A HISTORY OF THE GENDER ADVISORY CAPACITY AT DPKO HEADQUARTERS:
A COMPILATION OF EXCERPTS FROM UN DOCUMENTS
Compiled by PeaceWomen Project, Ongoing

This document is a compilation of all references made, in UN documents, to the development of a gender advisory capacity in the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Headquarters:

• 31 MAY 2000: Windhoek Declaration: The Namibia Plan of Action On ‘Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective In Multidimensional Peace Support Operations (Outcome document of the seminar ‘Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in Multidimensional Peace Support Operations’ organized by the Lessons Learned Unit of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations Windhoek, Namibia)

7. Procedures

-A post for a Senior Gender Adviser in DPKO, to serve as gender focal point for field missions, should be funded under the regular budget or the peacekeeping support account and filled as a matter of urgency.

-The terms of reference of the Senior Gender Adviser should ensure a proper interchange of information and experience between gender units in individual missions.

• 20 OCTOBER 2000: Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the report of the Panel on United Nations peace operations (A/55/502)

5. Gender Unit/Department of Peacekeeping Operations

142. In keeping with the strengthened mandate for integrating gender perspectives into peace operations provided through the special session of the General Assembly entitled “Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-First Century” (June 2000), in its report, the Panel raises two important issues relating to gender balance in appointments to senior management positions and the need for gender sensitivity among personnel in their interaction with local communities. However, integrating gender perspectives in peacekeeping operations requires much more than that, as clearly illustrated by the outcome document from the special session of the General Assembly and the Windhoek Declaration and the Namibia Plan of Action on Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in Multidimensional Peace Support Operations (May 2000). I am therefore proposing the creation of a small Gender Unit in the Office of the Under-Secretary- General/Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as described in the request for additional resources.

• 27 OCTOBER 2000: Report of the Secretary-General on Resource requirements for implementation of the report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (A/55/507/Add.1)

5.26 In keeping with the strengthened mandate for integrating gender perspectives into peacekeeping support operations provided by the General Assembly in its twenty-third special session entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century" (June 2000), the report of the Panel raised two important gender perspectives relating to gender balance in appointments to senior management positions and the need for gender sensitivity among personnel in their interactions with local communities. However, integrating gender perspectives into peace-support operations requires much more, as the outcome document adopted by the Assembly at its special session (resolution S-23/2) and the Windhoek Declaration and the Namibia Plan of Action on Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in Multidimensional Peace Support Operations, adopted on 31 May 2000 at the seminar organized by the Lessons Learned Unit of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (see A/55/138-S/2000/693 annex 1 and 11) clearly illustrate.

5.27 Attention needs to be given to gender perspectives in all phases of the peace support operations, beginning with needs assessment missions through post-conflict peace-building. Gender perspectives should be considered in analyses, policy and strategy development and planning of peace support operations, as well as training programmes and instruments developed to support effective implementation of those operations, such as guidelines, handbooks and codes of conduct. All aspects and all levels of peace support operations require attention to gender perspectives, including political analysis, military operations, civilian police activities, electoral assistance, human rights support, humanitarian assistance, including for refugees and displaced persons, development and reconstruction activities and public information. Training of troops and civilian police on gender issues is critical. In the context of complex missions where interim governments will be established, gender balance in interim bodies and development of capacity within those important bodies to work with gender perspectives need to be considered. Experience has shown that it is important to ensure attention to gender perspectives from the very outset of peace-building and peacekeeping missions, including through incorporation in the initial mandates. All reports of the individual mission to the Security Council should include explicit routine reporting on progress in integrating gender perspectives as well as information on the number and levels of women involved in all aspects of the mission.

5.28 The United Nations is committed to providing the leadership required to ensure that gender perspectives are incorporated into all peace-support operations. This will require the commitment of human and financial resources within the Department, including the establishment of a Gender Unit in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General, consisting of a senior gender adviser at the D-1 level and a general adviser at the P-4 level, supported by an administrative assistant (General service, Other level).

