“Women Count Security Council Resolution 1325: Civil Society Monitoring Report 2011″ is undergoing a revision and will be available shortly
Over the past years there have been a number of developments in international laws that address women and peace and security issues. Following the adoption of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in October 2000, UNSCR 1820, which addresses the issue of sexual violence in conflict, was passed in June 2008. In September 2009, UNSCR 1888, a more instructional resolution that identified specific actions to respond to sexual violence in conflict — including the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary General to lead efforts to end conflict-related sexual violence — was adopted. In October the same year UNSCR 1889, which seeks to strengthen the UN’s commitment to engage women in peace negotiations, in governance and financing of post conflict recovery, and in peace building initiatives was approved. In December 2010 the UN Security Council adopted UNSCR 1960, a resolution on sexual violence in conflict that would further strengthen commitment and political will to prevent sexual violence, combat impunity and enforce accountability. It requests the UN Secretary General to establish monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements on conflict-related sexual violence including the yearly publication of a list of armed groups that target women for sexual abuse.
The adoption of UNSCR 1960 and the four preceding women and peace and security resolutions have reinforced the normative standards for protection of women’s rights during and after conflict and for addressing their specific needs in the recovery and peacebuilding period. However, the implementation of these legal instruments and policies has been very slow. More than 10 years after the adoption of 1325, a mere 25 out of 192 Member States have developed and adopted National Action Plans (NAPs). Even as it is considered to be the foundation document on women and peace and security, UNSCR 1325 is still unknown in many conflict-affected areas. The subsequent resolutions are hardly known outside of the UN and international development circle.
The 10th anniversary of UNSCR 1325 in October 2010 presented a critical opportunity to review and reflect on achievements as well as persistent gaps in implementation of the resolution. More importantly, it was an occasion to demand greater accountability and propose timely and relevant actions that Member States, the UN, civil society and other stakeholders should take to fully implement UNSCR 1325.
Through its in-country and global monitoring 1325 project GNWP contributes to the call for greater accountability by all actors, particularly national governments. The project aims to build the capacity of women’s organizations in monitoring policy implementation; develop/identify a global set of indicators and benchmarks for monitoring progress and results of 1325 implementation; and conduct in-country monitoring from the perspectives of women’s groups and civil society.
In 2011, Afghanistan, Burundi, Canada, Colombia, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Liberia, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Spain, Sweden and Uganda took part in the monitoring project. A global snapshot of the findings as well as the individual country reports were published in the book Women Count 2011 – Security Council Resolution 1325: Civil Society Monitoring Report. The report was launched during the 11th anniversary of SCR 1325 in October 2011 in New York.
Global report
Afghanistan; Burundi; Canada; Colombia; DRC; Liberia; Nepal; Netherlands; Philippines; Spain; Sweden; Uganda
GNWP members from Afghanistan, Burundi, Canada, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Fiji, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda participated in the first phase of the in-country and global monitoring of UNSCR 1325, which took place February-September 2010. The resulting publication Women Count – Security Council Resolution 1325: Civil Society Monitoring Report was launched at the Canadian Mission to the United Nations in New York on October 25, 2010.
Global Report (Spanish version)
Burundi; DRC; Rwanda; Sierra Leone; Uganda; Afghanistan; Fiji; Nepal; Philippines; Canada; Netherlands
GNWP is currently conducting a second phase of the civil society in-country and global monitoring of UNSCR 1325, intended to assess progress from the initial phase, refine indicators where necessary and uncover the effects of recent political developments at the national, regional and global levels. The second phase will also examine whether the commitments that the United Nations, Member States, and other key stakeholders made during the 10th anniversary were actually pursued and implemented. Additionally GNWP is adding countries in which members expressed keen interest to take part in the monitoring exercise, but were unable to in the first phase, due to lack of funding and/or human resources.
The monitoring project benefited from the MIT/ICAN study What the Women Say: Participation and UNSCR 1325, which was also launched during the 10th Anniversary of 1325 in NY. Additionally, it built on the work of the UN Technical Working Group on Indicators and utilized already existing indicators when relevant.
GNWP also recognizes the necessity of examining how adequate resources for implementation and monitoring of progress and results can be ensured. It has collaborated with Cordaid in commissioning a study on costing and financing UNSCR 1325.
UNSCR 1325 Monitoring Tool Uganda
Consultants for this project: Annalise Moser and Antonia Potter
“Working together to develop indicators and to determine which ones were non-negotiable and why was a very rich process. I will be able to use the indicators, and customize them with partners in Uganda to monitor 1325.” – Robinah Rubimbwa, CEWIGO; Uganda
“I appreciated the process of selecting common indicators and hearing various perspectives. Aside from the workshop broadening my perspective, I will be able to use the technology I learned here when I go back to my own country. I welcome the in-country monitoring project as it will serve as practicum on how we will monitor our own NAP.” – Jasmin Galace, Center for Peace Education; the Philippines
NB: The GNWP thanks Cordaid, Oxfam Novib, DFAIT and ICCO for their generous support to this project.
