Translating Global Agreements into National and Local Commitments

1. Translating Global Agreements into National and Local Commitments

2. 1999: International Alert • Hague appeal for Peace: Campaign name: Women Building peace from the Village Council to the Negotiating Table.

3. Three institutions targeted • European Parliament • Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development • UN Security Council • CSOs, UNIFEM. • Bangladesh, Namibia,and UN Department for Peace Keeping Operations. jamaica

4. Four Pillars • Conflict prevention • Women’s participation in decision making • Protecting of women’s rights • Gender sensitive peace keeping.

5. Support and Ambiguity • Passage of 1325 followed by similar resolutions at oecd and European Parliament • Article 25 of the un charter: members agreed to carry out the decisions of the sc and Chapter 6 where there is no penalty for noncompliance. • Resistance to inclusion continues: demand was to include women in peace security and ultimate power.

6. Subsequent resolution • 1820( 2008) • 1888 (2009) • 1889 (2009) • Have expanded the normative framework substantially. However linking the resolution with legal instruments is needed.

7. Impact and Implications: International • Women’s protection • Sexual exploitation and abuse by Peace Keepers • Women’s participation in Decision Making.

8. Protection • Rwanda and Yugoslavia: women rights activists took lead. • International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia(ICTY)effort was to categorise Rape as a war crime, and not only as a honour crime. This included sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, pregnancy and sterilisation, recognised by ICC as war crimes. • Rule 95,96 made provisions for extra protection of the victim, her identity, support.

9. Protection • States that ratify ICC statutes are required to amend their national laws in conformity. • Sexual violence be excluded from amnesty provisions • GBV as a threat to peace and security.1820 and 1888. • Inter Agency Standing Committee, Gender Handbook in Humanitarian action.

10. Sexual Exploitation and Abuse • Acknowledged by the Windhoek Declaration Have a gender balance in peace keepers,training in gender awareness, sensitivity, and on CEDAW. 1991 peace keeping mission to combodia was known for its widespread sexual exploitation of desperately poor local populations, spread of HIV Aids. Culture of tolerance prevailed.

11. Sexual exploitation and Abuse • 2005 Department of Peace keeping Operations (DPKO) issued Conduct and Discipline Code and established a Unit (CDU). • 2008 CDU launched global misconduct tracking system data base. 180 CSOs signed a letter to UN Secy. Gen. to make the HOM responsible personally for any misconduct of his Mission. • Troop Contributing Countries have to be responsible for any misconduct too.

12. Suggestions • Make gender balanced mandatory at least 25% of troops be females. • Vet former female combatants from Central America, South Africa, Nepal and deploy them as peace keepers. • Extend training support to existing TCC. • Three strikes and you are out rule • Have deadlines for dealing with cases of abuse.

13. Women’s participation • Since 2000, women have constituted less than 7% of negotiators. • Under 3% of signatories. • 13 major comprehensive peace agreements processes since 2000 not one woman was appointed as mediator.

14. Tenth anniversary: Interntional • 2010 the resolution was revisited. • May 2010 DPA and UNIFEM launched a joint strategy, introduce female mediators, nonviolent actors,cso. • Groups that demonstrate their commitment to peace building. • Commit them selves to focus on peace building rather than on cease fire alone.

15. National level • CSOs from Kosovo( Kosovo women’s network) to Kenya have used this resolution as support for including women in peace process. • In the USA Congress woman Eddie B Johnson introduced and passed a resolution in 2003( Non implementation) on this resolution • In Israel coalition of women passed a resolution in Knesset for inclusion of women(which women?) in all committees, and decision making bodies.

16. Columbia: led tow women from the women’s peace movement outside government to the National Reconciliation and Reparations commissions. • Liberia: Govt. committed to realisation of UNSCR1325.

17. National Action Plans. • Are directed at specific actors but no call for National action plans. • Yet the donors press and mobilise for the same at diffrent levels. • All staff to demonstrate gender sensitivity, and that be a condition of their employment. • Inclusion of women in local councils,

18. Common ground between Civil Law and custom • Customary systems generally discriminate against women • Liberia : Rape laws courts dedicated to prosecuting sex crimes, but for most they remained inaccessible. • Risks: Leads to impunity, increases tolerance of violence, vigilantism, perpetuates communal violence, further harm to victims(honour)

19. Nepal In 2006 UNFPA took following initiatives: 1.Translation of the Resolution 2.Production of a local language cartoon booklet describing the provisions 3.One page document linking relevant provisions of unscr with the peace process. 4.Convey its meaning through a national street theatre group experiences of women in conflict 5.Organise enabling workshops.

20. Networking • Peace Resister International. • Global Network of Women Peacebuilders. • International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) • Outreach to partnership with elders, traditional leaders, and men • Frame issues in locally acceptable idioms and language

21. Conclusion • A majority of peace processes have resulted in new forms of violence. No war no peace, having detrimental effect on all aspects of political social and economic development. • To convince the benefit of protection, participation and involvement.