Monthly Action Points (MAP) for the Security Council: December 2014

Afghanistan

The Council is expected to adopt a resolution on the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) in Afghanistan which will replace ISAF. The new resolution should:

  • Fully account for gender as a cross-cutting issue across all aspects of operation.
  • Ensure women’s meaningful political participation by ensuring gender parity in negotiating teams, increasing the number of women in the High Peace Council and in the Afghan National Police, and supporting women human rights defenders.
  • Ensure the protection of civilians and accountability for civilian casualties, including by mentoring and training all Afghan National Security Forces personnel on international humanitarian and human rights law, including on women’s rights.
  • Prevent and mitigate internal displacement and ensure a gender lens is applied to the humanitarian response to IDPs.

The Council is expected to adopt a resolution on the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) in Afghanistan which will replace ISAF. The new resolution should:

  • Fully account for gender as a cross-cutting issue across all aspects of operation.
  • Ensure women’s meaningful political participation by ensuring gender parity in negotiating teams, increasing the number of women in the High Peace Council and in the Afghan National Police, and supporting women human rights defenders.
  • Ensure the protection of civilians and accountability for civilian casualties, including by mentoring and training all Afghan National Security Forces personnel on international humanitarian and human rights law, including on women’s rights.
  • Prevent and mitigate internal displacement and ensure a gender lens is applied to the humanitarian response to IDPs.

Countering Violent Extremism / Counterterrorism

In the forthcoming high-level debate on the links between countering terrorism and transnational organized crime, it is important that, as per SCR 2122 (2013), the Council mainstreams women, peace and security throughout discussions and in any outcomes. It is well established that extremist groups often engage in transnational organized crime, including trafficking of women and girls, to fuel activities, thus, any response should take this into consideration. Further, the Council should highlight the significant contribution of women to prevent and counter terrorism and specifically address how the Council will further support the work that local women-led civil society groups are doing to combat violent extremism. Strategies for combating violent extremism overlap with and reinforce peacebuilding and conflict prevention efforts. Combating extremism requires addressing pre-existing discrimination, which is often embedded in laws and social norms. The Council must encourage countries to engage with women and women’s organization in SSR and ROL reform in order to address these barriers

Democratic Republic of the Congo

In its consideration of the report on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), the Council should ensure it receives the “enhanced reporting,” requested as per SCR 2147 (2014), OP 27. Furthermore, members should:

    • Inquire into specific information on targeted attacks of any nature on women, including women human rights defenders and efforts to consult with women’s human rights organizations in all stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.
    • Reinforce that MONUSCO, in its SSR efforts, must ensure that FARDC soldiers and Congolese National Police (PNC) work to prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and are held accountable for any crimes they, themselves commit.
    • Request that all units of MONUSCO respect the WHO Safe and Ethical Guidelines for Investigating Sexual Violence and refrain from pressuring NGOs to turn over confidential survivor information.
    • Ensure that WPAs only investigate cases of conflict-related sexual violence with the consent of survivors and only after they have had access to lifesaving health care services.

In its consideration of the report on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), the Council should ensure it receives the “enhanced reporting,” requested as per SCR 2147 (2014), OP 27. Furthermore, members should:

    • Inquire into specific information on targeted attacks of any nature on women, including women human rights defenders and efforts to consult with women’s human rights organizations in all stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.
    • Reinforce that MONUSCO, in its SSR efforts, must ensure that FARDC soldiers and Congolese National Police (PNC) work to prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and are held accountable for any crimes they, themselves commit.
    • Request that all units of MONUSCO respect the WHO Safe and Ethical Guidelines for Investigating Sexual Violence and refrain from pressuring NGOs to turn over confidential survivor information.
    • Ensure that WPAs only investigate cases of conflict-related sexual violence with the consent of survivors and only after they have had access to lifesaving health care services.

