Introducing the Commonwealth - PowerPoint Presentation

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Presentation on Women Peace and Security in the
Commonwealth
Kemi Ogunsanya, Adviser Gender
Section Commonwealth Secretariat, London at
the CPA-UK Gender and Politics Conference, London
7 November 2012
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• Introductions
• CW believes that womens role as change agents is
  pivotal to the achievement of sustainable peace,
  development and democracy across the globe
• The challenge for the CW is to demonstrate impact
  of womens contribution to peace and democracy in
  member countries
• Women should be able to influence decisions and
  contribute to peace and sustainable development
• Their social, economic and political empowerment
  should form part of the democratic ideals in
  accordance with global mandates

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• Introductions
• UN Resolution 1325 and follow-up resolutions,
  made an urgent call for the
• equal participation and full involvement of women
  in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion
  of peace and security, and
• increased role of women in leadership and
  decision-making with regards to peace-making,
  peacekeeping, conflict prevention and resolution.
• The Commonwealth is guided by these resolutions
  encapsulated in the CW Plan of Action for Gender
  Equality 2005-2015 (PoA), which draws on
  international commitments for the realisation of
  womens rights enshrined in
• Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination
  Against Women (CEDAW), 1979
• Beijing Platform for Action, 1995
• Millennium Development Goals and
• other agreements on health and education targets.

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• PoA Key Actions and Targets for Member States
• Promote womens full participation at all stages
  of the peacebuilding processes including formal
  and informal negotiations and agreements.
• Include gender equality in peace and conflict
  management processes
• Mainstream women in the training of peacekeepers,
  armed, police forces and partners to ensure
  appropriate codes of conduct
• Confront gender bias in public and private sector
  recruitment, and in the media and peace
  operations
• Ensure women make up at least 30 of
  decision-makers in peace processes, government
  and business by 2015

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• PoA Key Actions and Targets for the Secretariat
• Support countries to address specific needs of
  women, men and young people in conflict and
  post-conflict situations including child soldiers
  and victims of rape
• Support member states to gather relevant data
  that is sex and age specific to monitor all forms
  of gender-based violence
• Support leadership to enable women to seek and
  advance political careers through
  capacity-building programmes and projects

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• Challenges of women in armed conflicts
• Women and men experience conflict differently
  women and girls are by-products of war and armed
  conflicts
• In peace time, women and girls are subjected to
  gross sexual abuse and violations in the home,
  community and society
• Vulnerable to abuse, sexual slavery,
  exploitation, human trafficking and punitive
  traditional practices
• In specific situations women have participated
  and contributed to war to a minimal degree (3)

Photo Zainab Hawa Bangura (Sierra Leone) SRSG on
Sexual Violence and Conflict, June 2012
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Why Women?

• The participation of women is indispensable
  because of their social, economic and political
  roles
• Out of the two billion peoples in the CW, women
  and girls are half of the worlds population
• Women have contributed significantly in peace
  processes, preventive diplomacy, capacity
  building initiatives, post-conflict
  reconstruction and peacebuilding
• Women have served as mediators between combating
  parties, and brokered ceasefire and peace
  agreements
• Have transformed governance and decision-making
  processes across CW regions

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• CW Women and peace negotiations/agreements
• In specific circumstances women are not allowed
  to seat at peace tables
• An analytical study of 585 peace agreements
  signed between 1990 and 2010 reveals only 16
  contained references to women in qualitative
  terms (biologically)
• Yet they have played effective roles in
  peace-making, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and
  post-conflict reconstruction in Pakistan, Rwanda,
  Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Uganda
• Currently only three CW countries are in
  post-conflict Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Sri
  Lanka (Fiji suspended)

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• CW Women and Peacekeeping
• 4 CW countries top contribution of military and
  police personnel to UN PSOs in 2012 Bangladesh,
  India, Nigeria and Pakistan.
• Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Bangladesh and
  Rwanda rank high in contribution of female
  troops. This accounts for 10 of Police Officers
  and 3 of military personnel
• Out of 30 CW countries contributing troops, only
  Brunei and PNG have not contributed women
  personnel
• Canada deploys 10 of police women to
  peacekeeping missions

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• CW Women and Peacekeeping
• Three CW countries deployed all female police
  units India in Liberia, Bangladesh in Haiti
  DRC, and Samoa in East Timor
• In 2012, 30 percent of women constitute civilian
  staff in peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions
• Pacific Islands recognise the contribution of
  women in conflict prevention, resolution and
  peacebuilding efforts

Photo Arrival of all Female Indian Officers to
UN Mission in Liberia
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• CW Women and Peacekeeping
• In 2012 there are six Women SRSGs DSRSGs two
  are from the CW with one Special Envoy
• Margaret Vogt from Nigeria SRSG to CAR and
  Ameerah Haq from Bangladesh SRSG to Timor-Leste
  in 2010
• Zainab Hawa Bangura from Sierra Leone SRSG on
  Sexual Violence in Conflict (UNSCR1820), June
  2012
• Radhika Coomaraswamy from Sri Lanka former SRSG
  for Children and Armed conflict as at 31 July
  2012
• Dr Asha-Rose Migiro of Tanzania recently
  appointed Special Envoy for HIV and AIDS in
  Africa in July 2012, previously held by Elizabeth
  Mataka from Botswana. Dr Migiro served as UN Dep
  Sec-Gen from 2007 - 2012

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• Contributions of Women Peacekeepers
• Improved intelligence gathering
• Interviewing survivors of gender-based violence
• Effectiveness of operational procedures
• Ability to work in conservative environments
• Provide security to women and girls
• Reduction in conflict confrontation
• Empowerment of community women girls
• Highlight diversity, inclusion and gender
  equality
• Support female ex-combatants in DDR process
• Expand skills and approaches in peacekeeping
  missions

Photo Arrival of all Female Bangladeshi Officers
to Haiti
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• CW Women and Peacebuilding
• New Publication on 1325 National Action Plans
• Six CW countries have adopted NAPs
• Australia (2012)
• Canada (2010)
• Rwanda (2010)
• Sierra Leone (2010)
• Uganda (2008)
• United Kingdom (revised 2011)
• Developing a framework to support member states
  adopt and implement NAPs

Photo CW New Publication on Gender, Peace and
Security
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Commonwealth Women and Peacebuilding

• Adoption Implementation of National Action
  Plans
• Some members are in the process of adopting NAPs
  e.g. South Africa
• Other countries have in place gender
  mainstreaming mechanisms
• The Secretariat will
• Advise governments to increase participation of
  women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions
• Urge members to provide required resources,
  training and capacity building initiatives for
  women to participate effectively in these
  processes
• Monitor and evaluate adoption and implementation
  of NAPs with member states
• Recommend penalties for non-compliance at all
  levels across all sectors

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• Thank You
• Q A / Comments

UN delegation to the International Association of
Women Police annual conference in Minneapolis,
USA. Photo by Irene Ang