Given the complex and multifaceted challenges in the Persian Gulf region, the UN chief told the Security Council on Tuesday that it is important to reflect more deeply on how everyone, particularly the Council itself, can “work in unison to promote peace and security”.
The Colombian peace process and its 2016 Final Peace Agreement are widely held to be an international model for gender-sensitivity and the inclusion of women’s rights. The United Nations (UN) played an active role, along with others in the international community, first in encouraging and advising key actors to advance the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda during the peace negotiations (2012 – 2016) and then through the establishment of two consecutive special political missions (SPMs) in Colombia to verify specific provisions of the Agreement. In its efforts to implement the WPS agenda in Colombia, the UN worked in close cooperation with the authorities and former guerillas, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP), as well as with civil society and international stakeholders.
Executive Summary available here
Thank you.
Let me join in thanking everyone for being here today.
I too would like to acknowledge Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, and his team, for their work in supporting today’s event.
And I would like to extend my warm regards to the distinguished panelists joining us from Bogota representing the Government of Colombia, the FARC, and Colombian women’s organizations.
Your presence together is evidence of the level of solidarity developed among women throughout the Colombian peace process. Together, Colombians achieved what is widely regarded as an international benchmark for women’s participation and gender-sensitive peace agreements and processes.
And thank you so much, Marcie Mersky, for undertaking the comprehensive study that we are launching today.
Twenty years since the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325, the important work of UN Special Political Missions in advancing the women, peace and security agenda is deservedly receiving much attention.
Much of our work is focused on advancing women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in conflict prevention and peacemaking. But the work to build sustainable peace does not end the day an agreement is signed. Rather, the signing marks the beginning of long and exacting efforts to translate commitments on paper into transformative and lasting change.
In this regard, the experiences of our Special Political Missions in Colombia offer unique and valuable lessons that are already informing our approach to inclusive peacemaking around the world.
The study that we launch today zeroes in on the specific contributions, challenges and lessons for UN missions in supporting gender-sensitive verification and implementation. I would like to highlight a few key lessons that have emerged:
First, leadership. The experience in Colombia – committed and accountable Mission leadership, internal policies to mainstream gender across its work, and the achievement of gender parity among civilian staff – has been critical in developing a mission culture that supports women’s inclusion.
Similar efforts are now being pursued in other contexts, including in Yemen and Afghanistan, where the meaningful participation of women in peace processes is extremely challenging, but remains a priority for our Mission leadership.
Second, civil society. From the early stages of talks, women from civil society were a driving force in achieving inclusive participation, securing gender provisions and, now, implementing the Colombian Peace Agreement, including by serving on dedicated technical bodies.
The Mission’s verification work, which has focused on ceasefire monitoring and disarmament, the reintegration of ex-combatants and post-conflict security guarantees, has been immeasurably strengthened by its regular consultations with women’s civil society, both at the SRSG’s level and through strong grassroots relationships with field offices.
Such experiences are exactly why all DPPA field missions consult regularly with women’s groups, and why in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, the Special Envoys have established advisory boards to ensure that women’s voices are heard.
Third, expertise. The Colombia experience highlights the importance of dedicated gender expertise being deployed early to set a foundation for inclusion in the work of the mission. This lesson is why in Sudan, a Senior Gender Adviser is being deployed as part of the first tranche of staff for the new UNITAMS mission.
Additional initiatives in Colombia to expand the reach of gender expertise through internal trainings and networks of gender focal points in Mission field offices are models we are seeing in our missions in Afghanistan, Somalia and within DPPA.
Fourth, partnerships. The partnerships established between the Mission, UN Country Team, Colombian Government, Member States, former combatants and women’s civil society have been critical in supporting the holistic implementation of the women, peace and security agenda, including through resourcing, capacity-building, and awareness of key issues and developments.
And finally, financing. The UN’s experience in Colombia has shown the importance of dedicating resources to inclusive implementation. This is why financial contributions by donors are so vital, and why we are contributing over US$2 million under the Peacebuilding Fund’s Gender and Youth Promotion Initiative to catalytic projects with a focus on gender. These projects aim to empower young women in the territories, support their participation in public debate, and strengthen their leadership in peacebuilding.
DPPA’s extra-budgetary funds are also financing an additional 16 initiatives in Colombia to support the socio-economic reintegration of women former combatants. In one of them, former combatants are producing face masks as part of the efforts to help their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of course, the lessons learned in Colombia also point us to ways to improve implementation of gender-sensitive peace agreements in the future.
This includes looking comprehensively at the reintegration of women former combatants to address their security, education, and economic needs; introducing gender criteria in the selection of UN observers; and, critically, recognizing that a prevailing climate of insecurity can dampen women’s peace and political participation, and that addressing family, community, and sexual and gender-based violence must be a part of effective implementation efforts.
A lot has been achieved, but we also need to acknowledge that much remains to be done to ensure that the extensive gender provisions in the Agreement are fully implemented.