• 8 DECEMBER 2000: Report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on Implementation of the report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (A/55/676)

The Secretary General proposes to establish a Gender Unit within the Office of the Under-Secretary General to ensure that gender perspectives are incorporated into all phases of peace operations. Three posts are requested (1 D-1, 1 P-4 and 1 General Service) to carry out the functions indicated by the Secretary-General (see A/55/507/Add.1 paragraphs 5.26-5.28). Although the Advisory Committee recognizes the importance of the incorporation of this aspect in peacekeeping support, it questions the rationale for the need to establish yet another gender unit in the Secretariat. In this connection, the Committee recommends instead that better collaboration and coordination be established with the existing Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women and the Division for the Advancement of Women. Accordingly, the Committee does not recommend the establishment of these posts.

• 1 JUNE 2001: Report of the Secretary-General on Implementation of the recommendations of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operation (A/55/977)

22. Member States have also recently emphasized the central importance of gender issues to peacekeeping operations, such as in Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and in the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations of 6 December 2000 (see A/C.4/55/6, para. 41). The Department of Peacekeeping Operations does not, however, possess dedicated resources for gender issues, and currently relies on cooperation with the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues.

267. The Department of Peacekeeping Operations does not currently have any dedicated resources for addressing gender issues in peacekeeping. The Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women does provide overall policy support and guidance, as mentioned above, but does not have an operational role and does not have any resources allocated to it from the support account for peacekeeping support.

268. The present comprehensive review has confirmed that there is a great deal of work to be undertaken with respect to gender and peacekeeping, not only as a result of the Windhoek Declaration and the Namibia Plan of Action on Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in Multidimensional Peace Support Operations (May2000), but also in the light of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (see A/C.4/55/6, para. 41). It is for this reason that I had previously proposed the creation of a gender unit in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations (see A/55/502, para. 142).

269. I still believe that a dedicated focus on gender issues is required in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. However, instead of creating a separate unit, I would recommend that a few gender experts be included in the Peacekeeping Strategic Planning Unit so that a gender perspective is interwoven into all aspects of its work. The proposed new Section in the Personnel Management and Support Service (PMSS) should include a gender expert to help expand the sources of personnel from which qualified female candidates could be recruited.

• 31 JULY 2001: Report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations on a Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (A/55/1024)

27. Many delegations underlined the need for more resources to be allocated in order to address gender issues in peacekeeping and expressed their support for the inclusion of a number of gender experts in the Peacekeeping Strategic Planning Unit.

100. The Special Committee takes note of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000 and General Assembly resolution 55/71 of 4 December 2000, which call for urgent attention to mainstreaming a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations. The Committee encourages continued attention to training on gender awareness and gender mainstreaming for peacekeeping personnel at Headquarters and in the field, focusing particularly on the human rights of women and children and their special needs in conflict and post-conflict situations

101. The Committee takes the view that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations should ensure that issues relating to gender in the field are properly addressed both in the field and at Headquarters. To this end, the Committee takes the view that the work of gender focal points, who are to be at sufficiently senior levels and in the operations where they are needed, should have the proper back-up in the Secretariat. It stresses the need for reporting from the Secretary- General on how gender mainstreaming is implemented in the field.



• 8 AUGUST 2001: Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects, Programme budget implications of draft resolution A/C.4/55/L.23, Statement submitted by the Secretary General in accordance with rule 153 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, (A/C.5/55/46/Add.1)

Gender and peacekeeping

5.13 The third capacity required relates to gender and peacekeeping, for which a total of three new support account posts, two Professional (1 P-5, 1 P-3) and one General Service (Other level) will be required.

