The Gender & Security Seminar Series 2011
The Carr Center is launching a new seminar series focused on the relationship between conflict, peace and gender.
The seminar series will function as a survey of six topics related to this theme over the course of the Spring 2011 semester:
Introduction to the Gender and Security Seminar Series
Women and Peace Negotiations, Peace Process and Political Participation
Introduction to Masculinities, Violence and Peace
Gender and National Security Policymaking Training
UN 1325: Improv ing Operational Effectiveness of PRTs
Case Study: National Security Policy and Gender-based Violence
The primary purpose of the seminars is to create a forum for topical dialogue around issues of gender, conflict, security and peace. Each 90 minute session will comprise three components: a speaker, group discussion, and an interactive group exercise. The seminar series is being planned by and will be facilitated by Shahana Dharmpuri, who is a independent gender trainer, and Audrey Banks, who has worked on gender-related and other issues in Afghanistan.
At the same time, the sessions will serve as a resource for participants wishing to take advantage of practical training, skill building and networking opportunities that will supplement the study group's regular presentations and dialogues. To this end, the conveners will facilitate a supplementary session for participants interested in receiving training on completing assessments, consultations and drafting policy with respect to gender mainstreaming.
Given the current Afghanistan-Pakistan focus of the Carr Center's State Building and Human Rights program, in the coming semester, the study group will seek to explore topics largely through the lens of developments in the Af-Pak region. However, the seminar series will seek to draw on the diverse interests and expertise of colleagues at the Harvard Kennedy School to promote interaction between various initiatives related to gender, conflict and peace. Therefore, depending on the background of visiting speakers and group participants, some topics will be examined comparatively or in the context of other regions.
At the conclusion of the semester, participants will be encouraged to assess the study group and identify topics or activities of particular interest that warrant further attention through future courses or research projects. Additionally, given the considerable and growing policy-driven interest in gender and security issues, the study group may provide a platform for future research projects related to some of the topics explored through the study group.
Meeting 1:
Gender & Security Seminar: "UN 1325: Introduction to the Gender and Security Seminar Series"
Monday, January 31, 2011
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Carr Center Conference Room (Rubenstein Building, Floor 2, Room 219) Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Details:
This year is the 10th Anniversary of the ground-breaking UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UN 1325), which underscores the importance of gender equality to peace and security efforts. Gender is a now considered to be an important dimension in security and peace, although still a relatively new dimension in international politics. However, few policymakers and practitioners are familiar with either UN 1325 or the foundational concepts regarding gender equality and how to apply these concepts in practice. This introductory session will cover the key concepts and definitions of gender mainstreaming, and will introduce a simple analytic tool to evaluate policies and programs for gender integration. Participants will have the opportunity to examine short case studies in small group work and discussion.
Activity:
Introduction to key concepts and the Gender Continuum, a gender analysis tool for policies and programs.
Essential Readings:
No readings will be assigned for the first meeting. However, the session will introduce the Gender Continuum as a framework that will be used to analyze policies and programs throughout the study group series. During the course of the session, the Gender Continuum will be applied to examine the gender dimensions of various conflict and development programs.
Meeting 2:
Gender & Security Seminar: "Women and Peace Negotiations, Peace Processes, and Political Participation"
Monday, February 14, 2011
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Carr Center Conference Room (Rubenstein Building, Floor 2, Room 219) Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Details:
Women play a critical, yet largely unrecognized role in resolving conflict. Recent conflicts and peace processes have suggested that the establishment of sustainable peace hinges largely on the integration of women's voices and priorities in negotiations, transitional justice and post-conflict reconstruction. However, women and gender concerns are typically not included or considered in important state-building activities such as peace processes. Women also face significant barriers to political participation, which consequently creates a barrier to their participation in peace negotiations. This seminar will explore the link between gender and transitions to peace, with a specific focus on the role of women in peace negotiation processes and women's political participation. The activity following the speakers' briefing will allow participants to experience first-hand the difficulties of ensuring that all voices are heard in an assessment and that gender concerns are voiced.
Activity:
Barriers to Justice: Identifying Gender Issues in Security Sector Reform Assessments.
Essential Readings:
tba
Meeting 3:
Gender & Security Seminar: "Introduction to Masculinities, Violence and Peace"
Monday, February 28, 2011
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Carr Center Conference Room (Rubenstein Building, Floor 2, Room 219) Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Details:
Leading gender research on men has rejected the idea of a masculinity existing cross-culturally, or even in a given culture. Rather, there are multiple masculinities, and various ways to “be a man”. This interactive seminar will examine the social construction of masculinities, and how strategies to engage men and boys to combat violence against women and promote gender equality are being employed domestically and internationally. The session will examine strategies to engage men and boys to reduce or end violence in the context of conflict and post-conflict situations. Participants will also be encouraged to consider the challenges and opportunities associated with applying these strategies in the context of the Af-Pak region.
Essential Readings:
tba
Meeting 4:
Gender & Security Seminar: "Gender and National Security Policymaking training exercise"
Monday, March 21, 2011
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Carr Center Conference Room (Rubenstein Building, Floor 2, Room 219) Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Details:
Security sector reform transforms security policies, institutions and programs. Integrating gender issues into security sector reform includes the different security and justice sector needs of women, men, boys and girls. Consideration and attention to gender concerns in security policy development and decision-making is increasingly being recognized as key to operational effectiveness and enhancing local ownership and oversight. In this 2-hour training session participants will learn how to integrate gender concerns early on in the process of developing in national security policy. Participants will also have an opportunity to design a gender-responsive consultation plan.
Essential Readings:
tba
Meeting 5:
Gender & Security Seminar: "UN1325: Improving Operational Effectiveness of PRTs"
Monday, April 4, 2011
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Carr Center Conference Room (Rubenstein Building, Floor 2, Room 219) Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Details:
When military planners and policymakers list what has increased effectiveness in peacekeeping and security operations, they rarely, if ever, mention gender equality. Yet, gender equality has been recognized as a force multiplier in operational planning and execution strategies. This is due to the recent efforts made by UN peacekeeping missions and NATO to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UN 1325), which establishes clears links between women, peace and security, and responds to the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. There is the growing body of evidence from the field that shows the application of a gender perspective as consistently improving peace and security operations in three key ways. Attention to gender in PRTS has resulted in:
• more extensive and nuanced information gathering capacities;
• enhanced the credibility of the operation; and
• better force protection.
The speakers will discuss efforts to implement NATO's new gender policy on UN 1325, and the deployment of Female Engagement Teams in Afghanistan.
Essential Readings:
tba
Meeting 6:
Gender & Security Seminar: "Case Study: National Security Policy and Gender-based Violence"
Monday, April 25, 2011
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Carr Center Conference Room (Rubenstein Building, Floor 2, Room 219) Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Details:
This session uses the example of gender-based violence (GBV) to focus on security policy development. We will use the New York Times article, Necessity Pushes Pakistani Women into Jobs and Peril, as our case study. Participants will be introduced to the concept of GBV and its multiple aspects. This exercise emphasizes that a gender-responsive national security policymaking process seeks to:
• Consult and involve women and men from across the community
• Address security needs of different groups (men, women, boys and girls)
• Confront gender-based violence
• Eliminate discrimination by and within the security sector
In this final session of the semester, participants will also be asked to complete a brief evaluation of the study group series. Feedback provided by participants will be used to inform the structure and content of future study groups or potential courses dedicated to the subject of gender, security and peace.
Essential Readings:
tba