 Member States, approximately 2 made substantial references to gender issues, and approximately 3 made passing references to gender issues).

For these gender references as well as excerpts of the Presidential Statement issued by Pakistan, CLICK HERE.

• UN Security Council Open Debate on Gender, Conflict and Peacekeeping
25 July 2002, UN Headquarters, New York
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, President of the Security Council for the month of July 2002, hosted an Open Debate on Conflict, Peacekeeping and Gender. Under Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guehenno (DPKO), Angela King, Assistant Secretary-General and Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Gender Issues (OSAGI), Noeleen Heyzer, Director of UNIFEM, made interventions, followed by SC Members and other Member States.

OTHER EVENTS

•DPKO Policy Dialogue : Enhancing gender balance among uniformed personnel in peacekeeping missions
27-28 March 2006
The Department of Peacekeeping Operations organized a two-day policy meeting with Troop-contributing and Police-contributing countries and recipients, aimed at exploring ways to increase the number of women military and police personnel deployed to United Nations peacekeeping missions.

For more please click here

Course : Gender Mainstreaming in Peacekeeping Operations and in Humanitarian Assistance
15 March- 4 April 2006, University for Peace (UPeace), Costa Rica
This Course is "designed to provide theoretical as well as field-based knowledge on the gender dimensionof peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance." It will be led by Nadine Puechguirbal, the current head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) Gender Unit.
For more information, please contact:
University for Peace, tel: + 506 205-9000, or send an e-mail to: info@upeace.org

Peacekeeping, Reconstruction and Stability Operations in Africa :Deploying Successful Support, Peacekeeping and Developmental Missions in Africa
March 27-31, 2006 Indaba Hotel, Fourways, Johannesburg, South Africa
Organised by the International Quality and Productivity Centre, this conference will higlight case studies and solutions to challenges in AU and UN Peace Support Operations, Post-Conflict Reconstruction and conflict prevention in Africa.

For more information on this event , please click here

SEMINAR: Human Trafficking and Peacekeeping Operations: Research Findings and Legislative Responses
17 November 2005, 10:30am - 12:00pm, B1C Conference Room,1800 K St. NW, Washington DC
Co-hosted by Refugees International and the Russia & Eurasia Program of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), this panel discussion will focus on the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse, particularly human trafficking in peacekeeping operations. It will explore ways that U.S. policy can be changed to end human trafficking in peacekeeping missions around the world bearing in mind that when peacekeepers commit or facilitate human rights abuses, they prolong deployments and undermine missions.

Speakers include:
- Sarah Martin of Refugees International discussing her recent report: "Must Boys be Boys? Ending Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in UN Peacekeeping Missions"
- Dr. Sarah Mendelson of CSIS speaking about her findings from the report : "Barracks and Brothels: Peacekeepers and Human Trafficking in the Balkans."

For more information about this event, please click here

Panel discussion and launch of Refugees International Report on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in UN Peacekeeping
October 18, 2005
On October 18 2005, the Permanent Mission of Tanzania to the UN and Refugees International, hosted a panel discussion on the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers. The event also marked the launch of a Refugees International report on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in UN Peacekeeping Missions.

The Panelists included His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein, Permanent Representative of the Jordanian Mission to the UN and author of the report, "A comprehensive strategy to eliminate future sexual exploitation and abuse in UN peacekeeping operations." Also speaking were Anna Shotton, Focal Point on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and Sarah Martin of Refugees International. The event was moderated by H.E. Mr. Augustine Mahiga of Tanzania, Permanent Representative to the Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania to the UN

To view the Refugees International Report "Must Boys Be Boys? Ending Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in UN Peacekeeping Missions", please click here

• Workshop: Gender and Peacekeeping in the West African Perspective
8-12 November 2004, The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra, Ghana
A one week workshop for practitioners and researchers to evaluate the ECOWAS peacekeeping experience from a gender (women, peace and security) perspective. Participants drawn predominantly, but not exclusively, from the ECOWAS member states and civil society organizations working in gender, peace and security field. Recommendations from the workshop are intended to ensure that gender mainstreaming is sufficiently incorporated into regional planning training and preparation for peace operations in the future. For more information, contact: Commander Phil Harris (phil.harris@kaiptc.org) The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, PMB CT 210, CANTONMENTS, Accra, Ghana, Phone: 00233-(0)21-718200 ext. 201, Fax: 00233-(0)21-718200 ext. 299

• EU conference on Women in Conflict Situations and Peacekeeping
9, 10 December 2004, Amsterdam
Women's roles in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction was the subject of this EU expert meeting on Women in Conflict situations and peacekeeping. The conference and outcome documents are available at: http://www.emancipatieweb.nl/pagina_4.

• 2004 Meeting of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations
29 March-16 April 2004, UN Headquarters, New York
• Final 2004 report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations - "Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects”
For a compilation of all gender references found in the 2004 C-34 report, CLICK HERE.

• Building Capacities for Peacekeeping and Women’s Dimensions in Peace Processes
4-5 November 2002, Santiago, Chile
A conference co-sponsored by the governments of Chile and Denmark, on behalf of the European Union, 4-5 November 2002, Santiago, Chile.

• Summary of Panel on Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in Peacekeeping Operations, Beijing+5 special session of the General Assembly Panel
8 June 2000, UN Headquarters, New York

• Windhoek Declaration: The Namibia Plan of Action On ‘Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective In Multidimensional Peace Support Operations
31 May 2000, Windhoek, Namibia
The Lessons Learned Unit of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, hosted by the Government of Namibia, held a seminar on ‘Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in Multidimensional Peace Support Operations,’ from 29 to 31 May 2000 in Windhoek, Namibia. The Windhoek Declaration and Namibia Plan of Action is the outcome document from this seminar.

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