UNSCR 1325 Anniversary

Friday, 31 October marks the 8th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, on Women, Peace and Security.

This landmark resolution recognises the crucial role that women play in peace-building and the prerequisite of women’s full participation in peace-building for sustainable peace.

It also recognizes the need for special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence in armed conflict situations.

IWDA’s partner, femLINKPACIFIC, the Coordinator of the Pacific regional women’s media network on UNSCR 1325, is calling on political leaders in Fiji, as well as Pacific Forum Leaders to remember that equitable representation by women in the process of returning Fiji to parliamentary democracy is what will enable true conflict transformation and sustainable peace.

“Ultimately, without women’s equal participation, sustainable peace, sustainable development and true human security are unattainable. Women must be able to contribute their perspectives, help determine the direction of policy options, and have a greater say over budgetary allocations, including military and defence spending.” Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Coordinator, femLINKPACIFIC

femLINKPACIFIC will be hosting a Media and Policy Roundtable Friday, October 31, 2008 which will include the launch of the first policy document published by the regional women’s media network on UN Security Council resolution 1325.

Here is the text of Sharon’s email.

Friday, 31/10/2008 is the 8th Anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (Women, Peace and Security)

On that day Pacific Peacewomen will launch Policy Responses and Solutions for our Pacific Region – a policy initiative of the regional women’s media network on UN security council resolution 1325 at a Policy and Media roundtable in partnership with the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and support by AUSAID

Seldom does the Security Council have a Women’s Peace and Security network that celebrates, advertises and promotes its resolutions. However,when the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1325 on Women,Peace and Security on October 31, 2000 thatûs just what it got.

(While) Women from Bougainville, Fiji and Solomons have been involved in peace building since before the adoption of UNSC resolution 1325, we have taken it up for advocacy as a compliment to international instruments like the Beijing Platform for Action, and CEDAW.

We are using 1325 to link to broader political platforms for women’s participation in making decisions that affect their lives and that particularlyprevent conflict or the resurgence of conflict

Since the 2006 Gender, Conflict, Peace and Security meeting convened by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, femLINKPACIFIC has worked to establish a regional women’s media network to document and promote the work of Pacific Peace women to advance the implementation of UNSCR1325 at national, regional as well as international levels..

This network, has grown from the pilot projects initially supported by the UNIFEM Pacific regional project on Women, Peace and Security, and opportunities to work with international partners such as the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security and its members including the International Womenûs Tribune Centre, the Peace women project of the Womenûs International League for Peace and Freedom(WILPF) and the Inclusive Security/Sustainable Peace: Women Waging Peace network.

The regional women’s media network on UNSC resolution 1325 is coordinated byfemLINKPACIFIC (based in Suva, Fiji) and includes Maûa Fafine mo e Famili (Tonga),Leitana Nehan Women’s Development Agency of Bougainville (PNG), Vois Blong MereSolomon (Honiara).

This year the network has consolidated our focus on also strengthening advocacy atnational level, through the initial implementation of our Peace Talks programme withour 3 partners.Through our media and policy initiatives including dialogues and üPeace Talksý with governments, and through our mentoring programme that brings in young women, we are educating a new generation of policy makers and youth about how we canbuild enduring peace in our societies:

“We are setting the table and inviting you (Pacific Peacewomen) to come tothe table and the officials to come to the table, so we don’t just stand from the outside and try to talk, but create some space and opportunities forourselvesý.

Next Friday, with the launch of our policy document we are proudly adding to the “herstory” of Peacewomen in the Pacific, dating back to the early days of the Fiji Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) which provided the early nurturing ground to the Nuclear Free Independent Pacific movement.

After a very broad consultation process that has included engagement with Pacific women, Pacific governments and security sector, the United Nations and international experts contains our specific recommendations seek to breathe life into the ideas and ideals set for the in resolution 1325 and are based on the following foundations:

Resolution 1325 is a framework: It makes women  and a gender perspective relevant to all aspects of peace and security, including negotiating peace agreements, planning refugee camps, peacekeeping operations and reconstructing war-torn societies, including mine clearance, elections and security sector reform

Resolution 1325 is a tool: Women in the Pacific and around the world have been using resolution 1325 as a key to open doors into negotiations, as a loud hailer to have their voices heard, as a pen to inscribe their issues onto the agenda, as a mirror to hold up to governments to remind them of policy and budget commitments, and as a lens to help see security through women’s eyes.

Resolution 1325 has started to change security thinking: This resolution hashelped to change how security is discussed, organized and delivered by governments and the United Nations. Recognizing that women have a huge role to play in preventing conflict and building peace, ten governments have generated 1325 National Action Plans to help ensure that their foreign policy, financial contributions and peacekeeping troops advance the principles and actions of resolution 1325.

Resolution 1325 has increased collaboration between governments and civil society: Womenûs organisations and advocates have joined forces with governments and UN agencies to translate the words of 1325 into action. In the Pacific there isi increasing recognition of both official and unofficial (Track I and Track II) dialogue atthe Forum Regional Security Committee meetings and on the national level.

Resolution 1325 is not yet implemented: The resolution has prompted a quantum leap forward in understanding, yet women continue to be marginalized in peace and security decision making, our world continues to make increasing investments in war, weapons and militarism, and women continue to suffer terribly in wars as well as during internal, political conflicts.

The policy document addresses the following critical areas of concern: Transcending Violence and Transforming Conflict ð Responses, Survival, Healing, Womenûs Budgets for Conflict Prevention & Economic Security, Democratizing Security Decision Making, Disarmament and Reintegration more than weapons disposal, Security through Women’s Eyes, Women Communicating a Culture of Peace.

We look forward to distributing this policy document to policy makers to not only consider but implement these recommendations which we believe will help to prevent conflict from occurring, resurging or escalating and also assist in advancing implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325 and other gender equality commitments in our region.

“We are tring to build peace and promote good will amongst our fellow women, men and children towards a goal that we will all live in peace.ý:

Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, femLINKPACIFIC – Coordinator, femLINKPACIFIC Helen Hakena ð Executive Director, Leitana Nehan Womenûs Development Agency Josephine Teakeni ð Executive Director, Vois Blong Mere Solomons Betty Blake ð Coordinator, Maûa Fafine mo e Famili

For more information log on to www.femlinkpacific.org.fj or email sharon@femlinkpacific.org.fj

More Information:

• UN Security Council Resolution 1325
• femLINKPACIFIC Regional Women’s Media Network Policy Initiative 3.8MB
• femLINKPACIFIC Regional Women’s Media Network Policy Initiative Press Release 2MB
• femLINKPACIFIC

Tags: 1325, Fiji, Safety and Security

This entry was posted on Friday, October 31st, 2008 under Fiji, Recent.