October 2011 - NEW YORK - In October
2000, the UN Security Council passed its landmark Resolution 1325 as the first
international agreement to specifically recognize the impact of armed conflict
on women and their role as builders of peace. While many achievements have been
made across the globe as a result of the Resolution, the persistent lack of an
accountability mechanism at the global, national and local level has hindered
progress.
UNFPA is working to fill this gap by partnering with the Global
Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), which brings together 55 women’s
organizations and networks working on peace and security across the world. As a
lead agency on implementation of Resolution 1325 in Burundi and Nepal,
UNFPA has provided technical and financial support to develop the capacity of
civil society to monitor the impact of the resolution. Both countries had
experienced years of internal conflicts that took a huge toll on women.
A High-level event hosted by UNFPA and GNWP this week on the
11th anniversary of Resolution 1325 celebrated the monitoring efforts of
grassroots women activists, particularly in Nepal and Burundi. The event, which took place as part of the larger
Security Council debate on Resolution 1325, attracted over 80 participants,
including H.E. Ambassador Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya of Nepal, H.E. Ambassador
Mr. Herménégilde Niyonzima of Burundi and Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury
(former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations).
At the event, civil society representatives from Burundi and Nepal shared their findings from the initiative. The
presentations were supported by their ambassadors, who expressed their
respective country’s commitment to reducing the number of incidents of gender
violence and encouraged women’s participation in decision making roles.
Taking steps to implement and monitor Resolution 1325
Jeanne Bitsure from the Women and Allies Peacebuilders Network
in Burundi reported that although Burundi’s penal code criminalizes sexual and gender-based
violence, underreporting remains a serious challenge. In part, this is due to a
lack of adequate health care facilities and impunity for perpetrators. For
example, of the 3,715 cases reported in 2009, only 1.6 per cent of the cases
were prosecuted. The government has been working to address these issues. Most
notably, the 2005 law requiring a quota of 30 per cent women in parliament has
been largely successful with 32.8 per cent of key ministerial positions held by
women, the highest percentage in Africa.
Bandana Rana from Saathi, a nonprofit organization in Nepal, echoed similar challenges. Although data on sexual and
gender-based violence is limited, the country has seen an increase in the
number of reported cases, particularly among minors. The judicial and legal
mechanisms for prosecuting such cases are weak, and health care providers are
ill-equipped to recognize, and often treat, survivors. The government has
actively recognized gender-based violence as a major concern and is conducting
sensitization trainings for police and judicial prosecutors. Nepal’s prime minister also declared 2010 as the year to
combat the problem.
National action plans adopted
Both countries have also adopted National Action Plans on
Resolution 1325, a critical step in building accountability. Ambassador
Chowdhury emphasized the importance of these initiatives as it energizes all
partners, particularly civil society, and serves as a new resource for monitoring
country-level implementation and in soliciting resultant accountability. UNFPA
has supported the adaption of National Action Plans in Burundi, Nepal and many other countries. This work is part of a larger
effort in working with Member States and civil society partners to ensure that all women and
girls have access to safe sexual and reproductive health services at all phases
of a crisis, including post-conflict relief and recovery.