5.14 This element will be headed by a Senior Gender Adviser (P-5) who will provide the Under-Secretary-General and senior management with technical advice and expertise on gender issues. In addition, the incumbent will develop departmental policy on mainstreaming gender; direct and oversee the development of operational tools, guidelines, resource and capacity-building for gender mainstreaming throughout the Department; and direct and oversee monitoring and evaluation of gender mainstreaming. The creation of this capacity will also ensure that the Department has a more structured and effective ongoing interaction and cooperation with the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, the Division for the Advancement of Women, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and other relevant bodies of the United Nations system. The Senior Gender Adviser would also brief senior mission officials on gender matters. The Senior Gender Adviser will be support by a Gender Programme Support Officer (P-3), who will undertake research and collection of data on specific topics related to peacekeeping and gender; maintain working level contacts with entities of the United Nations system on gender issues; establish and maintain a network of external experts on gender, peace and security to provide technical advice for the Department as needed; collect and disseminate good practices and lessons learned on gender matters in peacekeeping. One General Service (Other level) staff currently approved for the Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit will provide administrative support in this area.



• 9 AUGUST 2001: Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects, Programme budget implications of draft resolution A/C.4.55.L.23, Statement submitted by the General Assembly in accordance with rule 153 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly (A/c.5/55/46), paragraph 15

The Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit will be considerably strengthened and is intended to be at the heart of a new system by which the Organization learns from its peacekeeping experience, developing policies, procedures and related operational tools that are incorporated into the planning and conduct of both ongoing and future missions. In order to meet these varied objectives the Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit will contain the following the distinct functional elements: Peacekeeping Best Practices and Policy; Public Information; Gender and Peacekeeping; and the Resource Center.

• 16 OCTOBER 2001: Report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on Implementation of the report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (A/56/478), paragraph 33

With respect to the gender and peacekeeping capacity (see A/C.5/55/46/Add.1, paragraphs 5.13-5.14) the Advisory Committee points out that there seems to be no coherent policy in the Secretariat regarding the role of departments and organizational units on gender issues. The Committee has already questioned the rationale for establishing another gender unit in the Secretariat (see A/55/676. paragraph 44), stressing the need for better collaboration and coordination with the existing Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women and the Division for the Advancement of Women. The Committee is therefore not in a position to recommend the establishment of additional posts for this purpose (1 P-5, 1 P-3 and 1 General Service (Other level)). The Committee urges the development of a coherent policy and, in that context, it would consider a request for additional resources either in the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues or elsewhere. The Committee does recommend, however, acceptance of the proposal to establish the additional support account post (1 P-3) for the Resource Center (see A/C.5?55/46 Add.1, para.5.15)



• 17 DECEMBER 2001: Fifth Committee, Draft Resolution submitted by the Chairman following informal consultations: Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (A/C.5/56/L.32), paragraph 17

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, subject to the provisions of the present resolution and decides not to establish at this time the D-2 post of Director of Change Management mentioned in paragraph 28 of the report of the Advisory Committee and to keep it under review for consideration at the second part of the resumed fifty-sixth session, and in the light of the development of a coherent policy, to review the P-5 post for gender issues at the second part of its resumed session.

• 1 FEBRUARY 2002: General Assembly Resolution on a Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (A/56/241)

6. Stresses that the creation of small units in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to fulfil various functions which duplicate the responsibilities of other departments must be avoided, and shares the caution expressed by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions that an increase in the number of organizational units in the Department does not necessarily facilitate coordination or enhance administrative and management capacity;

17. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee, subject to the provisions of the present resolution, and decides not to establish at this time the D-2 post of Director of Change Management mentioned in paragraph 28 of the report of the Advisory Committee and to keep the matter under review for consideration at the second part of its resumed fifty-sixth session, and, in the light of the development of a coherent policy, to review the P-5 post for gender issues at the second part of its resumed fifty-sixth session;

• 11 MARCH 2002: Report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations on a Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (A/56/863), paragraphs 106-109

69. The Special Committee continues to support the establishment in the Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit of entry points for the following specialized areas: public information; disarmament, demobilization and reintegration; gender; humanitarian affairs; and safety and security. These activities should not be designed to duplicate, or have the potential to duplicate, work done in other Departments. The Special Committee reiterates its recommendation that the restructured Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit be given a name that better reflects its responsibilities.

