Celebrating the Ninth Anniversary of Resolution 1325

We revolted not only against the cruelty and barbarity of war, but even more against the reversal of human relationships which war implied. Jane Addams, 1931 Nobel Peace Prize winner

In 1915 the International Congress of Women met for the first time to address the horrors of war and the role of women as peacemakers. However, it was not until October 2000 that the United Nations formally recognised the impact of war on women and women’s contribution to conflict resolution and sustainable peace.

October 31 was the ninth anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The resolution outlines the importance of increasing women’s participation in decision-making at all levels of conflict prevention, management and resolution, and in peace processes. It marks a significant moment in the history of the United Nations, the first time the Security Council specifically addressed the issue of women in peace and security.

UN Security Council Resolution 1325 is a landmark document, setting out steps that member states and UN peacekeeping missions need to take to reflect both the risks women face in conflict situations and their contributions to preventing and resolving conflict. The widespread nature of armed conflict underlines its importance: this month the International Crisis Group reported on 79 current and potential conflict situations globally, with situations deteriorating in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Guinea and Uganda. In our own region, current and potential conflict situations remain matters of concern in Burma, Fiji, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and West Papua.

Why did the Security Council highlight the role of women in conflict and post-conflict situations? There are three key reasons.

First, women and girls make up the majority of civilians adversely affected by armed conflict; as refugees, internally displaced persons, and increasingly as deliberate targets. As UNIFEM Executive Director Dr Ines Alberdi noted during her visit to Australia in August, in some conflicts it is more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier. Women’s experiences and voices need to be heard.

Second, as the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon put it earlier this month, ‘bringing women to the peace table improves the quality of agreements reached, and increases the chances of successful implementation.’ Yet women comprise less than 10 per cent of official negotiating teams at peace talks, as the pictures of suited men on evening TV news bulletins regularly confirm.

Third, peace processes and rebuilding efforts establish the conditions and foundations for just societies post-conflict. The lack of participation by women works against consideration of diverse perspectives, the inclusion of health, education, nutrition, childcare and human security issues, and the establishment of social and political structures and processes that respect and consider the voices of all.

Non-government organisations play a pivotal role in promoting peace-building at community and national level. They work to build spaces for dialogue, develop leadership skills and capacity, reduce violent responses to conflict and trauma, and hold governments accountable for their commitments. This role was recognised by the Security Council in resolution 1325, endorsing the participation of civil society, particularly women and their organisations, in formal peace processes and operations.

Across the South Pacific, women’s organisations have contributed to ceasefire agreements, peace interventions and mediation during political and armed conflict, weapons disposal programs, and gender and human rights training. Women’s organisations continue to have a vital ongoing role in peace-building, especially given the ongoing political instability experienced in the region. It takes many years to overcome the mistrust and fear created by civil unrest and conflict. Bougainville continues to rebuild after widespread conflict throughout the 1990s, with the reintegration of combatants into communities an ongoing issue.

In the Solomon Islands, communities are still rebuilding from the violence that broke out in 1998. Violence and lawlessness are likely to remain a concern while the government fails to meet the interests of the majority of the population and the benefits of development are distributed unevenly. Fiji experienced its fourth coup in 2006 led by Commodore Bainimarama, who has since abrogated the constitution, placed strict restrictions on the media and removed the independent judiciary. A military-led interim government remains in place with elections not planned until at least 2014.

fem’LINKPACIFIC is a media organisation that was established in the aftermath of the 2000 political crisis in Fiji. Initially the aim was to provide women with a voice on peace and security issues. Since 2004, their radio station – fem’TALK 98.2FM – has also promoted awareness of human rights and offers a safe space for women of all ages and cultural backgrounds to discuss and contribute to Fiji’s post-conflict transformation. Well-respected in the region,

fem’LINKPACIFIC supports the development of women’s media initiatives in Bougainville, Solomon Islands and Tonga. It also coordinates Pacific input into the Global Media Monitoring Project: a worldwide study to collect data on indicators of gender bias and discrimination in news media.

