Security Council Resolution
1325:
Women, Peace and Security
Women in Burundi. Photo by Martine Perret, UN
photo 51463
Update: Conclusion of Central Asia trainings on National-Level Implementation of SC Resolution 1325
October 2007
 From September 7-14, GAPW coordinator Waverly de Bruijn traveled to Almaty, Kazakhstan as part of a group of trainers conducting a workshop on national-level implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. This 2-day workshop (also conducted in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) was hosted by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), who asked the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security to serve as their implementing partner. GAPW has been a member of the NGO Working group since December 2006, and has benefited through participation in these “on-the-ground” events.
The aim of the workshop was to discuss with Kazakh and Uzbek participants (both governmental and NGO representatives) the definition of security, to broaden this definition to include human security, and to introduce Resolution 1325 as a tool by which their country can increase the role of women in conflict prevention and resolution processes. A number of countries, including The United Kingdom, Norway , Fiji and Israel have created strategies for utilizing Resolution 1325 in their national plans for security and gender equality. These models, as well as the steps necessary to achieve them, were discussed in depth on the second day of the conference, with participants highlighting the major security concerns for women in their country and determining the next steps that would follow the conference. GAPW is drafting the outcome document, which will be circulated in a few weeks.
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Global Action to Prevent War joins the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security
December 2006
The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (NGOWG) was formed in May 2000 to advocate for a United Nations Security Council resolution on women, peace and security. Following the unanimous adoption of SCR 1325 in October 2000, the group began the difficult work of pressing for its full implementation. Global Action to Prevent War will now join the group in these efforts.
The NGOWG now consists of Amnesty International, Boston Consortium on Gender and Security, Femmes Africa Solidarité, Global Action to Prevent War, Hague Appeal for Peace, Human Rights Watch, International Alert, International Women's Tribune Center, Women's Action for New Directions, the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, Women's Division of General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church Women's Division, Women's Environment and Development Organization, and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
The strength of the NGOWG lies in channeling women's voices and concerns from conflict-affected areas to the highest levels of international policy-making to create broad and meaningful changes to improve women's lives. By harnessing NGO members' networks with women 's groups from conflict-affected areas, the NGOWG represents a unique and important linkage between women in conflict-affected regions and United Nations policy-makers.
Other women's peace groups, human rights and humanitarian organizations collaborate with the NGOWG on joint projects and activities. The NGOWG also works closely with the UN Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI), the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security, and Friends of 1325 (a group of UN Member States who identify themselves as advocates for the implementation of SCR 1325).
Mission of the NGOWG
The NGOWG's mission is to collaborate with the UN, its Member States and grass-roots civil society toward the full implementation of SCR 1325, including the equal and full participation of women in issues relating to peace and security. Using SCR 1325 as our guiding instrument, the NGOWG promotes a gender perspective and respect for human rights in all peace and security, conflict prevention, conflict management and peace-building initiatives of the United Nations.
The NGOWG:
• advocates for the implementation of SCR 1325 and the principles underpinning it;
• partners with civil society, UN and government groups working toward similar ends; and
• monitors and reports widely on progress made in the implementation of the resolution.
Over the past six years, women and gender have become an increasing focus for the peace and security work of the Security Council and other UN bodies. Much of this movement is motivated by the persistence of women in civil society who have mobilized to utilize SCR 1325 as a tool for change at the local and national levels.
For more information, please see www.womenpeacesecurity.org.
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Global Action to Prevent War's position on Women, Peace and Security
In 2000, the Security Council recognized the important
role of women in conflict prevention, and emphasized that the full
participation of women in peace processes can significantly contribute
towards the maintenance and promotion of international peace and
security. Over 100 recommendations have been made to the Security
Council through a Secretary-General's report and an Independent
Experts' Assessment to fully implement the resolution, which includes
specific recommendations on women's role in conflict prevention.
To date, however, gender has rarely been effectively incorporated
in international policy making processes on peace and security.
It is essential to develop early warning indicators that are sensitive
to women and gender issues. There should be a greatly increased
flow of information about the impact of armed conflicts on women,
about gender issues in armed conflicts, and and about women's role
in peace efforts. Fact-finding missions should always investigate
women and gender issues; and local and international women's groups
and advocates should always be included in those missions.
Publication:
Beyond Conflict Prevention: How Women Prevent Violence and Build
Sustainable Peace
 In
honor of the 5 year Anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325,
Global Action to Prevent War and the Women's International
League for Peace and Freedom published a book on the role of
women in peacekeeping and conflict prevention. Entitled Beyond
Conflict Prevention: How Women Prevent Violence and Build Sustainable
Peace by Camille Conaway and Anjalina Sen, this book presents
the diverse contributions of women to conflict prevention--as traditionally
defined by global policymakers and framed by the principles of human
security and women's experiences. The book combines desk-based research
and a series of interviews with women peacebuilders from around
the globe. It is hoped that the presentation of their views, knowledge,
experience and recommendations assists advocacy efforts to promote
women's participation in conflict prevention.
The book outlines:
- Key policies and tools to promote women's role in conflict prevention
and the relevant actors and their activities at the international,
regional, and national level.
- Women's contributions to operational conflict prevention, specifically
early warning and response, as well as a discussion of gender-sensitive
indicators of conflict.
- Women's activities for structural prevention, framed around
the pillars of post-conflict reconstruction; examples of women's
contributions to human security--extending beyond traditional
definitions of conflict prevention.
- The "best practices" and specific strategies to support
and enhance women's efforts in all types and phases of conflict
prevention.
Sample cases in the report:
OPERATIONAL PREVENTION INITIATIVES:
Early Warning
Zimbabwe: Raising Awareness of Escalating Instability
Fiji: Building Local Capacity for Early Warning
Early Response
Nigeria: Intervening to Facilitate Nonviolent Solutions
STRUCTURAL PREVENTION INITIATIVES
Negotiating and Maintaining Peace Agreements
Uganda: Negotiating with Combatants
Armenia And Azerbaijan: People-to-People Peacebuilding
Defining and Promoting "Security"
Bouganville: Partnering with Security Institutions to Prevent
Violence
Brazil: Re-Defining War, Peace and Conflict Prevention
Promoting Human Rights and Good Governance
Angola: Providing Civic Education for Elections
Enhancing Justice and Reconciliation
Serbia: Demanding Justice and Supporting Accountability
Haiti: Seeking Justice, Caring for Victims of Sexual Violence
Facilitating Sustainable Socio-Economic Development
Sri Lanka: Integrating Peacebuilding into Tsunami Reconstruction
Zimbabwe: Transforming Conflict Through Economic Self-Sufficiency
for Youth
Distribution:
A PDF of the book is accessible here:
Beyond Conflict Prevention:
How Women Prevent Violence and Build Sustainable Peace
Publicity:
| Anjalina Sen, researcher for Beyond Conflict Prevention: How Women Prevent Violence and Build Sustainable Peace was interviewed about this publication on November 27, 2005 for O Globo, a major newspaper of Brazil. To view this article (in Portuguese) click here. |
| On February 27, 2006, Global Action to Prevent War and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, in association with the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms, hosted a workshop on Resolution 1325 and our publication, as part of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. For a workshop summary, click here. |
| To download and print a Global Action to Prevent War brochure that explains Resolution 1325 and the publication Beyond Conflict Prevention, click here. |
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