108. The Special Committee reiterates the view that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations should ensure that issues relating to gender are property addressed, both in the field and at Headquarters, and that the work of the gender focal points, which should be at sufficiently senior levels, should have the proper back-up in the Secretariat, with adequate resources allocated for this purpose.

• 9 MAY 2002: Report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on the Financial performance report for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001 and proposed budget for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 for the support account for peacekeeping operations (A/56/941), paragraph 24

24. The Committee exchanged views with the representatives of the Secretary-General as to the functions or role of the P-5 post proposed for a Senior Gender Adviser in the Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit. The Committee is of the opinion that no adequate rationale for the post has been advanced, given that a more coherent policy in this regard is still to be developed (see A/56/478, para. 33). Under the circumstances, the Committee does not recommend acceptance of the proposal to establish the P-5 post for the Senior Gender Adviser.

• 30 JULY 2002: Resolution Adopted by the General Asesmbly: Support account for peacekeeping operations (A/56/293), paragraph 5

5. Requests the Secretary-General to develop a coherent policy on gender mainstreaming in all peacekeeping activities of the Organization, to submit, if necessary, a request on this issue in the light of that policy, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session;

• OCTOBER 2002: Women, Peace and Security: Study submitted by the Secretary-General pursuant to Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), Recommendation

Action 15: Create the post of a Senior Gender Adviser at Headquarters in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, reporting to the Under-Secretary-General, to support mainstreaming of gender perspectives in all departmental activities at Headquarters as well as provide adequate backstopping to field operations.

• 16 JANUARY 2003: Report of the Secretary-General on Implementation of the recommendations of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (A/57/711)

D. Best practices, lessons learned and mission planning:

19. The Secretariat reiterates its appeal for adequate resources to allow the [Peacekeeping Best Practices] Unit to fulfill its responsibility as the focal point within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations for gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping activities.

• 13 FEBRUARY 2003: Report of the Secretary-General on Gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping activities (A/57/731)

1. The present report responds to General Assembly resolution 56/293 of 27 June 2002, in which the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to develop a coherent policy on gender mainstreaming in all of the Organization’s peacekeeping activities, to submit, if necessary, a request on this issue in the light of that policy, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session.

2. The request of the General Assembly is related to the Secretary-General’s proposal for additional resources under the Support Account for peacekeeping activities for the establishment of one senior gender adviser post within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, to provide support and overall policy guidance in developing operational policies, strategies, action plans and tools for gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping activities.

3. The present report outlines a coherent policy for gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping activities and provides information on efforts made by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to introduce gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping activities, in compliance with legislative mandates. The report also offers clarification of the respective roles and responsibilities of the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, gender advisers in peacekeeping missions and the proposed senior gender adviser in the Department at Headquarters. The annex contains a glossary of gender mainstreaming terms.

CLICK HERE for the full report.

• 13 FEBRUARY 2003: Report of the Secretary-General on the Budget for the support account for peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 (A/57/732)

Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit

22. In his report on gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping activities (A/57/731), the Secretary-General indicated that the effectiveness of gender mainstreaming in such activities required a dedicated central capacity at Headquarters in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. The Secretary-General further indicated that two additional posts (1 P-5 and 1 General Service (Other level)) would therefore be sought for the Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit in the context of the budget for the support account for peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004.

23. A senior gender adviser (P-5) is required to provide a strategic vision for gender mainstreaming in the negotiation stages of peace agreements; the establishment of peacekeeping mandates; the formulation of mission plans, concepts of operation and budgets; the implementation of mission mandates, including backstopping, guidance and provision of support to field missions on the development and implementation of gender policies and programmes; and the closure of missions. The establishment of this position in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations will ensure that best practices and lessons learned
developed in one mission are captured and disseminated to others and are subsequently reflected in the policy and planning process.

