Gender
and Peacekeeping Operations
Peace Support Operations (PSOs) aim to protect lives, safeguard human rights, re-establish conditions for peace, human security, and stability, and to increase people’s capacity to deal with crisis and the reconstruction of their societies. They function in complex, often volatile situations, where populations have been forcibly displaced and social structures are unstable.
The history of traditional peacekeeping forces and responses has revealed that conflict situations have been further exacerbated when PSOs fail to include the perspectives of women, who are most significantly affected by the violence. As victims of calculated attacks, as refugees, as carers of children and the aged and as key agents in facilitating and sustaining peace and reconstruction processes, women have much to contribute to resolving conflict.
The
inclusion of women’s perspectives in PSOs is therefore critical
to ensuring that the needs of local populations are understood
and met in implementation strategies. In turn, PSOs can then further
their role in upholding international standards and fundamental
human rights more effectively.
Policies and directives have been adopted at both national and international
levels to reflect gender-sensitive implementation of the mandates of PSOs.
PSOs that can identify and act on the gender dimensions of armed conflict and post-conflict periods can better implement strategies that address the immediate needs of the local populations, as well as contribute to longer-term issues of peacebuilding, reconstruction, and development. Attention to gender entails acknowledgment that communities are heterogeneous and that people have different needs, priorities, and resources.
The
campaign is currently engaging in dialogue with key stakeholders
involved in operationalising PSOs to ensure that gender is integrated
in practice and that policy guidelines and resolutions, such as
UN Security Council Resolution 1325, are adhered to. This is done
through working with institutions such as the UN Department for
Peace Keeping Operations (DPKO), Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), military training institutions, international
NGOs and drawing on their expertise to develop targeted policy
briefings. The campaign aims to contribute to the ongoing debate
on the need for institutional policy change and to encourage governments
and national militaries to integrate a gender perspective into
PSOs.
Policy Papers
Please click
here for the policy briefing paper: Gender and Peace Support
Operations: Opportunities and Challenges to Improve Practice
Please click
here for the policy paper: Gender Mainstreaming
in Peace Support Operations: Moving Beyond Rhetoric
to Practice.
Forthcoming:
Gender
Justice and Accountability in Peace Support Operations: Closing
the Gaps
Resources
Please click here for Statistics
on Women in NATO forces and Peacekeeping Operation (from NATO Review)
Please click here for the report of the Panel
on United Nations Peace Operations/The Brahimi Report & Peacekeeping
Please click here for the Progress report of the Secretary-General on standby arrangements for peacekeeping, 30 March 1999
Please click here for the Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations, 21st August, 2000
Please click here for a press release: Security Council adopts Resolution 1327 in response to Brahimi Report, 13th November, 2000
Please click here for a press release: Security Council open debate on strengthening cooperation with troop-contributing countries, 16th January, 2001
Please click here for a press release: Statement of Deputy Secretary General on strengthening cooperation with troop-contributing countries, 16th January 2001
Please click here for a press release: Security Council establishes Working Group on Peacekeeping Issues, 31st January 2001
Please click here for a press release: Security Council adopts resolution 1325 on strenghthening the partnership with troop contributing countries, 13th June, 2001
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