Iraq

As the Security Council continues to address the situation in Iraq, Council members should hold women’s human rights central in all discussion and actions. With nearly 5,000 civilians killed and, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 900,000 persons displaced since January 2014, discussion should outline measures taken to prioritize the protection of civilians, with specific considerations for women and girls. The Council should:

  • Ensure a gender lens is being applied to assistance, and women and girls, including those displaced and those with disabilities, are consulted, by all humanitarian and protection actors.
  • Mainstream gender in all counterterrorism efforts. All actions taken to prevent and respond to terrorist threats should ensure women’s full and meaningful participation, and better address the impact of violent extremism and terrorism on women.
  • Call for consultations with women civil society leaders in order to integrate a gender lens that promotes the women, peace and security concerns. Discriminatory policies and practices must be rescinded, and institutions must be inclusive of all Iraqis, including women, in order to provide a foundation for future sustainable peace.

As the Security Council continues to address the situation in Iraq, Council members should hold women’s human rights central in all discussion and actions. With nearly 5,000 civilians killed and, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 900,000 persons displaced since January 2014, discussion should outline measures taken to prioritize the protection of civilians, with specific considerations for women and girls. The Council should:

  • Ensure a gender lens is being applied to assistance, and women and girls, including those displaced and those with disabilities, are consulted, by all humanitarian and protection actors.
  • Mainstream gender in all counterterrorism efforts. All actions taken to prevent and respond to terrorist threats should ensure women’s full and meaningful participation, and better address the impact of violent extremism and terrorism on women.
  • Call for consultations with women civil society leaders in order to integrate a gender lens that promotes the women, peace and security concerns. Discriminatory policies and practices must be rescinded, and institutions must be inclusive of all Iraqis, including women, in order to provide a foundation for future sustainable peace.

Liberia

The Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). It is essential that the Council, in the context of the security situation, forthcoming elections, and the threat of Ebola, ensure gender is incorporated in the political and security tasks at the heart of UNMIL’s mandate. In this respect, the Council should:

    • Ensure that UNMIL’s efforts to develop the capacity of Liberian institutions are gender-sensitive, including with regard to addressing SGBV and abuse. Additionally, UNMIL should ensure that women’s representation in the constitution-drafting process, the electoral system, the police, and the judiciary are prioritized.
    • Strengthen the mandate to ensure security sector reform at the national level includes women in the consultation process and further mainstreams gender throughout and promotes the role of women in police and judiciary.
    • Mainstream gender across all reintegration, post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding processes, and promote education and vocational training for women and girls associated with fighting forces in reintegration efforts. Survivors of SGBV must be given full access to post-conflict relief and recovery programs.
    • Concretely reinforce the consolidation of gains for women in the transition and drawdown process and urge Member States to provide resources to support this consolidation.
    • Ensure the work of UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) is gender-sensitive, addressing the unique social and economic impacts for women above and beyond the need for critical health systems strengthening, and collecting and utilizing sex-and-age disaggregated data.

The Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). It is essential that the Council, in the context of the security situation, forthcoming elections, and the threat of Ebola, ensure gender is incorporated in the political and security tasks at the heart of UNMIL’s mandate. In this respect, the Council should:

    • Ensure that UNMIL’s efforts to develop the capacity of Liberian institutions are gender-sensitive, including with regard to addressing SGBV and abuse. Additionally, UNMIL should ensure that women’s representation in the constitution-drafting process, the electoral system, the police, and the judiciary are prioritized.
    • Strengthen the mandate to ensure security sector reform at the national level includes women in the consultation process and further mainstreams gender throughout and promotes the role of women in police and judiciary.
    • Mainstream gender across all reintegration, post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding processes, and promote education and vocational training for women and girls associated with fighting forces in reintegration efforts. Survivors of SGBV must be given full access to post-conflict relief and recovery programs.
    • Concretely reinforce the consolidation of gains for women in the transition and drawdown process and urge Member States to provide resources to support this consolidation.
    • Ensure the work of UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) is gender-sensitive, addressing the unique social and economic impacts for women above and beyond the need for critical health systems strengthening, and collecting and utilizing sex-and-age disaggregated data.