In a difficult political context, fem’LINKPACIFIC has led advocacy and public awareness about the need to implement 1325 in Fiji and the Pacific more broadly. It has attended United Nations summits and Pacific Islands Forum Regional Security Committee meetings, provides the Pacific Regional Secretariat for the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, and was involved in regional consultations on a draft Pacific Human Rights Security Framework.

Also based in Fiji, the Pacific Centre for Peacebuilding (PCP) was established in 2007 to transform, reduce and prevent conflict in Fiji and the Pacific, and has since facilitated critical dialogues between community, civil society organisations, the military and government members. It also supports re-integration of ex-prisoners into society, and women’s economic security through community development activities. The Fiji agency Women’s Action for Change (WAC) uses innovative theatre-based techniques in their work with young women and men to develop mediation and negotiation skills, and supports students to develop school mediation networks to promote non-violent responses to conflict. WAC also works with diverse women living in 17 informal settlement communities in Fiji, facilitating the development of sustainable livelihood and food security options and pathways. WAC’s approach is grounded in a broader understanding of security that takes into account the local realities of gender based violence, freedom of movement, and economic security.

In some areas of the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, violence is a daily experience for many. Limited opportunities for young people and the amassing of firearms overlay traditional tribal conflicts. Kup Women for Peace (KWP) was established in 2000 by four women activists determined to end tribal fighting and violence against women and children, and to build peace among clans and tribal groups. Despite the founders of KWP belonging to ‘enemy’ clans, they joined together – prompted by the killing of one woman’s son – and collectively said that violence must stop.

Nine years later, a remarkable change has taken place. KWP, now a well-respected organisation, has helped to reduce violence by documenting police abuse of human rights and laws during elections, organising training for police in conflict resolution and human rights, supporting communities to find non-violent solutions to tribal disputes, and providing a safe space for women to speak out about their experiences of violence, including at the hands of police. They have worked with the police leadership to ensure police do their job and respond appropriately to violence against women and children. The work of KWP, while making a significant improvement to the security situation in the area, remains in need of ongoing support as communities are still vulnerable to violence and conflict as recent disputes relating to compensation for land demonstrate.

These examples from across the South Pacific highlight the powerful, practical efforts of women to promote peace and ensure women’s and men’s voices, ideas, skills and commitments are included. Yet all too often, when women are identified as having a role to play, it is confined to the home and local community level. As the UN Security Council recognised nine years ago, it is well past time to ensure women are represented in formal spaces of decision making during the transition from violent conflict to peace. This is the pivotal moment – a window of opportunity in which institutions, structures and relationships within a society can be transformed and the root causes of violent conflict analysed and addressed. Through UNSCR1325, the Security Council has mandated that all Governments and peacekeeping forces ensure that women have opportunities to be heard and make decisions on national and regional security issues, and are protected from sexual violence in conflict.

Alongside our partner agency fem’LINKPACIFIC, International Women’s Development Agency urges all governments to act on UNSCR 1325 and develop National Action Plans specifying how the directions of the Security Council will be implemented to ensure meaningful ongoing consultation, involve women in national and regional security decision-making, and ensure that decision makers and peacekeeping forces have the training and resources to identify and respond to women’s specific needs in conflict situations, and to prevent sexual violence in conflict.

We welcome the recent adoption of UNSCR 1888 which offers the UN and member states comprehensive frameworks to review the implementation of 1325 and to further enhance the participation of women and girls in peace processes. Therefore, in the lead up to the 10th anniversary of the resolution, we also reiterate the call for the Secretary General to appoint strong and dynamic advocates of the 1325 agenda to the roles of Special Representative on sexual violence in armed conflict and head of the new UN gender entity. We believe that the role and responsibilities of the Special Representative should cover all aspects of the women, peace and security agenda, not just the issue of sexual violence.

Women’s active involvement in safety and human security issues is a basic human right.

Without women’s voices there can be no inclusive, just or enduring peace.

 Amy Schwebel

6 November 2009

Tags: 1325, femLink, Fiji

This entry was posted on Friday, November 6th, 2009 under Safety and Security.