Monthly Action Points (MAP) for the Security Council: August 2012

Bosnia & Herzegovina

The Council is expected to discuss the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), specifically the EUFOR/NATO report. Over the past 15 years, little progress has been made in domestic courts in BiH in the prosecution of those responsible for torture during the war, particularly for acts involving sexual violence. Despite some recent efforts, impunity still prevails and the majority of those responsible have not been brought to justice. In its expected discussions on the situation in BiH, the Security Council is urged to identify further measures to advance justice for survivors of sexual violence. These measures include establishing the number of survivors of war crimes of sexual violence; ensuring that the definition of war crimes of sexual violence in the BiH Criminal Code is consistent with the definition of such crimes in jurisprudence of international courts and in international standards; and greater protection and support to witnesses at the State Court.

Haiti

In its discussions regarding the forthcoming report on the UN mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), the Security Council should ensure the report includes information on the following:

  • Information, trends, and analysis on women’s participation in political, economic, and security policy in Haiti, including legislative and judicial reform efforts in the country;
  • Access to services for survivors of gender-based violence, and an assessment of how to improve gaps in services and information about these services;
  • Assessment of proper follow-up when cases of gender-based violence are identified;
  • Assessment of the efficacy of patrols and identify ways to improve security for women and girls in the camps, including consultation with women and girls living in the camps; and
  • Updates and assessment of the DPKO Guidelines for Integrating a Gender Perspective into the Work of United Nations Military in Peacekeeping Operations and monitor implementation across all forces in the mission.

In its discussions regarding the forthcoming report on the UN mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), the Security Council should ensure the report includes information on the following:

  • Information, trends, and analysis on women’s participation in political, economic, and security policy in Haiti, including legislative and judicial reform efforts in the country;
  • Access to services for survivors of gender-based violence, and an assessment of how to improve gaps in services and information about these services;
  • Assessment of proper follow-up when cases of gender-based violence are identified;
  • Assessment of the efficacy of patrols and identify ways to improve security for women and girls in the camps, including consultation with women and girls living in the camps; and
  • Updates and assessment of the DPKO Guidelines for Integrating a Gender Perspective into the Work of United Nations Military in Peacekeeping Operations and monitor implementation across all forces in the mission.

Lebanon

In its renewal of the mandate of the UN mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Council should address the role of the mission in addressing the spill-over effects of Syria’s intensifying conflict on Lebanese civilians, and the issue of cluster bombs and other ordnance which continue to pose dangers to Lebanese civilians, particularly women and girls. The Council should also ensure that peacekeepers, national forces, and police receive comprehensive gender-specific awareness training. UNIFIL’s mandate should support women’s involvement at all stages of peace processes in the region, including in upcoming meetings of decision-makers and undertake capacity-building for civil society organizations to engage in national level dialogues.

Central African Region

In its renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), the Council should ensure that the rights and concerns of women are addressed across all sectors of UNOCA’s focus, including in particular efforts to strengthen mediation, early warning and conflict prevention, and justice and security sector reform efforts regionally. In addition, UNOCA should work with regional and national actors to strengthen human rights institutions and the justice system in order to ensure perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses receive justice, and further, that effective measures to prevent such abuses, such as those seen in Angola, the DRC, and Burundi, are adopted and fully implemented. Specific areas for the Security Council to address include:

  • Continue to express concern about human rights violations, including violations of women’s rights; raising specific cases where appropriate, and urging authorities to take effective action to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent further violations;
  • Call on respective governments to publish any outstanding reports of commissions of inquiry, including the inquiry on the September 2011 Gatumba attack;
  • Provide support to the respective justice systems to strengthen capacity and access to justice; and
  • Ensure that support provided to military or police, whether in the form of technical assistance or training, includes a strong human rights training component with practical as well as theoretical application, and a strong gender component