That means, among other things, stopping the ongoing killings, threats and violence against women social leaders, human rights defenders, and former combatants. The Secretary-General described these attacks as a ‘grave and unacceptable threat’ in his latest report to the Security Council.
It also means tackling social and structural impediments such as entrenched patriarchal attitudes, a lack of resources for gender work, and additional challenges posed by COVID-19 that are compounding existing gender inequalities.
We are proud of the roles our missions have played in Colombia. But we salute the courage and tenacity of Colombian women who have made all this happen. Our role was a supportive one.
I want to assure Colombia, especially the women of this wonderful country, of the continued support of the United Nations for your efforts to achieve the full implementation of the Peace Agreement and the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in public life.
I thank you once again.
Download the Lessons Learned Study "From Word to Action: The experience of the UN Special Political Missions in Colombia on women, peace and security (2016-2020)" here
Download the Executive Summary of the report here
Watch the event here
The world must act now to reverse the situation in Africa’s central Sahel region, where humanitarian needs are at “a breaking point”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told a high-level conference on Tuesday to address the burgeoning crisis.
Unless access is urgently granted to humanitarian organizations, thousands in the Central Sahel will be “pushed into further destitution”, the UN emergency food relief agency warned on Monday.
New York, 20 October 2020
I wish everyone around the world a data-rich World Statistics Day!
Statistics are fundamental for evidence-based policymaking. Current, reliable, timely and trusted data help us to understand the changing world in which we live and to drive the transformations that are needed, leaving no one behind. The coronavirus pandemic has further elevated the importance of data...
The UN Secretary-General on Sunday condemned “all attacks on populated areas” in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh zone of conflict, as Armenia and Azerbaijan reportedly accused each other of violating the latest humanitarian ceasefire agreement.
On the eve of the presidential elections in Guinea, the UN Secretary-General has called on all national stakeholders to ensure that the polls are conducted in an inclusive and peaceful manner.
A surge in armed violence, coupled with the economic and social fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, are contributing to worsening conditions for children in the Central Sahel, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Friday.
New York, 17 October 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is a double crisis for the world’s poorest people.
First, they have the highest risk of exposure to the virus, and least access to quality healthcare.
Second, recent estimates show the pandemic could push up to 115 million people into poverty...
This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world.
Security CouncilHuang Xia: Encouraging progress in the Great Lakes region despite persisting challenges
Ruiz Massieu: Finding ways to curb violence is imperative to deliver on the promise of the Peace Agreement
Griffiths: Release of prisoners an “airlift of hope”
KyrgyzstanMeeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs
IraqVisit to family of late Yezidi spiritual leader
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LibyaConsultative meeting with Libyan Mayors as part of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum process
SomaliaSpecial Representative visits Baidoa Federal Government of Somalia and the UN sign new cooperation framework The Federal Government of Somalia and the UN on 15 October signed a new cooperation agreement which sets out how the country and the world body will work together over the next five years to achieve peace, stability and prosperity for all Somalis. “Since signing of the UN Strategic Framework in December 2017, Somalia has made remarkable progress in its journey towards consolidating peace and sustainable and inclusive development, with steadfast UN support,” Special Representative James Swan, said at the signing ceremony. Read more here Women, Peace and SecurityPanel discussion on inclusive mediation
PeacebuildingInterview with the Deputy Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) meeting on Sahel and UNISS
The Work of PeaceVirtual exhibit
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Contact DPPA at dppa@un.org
Authorities in Mali are being urged to act swiftly to apprehend those responsible for two separate attacks on Thursday against peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in the country, MINUSMA.
The UN’s top human rights official has called on all actors in Bolivia to remain calm and refrain from any action that could undermine the peaceful conduct of the general elections, taking place on Sunday.
Top UN officials have called on all stakeholders in Bolivia to maintain calm and commit to peaceful conduct of the general elections, taking place on Sunday.
New York, 16 october 2020
The award of this year’s Nobel Prize for Peace to the United Nations World Food Programme recognizes the right of all people to food, and our common quest to achieve zero hunger.
In a world of plenty, it is a grave affront that hundreds of millions go to bed hungry each night.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further intensified food insecurity to a...
Immense relief and comfort are forthcoming for families awaiting their loved ones as Yemen’s warring parties have begun releasing prisoners and detainees on Thursday, in what the UN envoy there called, “an airlift of hope”.
Thank you, Itonde
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Let me begin by extending my thanks to you all for joining us for this discussion.
And I want to thank the Crisis Management Initiative, the Peace Research Institute Oslo, and the Governments of Finland and Norway for their support in presenting today’s dialogue, and for our long-standing partnership in delivering the UN’s High-Level Seminar on Gender and Inclusive Mediation Strategies.
Now, we’ve made a lot of progress since Security Council resolution 1325 was adopted 20 years ago, but we all know there is much more to be done. We need innovative and practical initiatives to achieve lasting change around the world.
To this end, the UN High-Level Seminar series has become a critical tool in our efforts to secure women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes.