Libya

The Council will be considering the report on the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which is being discussed in the context of the tenuous security situation, the threat posed by armed groups and illicit arms proliferation, and concern regarding instability within the government. In its discussions, the Council should:

    • Ensure women’s full and equal participation in all political processes, national dialogue, constitution-drafting, and reconstruction efforts. The government should ensure that women’s role in DDR and SSR is promoted and capacity is built to recruit and expand female participation in the police force.
    • Recognize women’s and girls’ particular protection needs and provide trainings for all security personnel to identify, respond to, and protect individuals from gender-based threats and abuses.
    • Urge accountability for ongoing crimes, and call on the Libyan authorities to protect all foreign nationals, regardless of immigration status, from violence, exploitation, threats, and abuses, ensuring that all detainees are treated humanely, receive necessary medical treatment and are protected from torture and other violations, including SGBV.
    • Call on the Libyan Government to take adequate legal measures to protect survivors of SGBV and prosecute perpetrators.

The Council will be considering the report on the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which is being discussed in the context of the tenuous security situation, the threat posed by armed groups and illicit arms proliferation, and concern regarding instability within the government. In its discussions, the Council should:

    • Ensure women’s full and equal participation in all political processes, national dialogue, constitution-drafting, and reconstruction efforts. The government should ensure that women’s role in DDR and SSR is promoted and capacity is built to recruit and expand female participation in the police force.
    • Recognize women’s and girls’ particular protection needs and provide trainings for all security personnel to identify, respond to, and protect individuals from gender-based threats and abuses.
    • Urge accountability for ongoing crimes, and call on the Libyan authorities to protect all foreign nationals, regardless of immigration status, from violence, exploitation, threats, and abuses, ensuring that all detainees are treated humanely, receive necessary medical treatment and are protected from torture and other violations, including SGBV.
    • Call on the Libyan Government to take adequate legal measures to protect survivors of SGBV and prosecute perpetrators.

Mali

In its consideration of the report on the UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the Council should:

  • Ensure that the report discusses all relevant provisions related to women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution efforts; as well as protection for women’s rights and efforts to combat human rights violations (SCR 2100, OPs 16, 25).
  • Discuss gender as a cross-cutting issue, as articulated in SCR 2100 (OP 25), which is necessary for the successful implementation of MINUSMA’s entire mandate and essential for eventual peace and stability within Mali.
  • Include gender-specific benchmarks and analysis, as per SCR 1889 (OP 9), in its efforts to track and measure progress in Mali, and further ensure that women’s empowerment is factored into funding disbursement and post-conflict activities.
  • Support early action to stop the spread of Ebola, ensuring that public health messages and care reach women and girls.

In its consideration of the report on the UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the Council should:

  • Ensure that the report discusses all relevant provisions related to women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution efforts; as well as protection for women’s rights and efforts to combat human rights violations (SCR 2100, OPs 16, 25).
  • Discuss gender as a cross-cutting issue, as articulated in SCR 2100 (OP 25), which is necessary for the successful implementation of MINUSMA’s entire mandate and essential for eventual peace and stability within Mali.
  • Include gender-specific benchmarks and analysis, as per SCR 1889 (OP 9), in its efforts to track and measure progress in Mali, and further ensure that women’s empowerment is factored into funding disbursement and post-conflict activities.
  • Support early action to stop the spread of Ebola, ensuring that public health messages and care reach women and girls.

Peacekeeping

Security Council discussions on cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations in the context of peacekeeping, should build on SCR 2167 (2014), specifically OP 15. All regional and sub-regional organizations should fully implement the women, peace and security agenda by deploying both Senior Gender Advisers and Women Protection Advisers. Further, there should be an emphasis on women’s empowerment and participation in protection strategies and women, peace and security should be a cross- cutting issue in all mission mandates.

Security Council discussions on cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations in the context of peacekeeping, should build on SCR 2167 (2014), specifically OP 15. All regional and sub-regional organizations should fully implement the women, peace and security agenda by deploying both Senior Gender Advisers and Women Protection Advisers. Further, there should be an emphasis on women’s empowerment and participation in protection strategies and women, peace and security should be a cross- cutting issue in all mission mandates.

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), 1960 (OPs 6, 13), 2106 (OPs 5, 6), and 2122 (OP 2(d)). Member States should inquire about any lack of such reporting