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"The historic and operational value of the resolution as the first international policy mechanism that explicitly recognized the gendered nature of war and peace processes has been undercut by the frustrating record of its implementation.".....

 

"We should never forget that when women are marginalized, there is little chance for our world to get peace in the real sense!"

 

 

Women at the Center of Peace

10th Anniversary-UN Security Council Resolution 1325

 

 

Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury*

 

“WOMEN AND WAR”

UNITED STATES INSTITUE OF PEACE

 

THE WASHINGTON, D.C. CELEBRATION

of the

10th ANNIVERSARY of UNSCR 1325

4 NOVEMBER 2010

 

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*UN Security Council President (March 2000 & June 2001);

Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations (2002-2007)

 

 

The vicinity of the United Nations in New York experienced a tremendous expression of energy and vibrancy last week as civil society observed the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the UNSCR 1325. From morning till evening in the course of the five-day 1325 Peace Fair organized wonderfully by the civil society organizations(CSOs) we expressed spirited enthusiasm and determination to move forward a task, a commitment, an agenda that has never been seen before in respect of any UN Security Council action on any issue.

 

I believe that a key contribution by the Peace Fair is the opportunity it provided for the excellent discussions,  exchanges and field perspectives following the launch of a number of substantive reports – let me list those: The Civil Society Monitoring Report called “Women Count” by GNPW; the ICAN/MIT report entitled “What the Women Say” dealing with participation; CARE International’s report “From Resolution to Reality” again focusing on participation; “Operational Guidelines for Conflict Resolution and Peace Processes” brought out by the UK-based Initiative on Quiet Diplomacy also on women’s participation; “Costing and Financing 1325”- a Cordaid and GNWP study on resource needs; and, of course, PeaceWomen’s publication “Women and Peace & Security Handbook” that gives us an analytical expose of the Security Council language on the issue during last ten years. Why do I list all these CSO publications? Because those highlight the substantive and forward-looking contribution civil society have been and will be making to the meaningful implementation of 1325. Those also bring out the gaps and new areas which need attention in the subsequent implementation process globally and nationally.

 

It is amazing that in ten years just four numerals – 1-3-2-5 – have generated a global enthusiasm that is unprecedented in many ways. Adoption of 1325 in 2000 opened a much-awaited door of opportunity for women who have shown time and again that they bring a qualitative improvement in structuring peace and in post-conflict architecture.

 

Even the United Nations Security Council which is known for being a closed club showed forward-looking approach by adopting a number of follow up resolutions. I consider these subsequent resolutions – 1820, 1888 and 1889 adopted much later in 2008 and 2009 – as the children of the mother resolution 1325. When you take that into account, the potential of 1325, its implications and its impact in real terms are enormous.

 

Tracking back from my own vantage point on 1325, the International Women's Day in 2000 was an extraordinary day for me and will remain so for the rest of my life. That day, I had the honor, on behalf of the United Nations Security Council as its President, of issuing a statement that formally brought to global attention the unrecognized, under-utilized and under-valued contribution women have been making to preventing war, to building peace and to engaging individuals and societies live in harmony. The members of the Security Council recognized that peace is inextricably linked with equality between women and men and affirmed the equal access and full participation of women in power structures and their full involvement in all efforts for peace and security.

 

The conventional impression of women as helpless victims of wars and conflicts was overtaken, at least in principle, by the assertion of the role of women in fostering peace in their communities and beyond. Thereby, the seed for the Security Council resolution 1325 was sown.

 

The core focus of this action is women’s participation at all levels of decision making and thereby structure the peace in a way that there is no recurrence of war and conflict.  That is why women need to be at the peace tables, women need to be involved in the decision-making and in the peace-keeping teams, particularly as civilians to make a real difference in transitioning from the cult of war to the culture of peace.

 

This dimension of participation came out very loud and clear in the CSO reports that I listed at the outset. 1325 marked the first time that increasing participation of women was recognized as an objective of the Security Council for ensuring peace and security. 1325 is an impressive step forward for women’s equality agenda in the context of contemporary security politics. As such, its meaningful implementation places a unique and all-embracing responsibility on the international community particularly the United Nations.

 

However, the historic and operational value of the resolution as the first international policy mechanism that explicitly recognized the gendered nature of war and peace processes has been undercut by the frustrating record of its implementation. The complicity of the Security Council in international practices that make women insecure, basically as a result of its support of the existing militarized inter-state security arrangements, is disappointing. Also, we should keep in mind that the Security Council itself, despite all those follow-up resolutions, is yet to internalize gender considerations into operational behavior of its actions.

