MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PLANNING WORKSHOP TO DEVELOP A REGIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM ON GENDER AND SECURITY (UNSCR 1325/2000)

Transcription

1 MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PLANNING WORKSHOP TO DEVELOP A REGIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM ON GENDER AND SECURITY (UNSCR 1325/2000) A. GENERAL INFORMATION AND PARTICIPANTS An experts meeting to discuss a training program on the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325/2000 (UNSCR 1325) was organized by the Gender Affairs Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Workshop Objectives Sharing information and experiences to consider for developing a training proposal for the implementation of UNSCR Identification of training needs including contents, target groups and criteria for selection of countries participating in the training program. Creation of a steering committee, with timeline and responsibilities. Identification of potential donors and funding strategies. Place and date of the workshop The workshop to discuss a training program on gender and security and the implementation of UNSCR 1325/2000 was held at the ECLAC headquarters on 13, 14 and September 15,

2 Participants The workshop was attended by various representatives of the Government of Chile: Luis Felipe Artal (Director of Peacekeeping Operations, Directorate of International Security and Human Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Belen Sapaj (Deputy Director (S), Directorate of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Jessica Maulim (Deputy Director of the National Women's Service), Claudia Tellez (Department of International Relations, National Women's Service), Wing Commander (A) Victor Cerda (CECOPAC Deputy Director, Ministry of Defense), Juan Pablo Jara and Liliana Castrillón (Department of Cooperation, treaties and international agreements, Ministry of Defense), Carolina Contreras (Gender advisor, Ministry of Defense), Catalina Vial (Directorate of International Security and Human Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs) From the United Nations system attended the Resident Coordinator for the United Nations System in Chile Gary Stahl. ECLAC was represented by Juan Gabriel Valdes, Sonia Montaño and Pamela Villalobos, who facilitated the workshop. UNFPA was represented by Upala Devi (Gender-Based Violence Advisor at UNFPA), Esteban Caballero (UNFPA Representative for Peru, Chile and Uruguay), Mariela Cortés (Liaison Officer, UNFPA Chile). Independent experts were Marcela Donadio (Executive Secretary of the Network for Security and Defense Studies in Latin America, RESDAL), Patricia Valenzuela (researcher at RESDAL), Pía Lombardo and Paz Millet (Institute of International Studies, University of Chile), Carlos Gutierrez (Director of the Center for Strategic Studies), Maria Inés Ruz (Universidad Pedro de Valdivia), Cristina Benavente, Claudia Isabel Sáez and Claudia Dides (FLACSO-Chile). B. PROGRAM The workshop included presentations on the status of the implementation of UNSCR 1325 at a global and regional level, and other relevant experiences from gender, peace and security experts, including the cases of Haiti (MINUSTAH) and Chile. The presentations were as follows: Day 1: i. Implementation of UNSCR 1325 at a global level: Upala Devi, Advisor on Gender Based Violence, UNFPA. 2

3 ii. Peacekeeping Operations and its major challenges, the case of Haiti: Juan Gabriel Valdés, CEPAL. iii. Implementation of UNSCR 1325 in Latin America: Marcela Donadio, RESDAL. Day 2: iv. Implementation of National Action Plan of UNSCR 1325 in Chile: Luis Felipe Artal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile. v. Human Security and new challenges in the implementation of UNSCR 1325: Carlos Gutiérrez, Center for Strategic Studies. C. WORKSHOP The main points of the presentations and discussions were: First session: 1. Upala Devi s presentation focused on an overview of UNSCR 1325 at a global level. Devi gave a comprehensive view of the main aspects of UNSCR 1325, starting with the importance of women s full and equal participation in peace building and the role of the resolution in the process of integrating gender perspectives into peace and security policy. She mentioned the importance of National Action Plans (NAPs) as a framework for prioritizing women, peace and security issues, as an enhancing factor for coordination among Governments and other stakeholders and its role in implementation (that includes budgets and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms) and accountability. The focus areas of Protection, Prevention, Participation and Empowerment and Promotion were also discussed. The need of indicators in the context of NAPs and the low number of countries with indicators (eight of 26 countries with NAPs) was stressed. The challenges pointed mainly to the lack of budgets allocated to the implementation of the NAPs; the absence of an inter-ministerial task force at both ministerial and technical levels; the lack of capacities of some civil society organizations working with affected populations; and the traumatic effects of those impacted by SGBV in post-conflict countries still preventing them from meaningfully engaging with and participating in the peace, recovery and rebuilding processes. 2. The discussion after the presentation focused on the NAPs. Some questions pointed to the methodology for building NAPs and the importance of involving civil society in the process of creating the plans. The need for data and the importance of having systematized cases and experiences was highlighted as well as the need of use of indicators. 3. The presentation by Juan Gabriel Valdés covered different aspects of the peace mission in Haiti, stressing that the mission is mainly political. This implies some 3

