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.

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

Through the Lens of Civil Society: Summary Report of the Public Submissions to the Global Study on Women, Peace and Security

May 29 Copy - Through the Lens of Civil Society - Executive Summary For Summary Report.pdf

Forum: Pacifist Women and Anti-militarists in Colombia: History and Challenges

On 22 May 2015, WILPF Colombia held an event at the National University in celebration of WILPF's 100th anniversay. Carmen Magallon, of WILPF Spain, was a guest speaker presenting on the history of pacifist feminism in the world and providing her analysis and reflections on the role of women in peace building. 

Arria Formula Meeting on Women, Peace and Security and the 2015 Peace and Security Reviews

On Thursday (21 May), Security Council members held a closed Arria-formula meeting, organised by Spain, focused on key women, peace and security recommendations to the Security Council from the upcoming Global Study on the implementation of UNSCR Resolution 1325, the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations and the Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture.

Welcoming the political commitment of the Ivorian authorities to the SSR process and the efforts made towards its implementation, including through the elaboration of the legal framework for SSR defining the national strategy of the SSR as well as the nat

Security Council Agenda Geographical Topic: 
Cote d’Ivoire
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
Human Rights
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding
Extract: 

Welcoming the political commitment of the Ivorian authorities to the SSR process and the efforts made towards its implementation, including through the elaboration of the legal framework for SSR defining the national strategy of the SSR as well as the national security strategy, enhanced cooperation between the National Security Council and the line ministries and international community, as well as the efforts towards decentralization of the SSR process, reinforcement of democratic governance of this sector, and efforts towards improving the gender balance within the security forces, while expressing concern about the delays in the adoption of certain laws and regulations relevant to SSR and the insufficient cohesion within the army, and urging an acceleration of efforts to reform the security sector, including by putting in place an effective chain of command, a system of military justice and appropriate budgetary allocations 

Support for the implementation of the transition process, the extension of State authority and the preservation of territorial integrity

PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
Participation
Peace Processes
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding
Extract: 

Support for the implementation of the transition process, the extension of State authority and the preservation of territorial integrity:

To assist the Transitional Authorities and, subsequently, the elected authorities, in mediation and reconciliation processes at both the national and local levels, working with relevant regional and local bodies and religious leaders, including through inclusive national dialogue, transitional justice and conflict-resolution mechanisms, while ensuring the full and effective participation of women;

To devise, coordinate and provide technical, logistical and security assistance to the electoral process and make all necessary preparations, in support of the Transitional Authorities and working on an urgent basis with the NEA, for the holding, in accordance with the transitional national charter, as a matter of urgency and as soon as possible, of the free, fair, transparent and inclusive presidential and legislative elections currently scheduled to take place by August 2015, in order to complete the political transition in a timely manner, including the full and effective participation of women at all levels and at an early stage, in all phases of the electoral process, and the participation of CAR IDPs and refugees  

Urges the Transitional Authorities, as well as the National Elections Authority (NEA), in accordance with the transitional national charter, to accelerate the preparations in order to hold as a matter of urgency and as soon as possible the free, fair, tra

Security Council Agenda Geographical Topic: 
Central African Republic
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
Participation
Protection
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding
Extract: 

Urges the Transitional Authorities, as well as the National Elections Authority (NEA), in accordance with the transitional national charter, to accelerate the preparations in order to hold as a matter of urgency and as soon as possible the free, fair, transparent and inclusive presidential and legislative elections currently scheduled to take place by August 2015, ensuring the full, effective and equal participation of women, IDPs and CAR refugees, the return of whom should be an important objective 

Recalling its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, its resolutions 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009), 1998 (2011), 2068 (2012) and 2143 (2014) on Children and Armed Conflic

Security Council Agenda Geographical Topic: 
Central African Republic
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
General Women, Peace and Security
Conflict Prevention
Peace Processes
Displacement and Humanitarian Response
Human Rights
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding
Extract: 

Recalling its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, its resolutions 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009), 1998 (2011), 2068 (2012) and 2143 (2014) on Children and Armed Conflict and its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013) and 2122 (2013) on Women, Peace and Security and calling upon all parties in the CAR to engage with the Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict and the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict 

Condemning the multiple violations of international humanitarian law and the widespread human rights violations and abuses, including those involving extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, sexual violenc

Security Council Agenda Geographical Topic: 
Central African Republic
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
General Women, Peace and Security
Conflict Prevention
Human Rights
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding
Extract: 

Condemning the multiple violations of international humanitarian law and the widespread human rights violations and abuses, including those involving extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, sexual violence against women and children, rape, recruitment and use of children and attacks against civilians, looting and destruction of property and attacks against places of worship, denial of humanitarian access, deliberate attacks against national and international personnel of humanitarian organisations, United Nations personnel and its associated personnel, and humanitarian assets, including supplies, facilities and transports committed by both former Seleka elements and militia groups, in particular the “anti-Balaka” 

Requests MINUSCA to take fully into account gender considerations as a cross-cutting issue throughout its mandate and to assist the Government of the CAR in ensuring the full and effective participation, involvement and representation of women in all sphe

Security Council Agenda Geographical Topic: 
Central African Republic
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
General Women, Peace and Security
Conflict Prevention
Disarmament
Participation
Peace Processes
Protection
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding
Extract: 

Requests MINUSCA to take fully into account gender considerations as a cross-cutting issue throughout its mandate and to assist the Government of the CAR in ensuring the full and effective participation, involvement and representation of women in all spheres and at all levels, including in stabilization activities, security sector reform and DDR and DDR/R processes, as well as in the national political dialogue and electoral processes, through, inter alia, the provision of gender advisers, and further requests enhanced reporting by MINUSCA to the Council on this issue 

Calls upon all parties to armed conflict in the CAR, including former Séléka and anti-Balaka elements, to issue clear orders against sexual and gender based violence, and further calls upon the Transitional Authorities to investigate swiftly alleged abu

Security Council Agenda Geographical Topic: 
Central African Republic
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
General Women, Peace and Security
Peace Processes
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
Peacekeeping
Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding
Extract: 

Calls upon all parties to armed conflict in the CAR, including former Séléka and anti-Balaka elements, to issue clear orders against sexual and gender based violence, and further calls upon the Transitional Authorities to investigate swiftly alleged abuses in order to hold perpetrators accountable, in line with its resolutions 1960 (2010) and 2106 (2013), to ensure that those responsible for such crimes are excluded from the security sector and prosecuted, and to facilitate immediate access for victims of sexual violence to available services 

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