Since 2013, more than 250 senior envoys, mediators, negotiators, experts and civil society representatives have participated from all regions of the world, sharing experiences and challenges in advancing inclusion, and discussing practical ways to expand women’s participation.
The reasons for our specific and continuing focus on strengthening women’s participation could not be clearer.
First, making up half of humanity, women have a right to be at the table and have their voices heard.
And second, statistics show that peace agreements have a greater chance of longevity if women are at the table and their concerns are taken into account.
We have had some successes.
In Sudan, women were instrumental in the protests that led to the country’s transition to democratic governance. They must have a key role in Sudan’s future, and have this far been instrumental in ensuring gender responsive provisions in Sudan’s Constitutional Declaration.
In Colombia, activism by women’s groups during the 2012 peace talks saw women’s participation grow from one woman amongst 20 negotiators at the start of the process to women representing nearly one-third of delegates later on. Women’s participation led to the establishment of a landmark Gender Sub-Commission and to a final peace agreement regarded as an international standard for gender inclusion.
Yet, despite awareness of the importance of women’s inclusion in peacemaking, many of the challenges that women peacemakers have faced still persist.
Power politics, entrenched patriarchal attitudes and unequal social structures continue to impede women’s participation in peace processes as has shrinking civic and political space and inadequate financial support to women’s groups.
The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the persistent disconnect between women’s central role in frontline community work, brokering humanitarian access and serving as health workers, from national decision making on the response to the virus.
Bridging this gap and supporting women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peacemaking requires all of us to double our efforts.
The United Nations is committed to this objective. We must lead by example. The Secretary-General has appointed women to serve in 52 per cent of senior leadership posts in Special Political Missions, which my Department oversees.
We have strengthened our cooperation with regional women mediator networks.
And as COVID-19 has shifted much of our work online, we have supported women in navigating the transition of peacemaking efforts to digital platforms. We are also seeking to make the best use of digital capabilities to expand our outreach to women in remote and conflict-affected areas and to support the millions of young people, women and men, using the Internet to promote peace initiatives.
We also recognize that young women, who often begin and lead peace movements, face additional barriers to their political participation. This is why we have scaled up the Peacebuilding Fund’s Gender and Youth Promotion Initiative from $2.7 million in 2016 to $20.4 million in 2019.
These funds are being used for digital platforms in Libya to amplify women’s voices, and to build young women’s leadership and advocacy skills in the Caucasus and the Balkans. I welcome the presence today on the panel of such inspiring young women such as Emmily Koiti and Hajer Sharif.
In Syria, Iraq and Yemen the Special Envoys have used indirect inclusion mechanisms to overcome women’s exclusion and ensure their voices are heard. In Syria, the Women’s Advisory Board has been a springboard for women’s inclusion, with several members of the Board now serving as delegates to Syria’s Constitutional Committee.
And, of course, we need long-term strategic partnerships to both devise short-term fixes and drive long-term change. And it is in this context that our long-standing cooperation with CMI, PRIO and the Governments of Finland and Norway in delivering the UN High-Level Seminar is so important.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Realizing a world of sustainable peace requires that we all step up our efforts to harness the full potential of women in peacemaking – that we learn lessons from successful and inclusive peacemaking of yesterday and prepare for the new and emerging challenges of tomorrow.
Today’s dialogue is an important contribution to these efforts, and I look forward to an interesting discussion.
Thank you.
Enormous challenges remain on the road to lasting peace in Colombia, where despite ongoing attacks and stigmatization, the vast majority of former FARC-EP fighters who laid down their weapons under a 2016 peace agreement with the Government, remain engaged in the reintegration process, the head of the UN mission in the South American country says.
New York, 15 October 2020
Corruption is criminal, immoral and the ultimate betrayal of public trust.
It is even more damaging in times of crisis – as the world is experiencing now with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The response to the virus is creating new opportunities to exploit weak oversight and inadequate transparency, diverting funds away from people in their hour of...
The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the launch of ground-breaking discussions on Wednesday, over the disputed maritime border between Lebanon and Israel in the eastern Mediterranean, following a framework agreement between the two nations at the beginning of the month.
UN agencies in Myanmar have expressed ‘sadness’ and ‘shock’ over the killing of two boys, allegedly used as human shields by security forces in the country’s northern Rakhine province, earlier this month.
Mogadishu – On the third anniversary of the 14 October 2017 suicide bombing in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, the United Nations today paid tribute to the victims and survivors of the horrific attack and reaffirmed the world body’s solidarity with all Somalis.
“Together with Somalis, the United Nations family is focused on the future and on continuing to build on progress towards...
Even as they confront the COVID-19 pandemic, countries in Africa’s Great Lakes Region continue to improve political, security and economic cooperation in line with a 2013 Framework agreement, UN Special Envoy Huang Xia told the Security Council on Tuesday.
New York, 13 October 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought renewed attention to the importance of strengthening disaster risk reduction.
Many countries are facing multiple crises simultaneously.
We will see more of this.
Extreme weather events have risen dramatically over the past two decades.
...
