Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform

The Justice, Rule of Law, and Security Sector Reform theme focuses on the application of a gender perspective into the post-conflict process of reforming security and justice institutions, with the aim of ensuring transparent, accountable, and effective services.

Huge gaps remain in area of security sector and justice reform although the United Nations and the Women, Peace and Security resolutions have stressed that Justice and SSR must be gender sensitive throughout planning, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation phases.

The Women, Peace, and Security resolutions stress the particular need for improved security sector responses to address and prevent SGBV. Member States are urged to undertake comprehensive legal and judicial reform to better protect women from violence (1888, OP6). Reiterating the call for prosecutions to end impunity (1325,OP11), Member States are called upon to investigate and bring perpetrators of sexual violence to justice (1820,OP4; 1888,OP6).

To help strengthen national judicial systems, and identify gaps in national responses to sexual violence, the Security Council requests that a UN team of experts work with national officials to enhance criminal responsibility for crimes of sexual violence (1888,OP8). Vetting armed forces to ensure the exclusion of those associated with past actions of rape and other forms of sexual violence is an essential component of Justice and SSR (1820, OP3; 1888, OP3). Finally, it is critical that access to justice, protection, and redress for survivors of sexual violence is ensured (1820, OP4; 1888,OP6-7).

The resolutions set out specific obligations, in addition to broader guidelines, for transitional justice and justice reform within SSR. Women’s rights must be ensured in the reform and rebuilding of the police and judiciary (1325,OP8), and within peace agreements. To facilitate this, SCR 1820 calls for the inclusion of women and women’s organisations in all UN-assisted reform efforts (OP10). Justice and SSR are crucial components of peacebuilding, and have a direct impact on a country’s ability to achieve sustainable peace. Both gender mainstreaming in policy making, and the participation of women, are integral to successful reform.

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Security Council Resolution 2445: Para 26

Security Council Agenda Thematic Topic: 
Peacekeeping
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
Human Rights
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Extract: 

Para 26: Strongly urges that all parties cease all forms of violence, human rights violations and abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, and, in particular violations and abuses of applicable international law committed against women and children;

Security Council Resolution 2439

N1834957.pdf

Statement of ERITREA at UNGA73

The spiralling crises, instability, wars, and conflicts that have, and continue to rage, in various parts of the world are inevitable consequences of the absence of justice; the attendant outcomes of international power imbalance. When the rule of law is suppressed and supplanted by the logic of force; when global power balance is compromised, the inevitable outcomes are intractable crises and escalating wars.

Statement of ERITREA at UNGA73

Statement of ERITREA at UNGA73.pdf

Statement of SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC at UNGA73

“These governments formed an illegitimate international coalition, led by the United States. The coalition destroyed the Syrian city of Raqqa completely; it destroyed infrastructure and public services in the areas it targeted; it committed massacres against civilians, including children and women, which amount to war crimes under international law.”

Statement of SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC at UNGA73

sy_en.pdf

Challenging Security Sector Reform as a Mean to Peace

Challenge SSR_Victoria Scheyer.pdf

Statement of NAURU at UNGA73

Transforming Systems: “To be responsive to the needs of my country and many others like it, we must address a systemic bias within the United Nations and start thinking small.”

Statement of ZIMBABWE at UNGA73

Zimbabwe_UNGA73.pdf

Statement of COLOMBIA at the UNGA73

Participation: We have made advances towards equality between men and women in our education and employment sectors. To recognize these advancements, I named the first cabinet with gender parity in the history of my country.

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