Reconstruction and Peacebuilding

The Reconstruction and Peacebuilding theme focuses on the application of a gender perspective to peacebuilding. The response of local, national, and international systems to women’s priorities in post-conflict situations can significantly impact stability and development.

The realisation of women’s right to full participation in preventing, resolving and recovering from conflict, is critical to building sustainable peace and the fulfilment of human security. Furthermore, the response of local, national and international systems to women’s priorities in post-conflict situations, can significantly impacts the stability and development of communities.

The engagement of women in early stages of peacemaking can increase gender analysis in post-conflict planning, lead to improved outcomes for women, and enhance their capacity to participate in longer-term peacebuilding. However, women’s rights and concerns should not be dependent on the presence of women in peace processes. Systems must be in place to ensure their inclusion is standard operating procedure.

In SCR 1325, the Security Council recognises that addressing the unique needs of women and girls during post-conflict reconstruction requires integrating a gender perspective at all stages (1325,OP8). The Security Council acknowledges the need to counter negative societal attitudes regarding women’s equal capacity for involvement, and calls for the promotion of women’s leadership and support for women’s organizations (1889,OP1). In addition, the Security Council requests training on the protection, rights and needs of women in all peacebuilding measures (1325,OP6).

To achieve this, the Security Council tasks the Secretary-General to report on challenges and make recommendations relevant to the participation of women and gender mainstreaming in peacebuilding and recovery efforts (1888,OP19). In response, the Secretary-General issued a report on women’s participation in peacebuilding in 2010. The report details the challenges obstacles women must confront in participating in recovery and peacebuilding efforts, and advocates for a Seven-Point Action Plan to respond to these challenges.


First, the plan calls to increase women’s engagement in peace processes and to address gender issues in the context of peace agreements. Secondly, the plan urges for the inclusion of gender expertise at senior levels in the UN’s mediation support activities. Thirdly, the plan notes that, while the international community cannot control the gender composition of the negotiating parties, it must investigate strategies for the inclusion of more women. Fourthly, the plan calls for the establishment of mechanisms to ensure that negotiating parties engage with women’s civil society organisations. The Action Plan’s fifth commitment involves increasing the proportion of women decision makers in post-conflict governance institutions. The sixth point addresses rule of law, emphasising the importance of issues such as women’s access to justice and a gender perspective to legal reform. The Action Plan’s seventh commitment is concerned with women’s economic empowerment. The Action Plan’s implementation remains the challenge.

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PB

Extract: 

Fourthly, the gender perspective should be fully integrated into the peacebuilding paradigm to reinforce the protection environment. This would entail not only the greater participation of women in peacekeeping mandates, but also an enhanced role for women in peace accords, stabilization and the reconstruction phases of post-conflict rehabilitation.

PB

Extract: 

Fourthly, we must ensure the synergy of United Nations institutions. The Security Council should assume its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, and strengthen coordination with the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Peacebuilding Commission, UN-Women and other relevant agencies to coordinate the handling of issues related to the women and peace and security agenda.

Report of the High-Level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations

HIPPO_Report_1_June_2015.pdf

Libyan Women On The Road To Peace

libyan-women-on-the-road-to-peace.pdf

Swedish Foreign Service action plan for feminist foreign policy 2015–2018 including focus areas for 2017

Swedish Foreign Service action plan 2017.pdf

PB, Displacement, Protection

Extract: 

That is further compounded by the fact that vulnerable groups such as women, children, refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons are the most susceptible to human trafficking in conflict situations. Furthermore, women and youth, the most vulnerable groups to human trafficking, are also high on the agenda of the PBC.

PB

Extract: 

Our actions need to be tailored to the specific case at hand. Moreover, our response has to be gender- and age-sensitive, as well as specific to the type of exploitation in question.

UNDP Guidance Note on Constitution-Making Support

Constitution-Making-Support-Guidance-Note.pdf

Tanenbaum's Peacemaker in Action Nominations

Tanenbaum's Peacemaker in Action Nominations.pdf

SGBV, PB

Extract: 

Through my work with survivors of sexual and gender based violence, I know that women and girls, as it relates to human trafficking in conflict, are primarily viewed as victims — the spoils of war given the forced temporary marriage, sexual slavery, impregnation by militants and abandonment or ostracizing from their communities, which are all too rampant.

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