4 problems, such as the need to find a way to deal with political conflicts, and the confusion between neutrality and impartiality. Valdés discussed how the mission is an intervention with social and cultural impact. Moreover, the mission main component is military when Haiti encounters policing problems and needs; and finally the mission has also a bureaucratic aspect and coordinating difficulties which are important factors to consider. In all these aspects, women have a key role. Power relations involved in the intervention are especially relevant for the implementation of United Nations rules and protocols on sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention. 4. The debate after the intervention by Valdés focused on the importance of an improved knowledge of the local population in each mission, including its specific needs. Some commented that the mission in Haiti has been criticized as the Latin American Afghanistan as an example of the persistency of some errors (especially related to the ignorance on the specificity of the country). The implementation of UNSCR 1325 should consider in addition to post conflict situations, also the humanitarian situation after natural disasters. 5. Marcela Donadio (RESDAL) gave an overview of the current situation of the integration of women in the armed forces and focused on the importance of the political will to carry forward the process of implementation and training in this area. She suggested that the United Nations requirements for peacekeepers are not all possible to achieve in reality in the region specially for women, and that the fact is that the presence of women in peace mission is still low despite its importance for gender mainstreaming. Donadio explained how the regional context for implementing UNSCR 1325 presents some difficulties such as lack of technical capacity; no presence nor interest from Congress in these issues; insufficient coordination between Defense and Foreign Affairs sectors and between Defense and Peace operations training centers; little experience in interagency work; strong presidentialist tradition and the impact of governments changes in State priorities; insufficient gender consciousness in the areas of Defense and Foreign Affairs. 6. The importance of training was emphasized by the participants, who raised different issues: the need to incorporate case studies, the relevance of networking and gender mainstreaming, the importance of considering short and medium terms in planning, the required participation of men in gender training and the incorporation of diverse actors from the countries involved in the training program. The need of focus the debate in issues which are most relevant for the region, keeping a realistic point of view and the role of epistemic communities were also highlighted. 7. It was generally agreed that the discussion about a training curriculum on gender and security should consider education in broad terms, not only as a course before the deployment of military contingent, but as part of a process (education, training, and pre deployment training). It should aim to include a wide range of participants (civilians, military, police, diplomats, civil society and academics). 8. Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala and El Salvador were mentioned as countries interested in implementing UNSCR 1325 and developing NAPS. The selection criteria for countries participating in the training program should also consider 4

5 membership in the Peace building Commission, Security Council, and Friends of UNSCR The inclusion of representatives of Caribbean countries was also highlighted as a desirable goal. 9. Equal participation of women and men should be ensured, both for students and teachers. 10. The training curriculum basic framework should include an emphasis on prevention; various crisis contexts including natural disasters; the relationship with development; civil-military coordination; use of real experiences (case studies); gender perspective and its practical implications in peace missions. Second session: On the second day of the workshop, Luis Felipe Artal (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Carlos Gutierrez made their presentations. 11. Artal gave a general view of the process of implementing UNSCR 1325 in Chile. The discussion after the presentation focused on the difficulties of the process and on the role of UNSCR as an important tool of foreign policy. The need to follow-up and evaluate the implementation of the Plan were also discussed. The importance of the participation of civil society was stressed. The issue if Chile was an adequate candidate for hosting a training center was raised, and answered affirmatively considering the experience an disposition of Chile for carrying this matter forward. A main point in discussion was the relevance of UNSCR 1325 related to the reality of no conflicts in the region. This was discussed by the participants and at this point emerged the importance of considering all aspects (pillars) of the UNSCR 1325, and the role of prevention and protection. 12. Carlos Gutierrez proposed a wider vision of security and suggested several new scenarios of conflicts in the region: urban violence, organized crime, forced migration (due to internal conflicts and drug related conflict), trafficking in persons (in addition to the known scenarios, as post conflict situations - such as Colombia- and peace operations). He mentioned the need of stimulating the development of more NAPs, with Chile still being the only country in the region with a NAP. He also identified current challenges such as interagency coordination, accountability, indicators and knowledge generation to face gaps. In relation to training, Gutierrez noted the importance of interdisciplinary work and thus, the need to include different topics such as international law rules, gender analysis and attention to victims. 13. The discussion after his presentation raised the need for conceptual clarification about terms such as conflict and violence. Participants commented that violence in the context of UNSCR 1325 did not include all kinds of violence and therefore, it was necessary to define it more precisely for the purpose of this training program. 14. The UNSCR 1325 must be put in a broader context and should involve other issues beyond peace operations. Gender mainstreaming and the importance of female presence and participation are central to the implementation process. 5

6 15. It was agreed that the steering committee will be the entity responsible for overseeing the development of a training curriculum proposal during That proposal should include the location, substantive content, target groups and selection criteria for countries. Aminata Toure Officer-in-Charge Culture, Gender and Human Rights Branch, TSD UNFPA Sonia Montaño Director Division for Gender Affairs ECLAC 6