Central African Republic
The Council is expected to receive a report on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA). The situation in CAR continues to be serious, with shifting areas of conflict and displacement within the country. The conflict has displaced almost a quarter of the population and human rights violations and abuses reported may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. With civilians bearing the brunt of the conflict, the Council should insist that MINUSCA is given all possible support to facilitate the protection of civilians, including through gender-sensitive humanitarian assistance. They must ensure MINUSCA-troops are better prepared and trained and ensure human rights officers, gender advisors and experts, and Women Protection Advisers are fully deployed. Medical and psychosocial services must be made available and accessible as per SCR 2127 (2013), especially to those displaced including gender-specific services for women. The Council must insist on accountability for atrocities committed by all armed groups and security forces operating in the country and reinforce efforts to ensure justice systems are re-established, with investigations and prosecutions conducted according to international standards. The Council also must support women’s participation in electoral processes and reconciliation processes, including national dialogues and transitional justice.
Conflict Prevention & Resolution
Conflict prevention efforts must be gender-sensitive and combine short-term and long-term approaches that address the root causes of conflict. This must be accomplished in part by addressing systemic and structural discrimination and inequality, which is often at the heart of grievances driving conflict. In line with the recommendations included in the report of the Secretary-General on small arms and light weapons (S/2015/298), the Council should ensure policy responses recognize the gendered nature of armed violence. This recognition must include analysis of the male social roles that often shape conflict and armed violence and the structural subordination of women and girls. Neglecting to consider some of the key root causes of armed violence, and its various impacts on girls, boys, women, and men, will result in incomplete and unsuccessful policies. Across every agenda item, the Security Council should ensure it’s receiving information that considers gender dynamics in all reports and briefings, particularly in any assessment of potential changes or modifications to the mandate of a mission, in line with SCR 2122 (OP 4). Further, in accordance with SCRs 2171 (OPs 18, 19) and 2122 (OP 2(c), 7), the Council should support an increase in women’s participation in all efforts to prevent and resolve conflict; including by supporting women’s civil society organizations’ participation in the planning, design and implementation of conflict prevention policies and programs.
Haiti
As the Council considers a report on the UN mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) it is vital for the Council to call for women’s full and equal engagement in building Haiti’s future. This is particularly important in view of increasing threats and harassment against women-led civil society organizations, particularly against those calling for justice for sexual and gender-based violence. Options for reconfiguration of MINUSTAH must detail the ways in which gender will be mainstreamed and how women’s participation and protection will be at the core of the mission’s mandate. In this respect, in its discussion of the report and any future action, the Council should:
- Call on MINUSTAH to take steps to provide and coordinate substantive legal and sensitivity trainings for police officers, prosecutors, judges and other relevant Government officials who may interact with survivors of gender-based violence, including violence motivated by gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Ensure the availability of gender-sensitive assistance services for survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by UN Peacekeepers, including the establishment of transparent, survivor-centered and readily accessible mechanisms to hear claims for remedies from survivors of SEA;
- Call for remedies for victims of cholera, including compensation in accordance with Res. 52/247 and work with the Haitian Government to establish a standing claims commission in accordance with the UN-Haiti SOFA to provide fair, impartial and transparent adjudication of cholera victims’ claims.
As the Council considers a report on the UN mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) it is vital for the Council to call for women’s full and equal engagement in building Haiti’s future. This is particularly important in view of increasing threats and harassment against women-led civil society organizations, particularly against those calling for justice for sexual and gender-based violence. Options for reconfiguration of MINUSTAH must detail the ways in which gender will be mainstreamed and how women’s participation and protection will be at the core of the mission’s mandate. In this respect, in its discussion of the report and any future action, the Council should:
- Call on MINUSTAH to take steps to provide and coordinate substantive legal and sensitivity trainings for police officers, prosecutors, judges and other relevant Government officials who may interact with survivors of gender-based violence, including violence motivated by gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Ensure the availability of gender-sensitive assistance services for survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by UN Peacekeepers, including the establishment of transparent, survivor-centered and readily accessible mechanisms to hear claims for remedies from survivors of SEA;
- Call for remedies for victims of cholera, including compensation in accordance with Res. 52/247 and work with the Haitian Government to establish a standing claims commission in accordance with the UN-Haiti SOFA to provide fair, impartial and transparent adjudication of cholera victims’ claims.
Lebanon
In its renewal of the mandate of the UN mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Council should consider the role of the mission in addressing the spill-over effects of Syria’s intensifying conflict on Lebanese civilians by evaluating the provision of humanitarian services to Syrian refugees and by ensuring that gender issues are integrated in all response activities. This includes providing gender specific services, including reproductive and psychosocial support. 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 all aspects of conflict resolution processes.
Liberia
The Council is expected to consider a final report on the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). In the context of the security situation, forthcoming elections, and the continuing risk of an Ebola outbreak, it is essential that the Council ensures gender is incorporated in the reporting on the drawdown of the mission. In this respect, the Council should:
- Ensure that UNMIL’s efforts to develop the capacity of Liberian institutions are gender-sensitive, including addressing SGBV and SEA. Additionally, UNMIL, in order to fully implement resolution 1325 (2000), should ensure the prioritization of women’s representation and participation at all levels in the constitution-drafting process, the electoral system, the security sector and the judiciary;
- Ensure that gender is being mainstreamed across all reintegration, post-conflict recovery, and peacebuilding processes, including promoting education and vocational training for women and girls associated with armed groups in reintegration efforts. Survivors of SGBV must, additionally, be given full access to post-conflict relief and recovery programs;
- Reinforce in its discussion the consolidation of gains for women in the transition and drawdown process and urge Member States to provide resources to support this consolidation;
- Inquire as to efforts by the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) to ensure their work is gender-sensitive, addressing the unique social and economic impacts for women in addition to the need to strengthen critical health systems, and collect and utilize sex-and-age disaggregated data.
The Council is expected to consider a final report on the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). In the context of the security situation, forthcoming elections, and the continuing risk of an Ebola outbreak, it is essential that the Council ensures gender is incorporated in the reporting on the drawdown of the mission. In this respect, the Council should:
- Ensure that UNMIL’s efforts to develop the capacity of Liberian institutions are gender-sensitive, including addressing SGBV and SEA. Additionally, UNMIL, in order to fully implement resolution 1325 (2000), should ensure the prioritization of women’s representation and participation at all levels in the constitution-drafting process, the electoral system, the security sector and the judiciary;
- Ensure that gender is being mainstreamed across all reintegration, post-conflict recovery, and peacebuilding processes, including promoting education and vocational training for women and girls associated with armed groups in reintegration efforts. Survivors of SGBV must, additionally, be given full access to post-conflict relief and recovery programs;
- Reinforce in its discussion the consolidation of gains for women in the transition and drawdown process and urge Member States to provide resources to support this consolidation;
- Inquire as to efforts by the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) to ensure their work is gender-sensitive, addressing the unique social and economic impacts for women in addition to the need to strengthen critical health systems, and collect and utilize sex-and-age disaggregated data.
Central African Region
The Security Council should request the Secretary-General ensure the inclusion of gender as a cross-cutting issue in the mandate of UNOCA. Further, Council members should ensure the mission has the capacity needed to carry out its mandate, including monitoring and analyzing gender trends and supporting local civil society organizations.
In its regular work across all agenda items, the Security 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), 1960 (OPs 6, 13), 2106 (OPs 5, 6), and 2122 (OP 2(d)). Member States should inquire about any lack of such reporting.