In its renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), the Council should ensure that the rights and concerns of women are addressed across all sectors of UNOCA’s focus, including in particular efforts to strengthen mediation, early warning and conflict prevention, and justice and security sector reform efforts regionally. In addition, UNOCA should work with regional and national actors to strengthen human rights institutions and the justice system in order to ensure perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses receive justice, and further, that effective measures to prevent such abuses, such as those seen in Angola, the DRC, and Burundi, are adopted and fully implemented. Specific areas for the Security Council to address include:

  • Continue to express concern about human rights violations, including violations of women’s rights; raising specific cases where appropriate, and urging authorities to take effective action to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent further violations;
  • Call on respective governments to publish any outstanding reports of commissions of inquiry, including the inquiry on the September 2011 Gatumba attack;
  • Provide support to the respective justice systems to strengthen capacity and access to justice; and
  • Ensure that support provided to military or police, whether in the form of technical assistance or training, includes a strong human rights training component with practical as well as theoretical application, and a strong gender component

Middle East

In its discussions regarding the situation in the Middle East, including Palestine, the Council should urge national authorities to: respect human rights, particularly the rights of women; bring to justice perpetrators suspected of crimes; and take necessary measures to secure the participation of women in political and electoral processes, as well as peace processes.

South Sudan / Sudan

In its discussions regarding the report of the Secretary-General on Sudan and South Sudan, the Security Council should sustain pressure on both parties to the conflict, and in particular the government of Sudan, to stop all aerial bombings and other indiscriminate attacks on the civilian population in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The Sudanese government should immediately allow for independent and unimpeded humanitarian assistance to people in need in those areas, as the deadline given by resolution 2046 (2012) ends on 2 August. The Council should once more demand for all parties “to promote and protect human rights, including those of women and people belonging to vulnerable groups, to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian and international human rights law”, and continue calling for those responsible for “serious violations of such law, including sexual violence, to be held accountable.” The Security Council will be ready to adopt ‘additional measures’ as announced in resolution 2046 (2012) if progress in at least those two areas is not confirmed, and support the establishment of an independent inquiry into the alleged violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile since June 2011, including any allegations of violence against women. The dire situation of refugees and internally displaced persons, in particular women and girls from the conflict affected areas should be addressed as a matter of urgency. The Council should:

  • Support the development of Special Protection Units within the South Sudanese Police to provide protection for women and girls;
  • Encourage coordination within the international community for effective training of the South Sudanese Police on WPS issues; and
  • Call for increased international support for GBV programming

In its discussions regarding the report of the Secretary-General on Sudan and South Sudan, the Security Council should sustain pressure on both parties to the conflict, and in particular the government of Sudan, to stop all aerial bombings and other indiscriminate attacks on the civilian population in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The Sudanese government should immediately allow for independent and unimpeded humanitarian assistance to people in need in those areas, as the deadline given by resolution 2046 (2012) ends on 2 August. The Council should once more demand for all parties “to promote and protect human rights, including those of women and people belonging to vulnerable groups, to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian and international human rights law”, and continue calling for those responsible for “serious violations of such law, including sexual violence, to be held accountable.” The Security Council will be ready to adopt ‘additional measures’ as announced in resolution 2046 (2012) if progress in at least those two areas is not confirmed, and support the establishment of an independent inquiry into the alleged violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile since June 2011, including any allegations of violence against women. The dire situation of refugees and internally displaced persons, in particular women and girls from the conflict affected areas should be addressed as a matter of urgency. The Council should:

  • Support the development of Special Protection Units within the South Sudanese Police to provide protection for women and girls;
  • Encourage coordination within the international community for effective training of the South Sudanese Police on WPS issues; and
  • Call for increased international support for GBV programming

In its regular work, the Council should ensure that all country reports and mandate renewals evaluate the level of protection and promotion of women’s human rights, as per SCRs 1325, 1820 (OP 9), 1888 (OP 11), 1889 (OP 5) and 1960 (OP 6, 13). Member States should inquire about any lack of such reporting.