24. The General Service (Other level) post is required to collect and maintain relevant research materials, publications, articles and other data on peacekeeping and gender issues and to develop and maintain a database of gender-related statistics for field operations. Furthermore, the post is required to set up and maintain a database of expertise (including staff resources, external consultants and institutional capacity) available on gender, peace and security issues and to assist with daily backstopping functions for gender units and focal points in the field.

• 4 APRIL 2003: Report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on the Financial performance report for the period from 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002 and proposed budget for the support account for peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 (A/57/776)

26. The support account resources for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 amount to $77,333,500 in gross terms — an increase of $4,392,100 (6 per cent) over the appropriation of $72,941,400 for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 (see A/57/732, sect. II.A.7 (b)). This is due mostly to changes in standard salary costs, as indicated in paragraph 17 above, and the proposal to establish three additional posts: one D-1 for a chief of the Communications and Information Technology Service (see para. 37 below); one P-5 for a senior gender adviser (see para. 30 below); and one General Service post (ibid.).

30. Two new posts are proposed to be established under the Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit: a P-5 post for a senior gender adviser and a related General Service post to carry out the functions described in paragraphs 22 and 23 of A/57/732. The Advisory Committee recalls its recommendation against the establishment of the P-5 post until an adequate rationale for it is provided and a more coherent policy is developed (see A/56/941, para. 24). During its consideration of this matter, the Committee had before it the report of the Secretary-General on gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping activities (A/57/731). The Committee exchanged views with the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations and with other representatives of the Secretary-General on the subject. The Committee was informed that the post would enable the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to implement an integrated, coherent gender-mainstreaming programme and relevant activities in peacekeeping missions, in line with the Organization’s policy on gender mainstreaming.

31. While the Advisory Committee agrees that a post should be provided for the gender adviser functions, it is not convinced of the need for it to be at the P-5 level. Accordingly, the Committee recommends that the post be set at the P-4 level. Moreover, the Committee notes that there are currently 21 General Service posts in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General, of which 2 are funded under the regular budget. The Committee therefore does not recommend the establishment of the additional General Service post. Accordingly, non-staff resources for this Office should be reduced by $9,600. In making these recommendations, the Committee points out that the role of the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women in gender mainstreaming is still not clear. The Committee intends to follow up on this issue in the context of its regular budget review.

• 3 JULY 2003: Resolution Adopted by the General Asesmbly: Support account for peacekeeping operations (A/57/318)

14. Decides to review at its resumed fifty-eighth session the existing posts approved in its resolutions 55/238 of 23 December 2000, 56/241 and 56/293 and in the present resolution in order to consider their justification, taking into account the ongoing evaluation by the Office of Internal Oversight Services of the Secretariat of the impact of the recent restructuring of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations on its performance in the backstopping of peacekeeping operations;

20. Decides that the person recruited to the gender adviser post shall be responsible for all operational support activities and all related activities pertaining to the implementation of individual mandates of various peacekeeping operations in the area of gender mainstreaming, including those activities relating to the field operations of each peacekeeping mission;

21. Affirms that the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women is the competent authority for gender mainstreaming in the United Nations as a whole and is responsible for the formulation of policy as mandated by the intergovernmental bodies, and in this regard requests the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to establish a viable, effective mechanism for close coordination with the Special Adviser, ensuring that all plans of action on gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping operations are consistent with the existing mandates;

22. Stresses that the creation of a gender adviser in the Best Practices Unit of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations does not constitute a precedent to be followed by other departments and should not itself lead to the establishment of a gender unit in the Department, and also stresses the importance of not duplicating functions and capacities that already exist elsewhere in the Secretariat;

23. Decides to review the establishment and the level of the post of gender adviser in the context of paragraph 14 above;

• 26 APRIL 2004: Report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and its Working Group at the 2004 substantive session (A/58/19)

II General debate and working group

28. Several delegations expressed the view that gender mainstreaming was an important element of peacekeeping operations. They called for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), and for Member States to provide gender expertise in mission planning and implementation, and to put forward qualified female staff for military, civilian police and civilian positions. The work of the Gender Adviser of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was welcomed by many delegations.

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