 

A major concern emerging from various studies is that the themes most frequently referenced in country-specific resolutions by the Security Council tend to refer to women as victims rather than as active agents in the peacebuilding process, such as in governance, peace negotiations, and post-conflict peacebuilding. It should be realized by the Council that women are not just a vulnerable group, but, more importantly, they are empowering as well.

 

My own experience in the course my different responsibilities, more so during last twenty years, has shown that the participation of women in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding assures that their experiences, priorities, and solutions contribute to stability, inclusive governance and sustainable peace.

 

Let me present a reality check at this point. The Security Council which held the much-anticipated ministerial open debate on 26 October 2010 on the occasion of the 1325 tenth anniversary failed to live up to general expectation on its outcome. Yes, I agree that the participation was good – 90 countries made statements – level was also good with a number of Ministers making important speeches. But, instead of an expected resolution as is normal in such high-level meetings, the Council adopted a Presidential Statement lowering the status of its action. Its political savvy has been proved by its smartness in avoiding key issues in that Statement – no mention of the need for working with civil society closely; no mention of the Peacebuilding Commission or its support office that has a major role in the involvement of women in post-conflict peacebuilding; no support to the National Action Plans; no role for the regional organizations like the African Union; no assertion that the new entity UN Women should include 1325 in its mandate. For good or not, even the indicators proposed by the Secretary-General did not get endorsed.

 

Only the part on sexual exploitation and abuse shows some positive aspects. But, in that area too our great concern continues to be those abhorrent acts by the UN peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel that remain ignored, tolerated and left unpunished for years by the UN. There should be no impunity whatsoever in the name of national sovereignty as is the practice now. The UN should initiate move to change its agreements with the troop contributing countries so that such perpetrators are brought before the International Criminal Court for trial.

 

Given the decision that the Security Council has now asked the Secretary-General to propose next year a strategic framework including targets and indicators to guide the UN’s implementation of the resolution, more desk bound exercise by the secretariat is expected. In this context, he has also been asked to include policy and institutional reforms for improved response by the UN to women and peace & security issues. That means instead of the big push that all expected on the tenth anniversary, in reality no forward movement is possible till the Council takes action on that report from the Secretary-General earliest next October on the 11th anniversary.

 

The role of the UN Secretariat, the Secretary-General in particular, remains much to be desired to say the least. Undoubtedly there is a clear need for his genuinely active and dedicated engagement in using the moral authority of the United Nations and the high office he occupies for the effective implementation of 1325.

 

UN has to take the lead in the implementation. Secretary-General has to lead the UN in taking that lead. Many of us wonder where does 1325 belong to in the UN system – which secretariat entity has the coordinating responsibility for that? Some member states claim that the mandate of UN Women does not include 1325.

 

Of 192 UN member-states, only 23 have prepared their 1325 National Action Plans so far – a meager one-third of which are by developing countries. Please remember that governments of developing countries, particularly of the most vulnerable and the poorest ones, would not move unless there is an international support and encouragement to them. That should come from the UN – with UN Resident Coordinators who represent the UN and the Secretary-General at the national level taking the initiative to energize the national leadership. The much-needed and -talked about directive from the Secretary-General to Resident Coordinators is still mired in the UN bureaucracy. UN can take a lesson from Secretary Clinton’s directive to all the US Ambassadors abroad regarding 1325. Ambassador Melanne Verveer’s powerful statement this morning in support of participation is truly encouraging for us.

 

Secretary-General needs also to take the lead in setting up six-monthly inclusive consultative processes for 1325 implementation with civil society organizations at all levels involving all relevant UN entities. He should encourage similar consultative process with non-governmental organizations at country level.

 

As we face the reality after the tenth anniversary, the international community’s commitment for 2011 is crucial. Ten years of expectation and exasperation has to end!  Anniversaries are good to lift the spirit and energize us. But the time to act was yesterday! Our work and advocacy should now be aimed for every day – never to give up. I commend the United States Institute of Peace and its partners for providing the opportunity to strategize for next course of action through this wonderfully organized three-day conference.

 

As my personal contribution to the effective implementation of 1325, I had launched last July at the United States Institute of Peace here in Washington DC my own proposal titled “Doable First-Track Indicators for Realizing the 1325 Promise into Reality” outlining measures that could be initiated at global and national levels within the existing mandates and without delaying anymore.

 

1325 belongs to humanity – it is owned by us all – it is for the benefit of all - it was intended to be so since March 2000 when the conceptual breakthrough was made. Therefore, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary at the peace gathering of civil society in New York, on 25 October 2010 I declared “1325 a common heritage of humanity” wherein the global objectives of peace, equality and development are reflected in a uniquely historic, universal document of the United Nations!

 

We should never forget that when women are marginalized, there is little chance for our world to get peace in the real sense!

 

 

 

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