Women, Peace & Security
What is the Women, Peace and Security agenda?
Sustainable peace requires the meaningful participation of all concerned persons and groups, especially of those who are worst affected by violence. Women and girls experience war, conflicts and peace processes differently than men and boys because inequalities prevail and their roles in society have been constructed differently. The United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and subsequent resolutions (e.g. UNSCR 1820) acknowledge the particular impact of conflict on women and girls and their vital role on the way to a long lasting peace. Yet, progress on UNSCR 1325 implementation has been slow and inconsistent. Meaningful participation of civil society organizations, women’s groups and affected women and girls as well as accountability of decision-makers are insufficient. CAREs experience shows that – especially in conflict affected regions – even changing political frameworks mostly fail to achieve social transformation and gender equality. The statistics emphasize the demand for action.
Why is the UNSCR 1325 important?
A peace process that includes women is more likely to be sustainable:
- The inclusion of women during peace processes increases the probability of an agreement to last at least 15 years by 35%.(***)
- The inclusion of the civil society (like women groups) makes a peace agreement 64 per cent less likely to fail.(***)
Women are underrepresented in peace negotiations:
- Over the last 25 years, only 1 in 40 peace treaty signatories have been women.(*)
- An analysis of 1,187 peace agreements (1990-2017) has shown that only(***)
- five per cent mentioned Gender Based Violence
- 19 per cent included references to women.
- The peace processes between 1990 and 2017 have shown that only(***)
- two per cent were mediators
- five per cent were witnesses and signatories
- eight per cent were negotiator
- two women have ever held the position as chief negotiator.
Women suffer disproportionately from atrocities of wartime:
- During the three month genocide in Rwanda in 1994 between 100.000 and 250.000 women were raped(**)
- Estimated 200.000 women and girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo suffered from sexualized violence and rape since 1998.(**)
- Around 51% of households in Uganda’s refugee settlements are female headed.(****)
References
(*) Beyond 2015 for Women, Peace and Security. CARE International. (2015). (Recent access 30.01.2018)
(**) Background Information on Sexual Violence used as a Tool of War. United Nations. (Recent access 01.02.2018)
(***) Women’s Participation in Peace Processes. Council on Foreign Relations. (2018).(Recent access 30.01.2018)
(****) UNHCR Uganda. SGBV Fact Sheet. Southwest Uganda. 2014. (Recent Access 13.02.2018)
Further Articles
From Resolution to Reality. CARE International. (Recent access 31.01.2018)
Facts and Figures: Peace and Security. UN Women. (Recent access 30.01.2018)
Syrien: was nun? UN-Resolution 1325 zu Frauen, Frieden und Sicherheit wird 15. (2015). (Recent access 31.01.2018)
