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.

For more resources on this Critical Issue, visit PeaceWomen Resource Center >>

Justice

Extract: 

We also strongly believe that accountability for sexual violence in conflict is needed not only in order to meet the demand for justice, but also to help societies in breaking the cycles of conflict. Perpetrators of sexual violence must, without any regard for their affiliation or rank, be brought to account.

TEDxAthens: "Why It's Time For 'Doughnut Economics'" by Kate Raworth

Why It's Time For 'Doughnut Economics'.pdf

The War on Terrorism – an Attack on Women's Rights

Untitleddocument (11).pdf

implementation, SSR

Extract: 

As part of the priority given by the Government of Peru to combating this scourge, on 6 January the Peruvian Congress enacted a law incorporating in our Criminal Code the crimes of sexual exploitation and slavery and other forms of exploitation, with sentences of 10 to 15 years imprisonment.

2349 SSR

PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Extract: 

12. Reiterates the primary responsibility of Member States to protect civilian populations on their territories, in accordance with their obligations under international law, and calls on all Governments in the Region, and as relevant the United Nations and other actors, to prioritise human rights protection concerns including through: greater cooperation by concerned Governments with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Offices of the Special Representatives on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Children and Armed Conflict; taking urgent measures to prevent arbitrary arrest and detention and ensure that persons deprived of liberty are treated in accordance with international law; enhanced capacity and responsiveness of national human rights mechanisms across the Region; and taking measures to increase the number of women in the security sector;

2344 SSR

PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Implementation
Extract: 

18. Takes note of the ongoing efforts of the Afghan authorities to enhance the capabilities of the Afghan National Police, calls for further efforts towards that goal, including the commitment by the Ministry of Interior and the Afghan National Police to develop an effective strategy for coordinating increased recruitment, retention, training and capacity development for women in the Afghan National Police, fully implement Afghanistan’s 1325 National Action Plan, and further the implementation of their gender integration strategy, stresses the importance of international assistance through financial support and provision of trainers and S/RES/2344 (2017) 17-04376 7/9 mentors, and notes the importance of a sufficient and capable police force for Afghanistan’s long-term security;

Operationalising the Stockholm Declaration: Proposals for Translating Commitments on Gender Into IDPS Mandate and Work Plan

'This paper outlines overall principles and specific proposals for integrating gender into the IDPS mandate and work plan, so as to facilitate effective operationalisation of Stockholm commitments and Independent Review findings.'

Download the full report below or find the original here. 

United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime

UNITED_NATIONS_CONVENTION_AGAINST_TRANSNATIONAL_ORGANIZED_CRIME_AND_THE_PROTOCOLS_THERETO.pdf

SGBV SSR PK

Extract: 

Portugal reiterates its commitment to continue to conduct training programmes for members of its national security and armed forces who have been deployed to international peacekeeping missions. Such training programmes cover such issues as gender equality, violence against women and girls, including all forms of sexual violence and gender-based violence, as well as trafficking in human beings.

Awareness and application of CEDAW in the judicial systems of Germany and France

2017_AP_15_CEDAW_EN.pdf

Pages