Bijlage - Kamerbrief inzake beantwoording vragen van het lid Ferrier over de inzet van de Europese Unie bij VN-viering van 10 jaar resolutie 1325
Ministerial-level open debate Security Council
On Women, Peace and Security
New York 26 October 2010
on behalf of the European Union
Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,ladies and gentlemen,
Despite 10 years of efforts, progress on protecting women in conflict situations as well as promoting their participation in peace processes, conflict prevention, peacebuilding and reconstruction has fallen short of both the commitments the international community has made and the needs on the ground.
Violence against women and girls in conflicts, and in particular sexual and gender based violence, continues to devastate the lives of many and too often perpetrators enjoy impunity, as events in eastern-DRC remind us.
The European Union is strongly committed to the full implementation of UNSCR 1325 and its follow-up resolutions. We urge all parties to intensify their efforts to reach the common goal of full implementation.
(past actions)
In 2008, the EU adopted a comprehensive approach to the implementation of resolutions 1325 and 1820,encompassing humanitarian, development, security and foreign policies measures .
In practical and operational terms:
- The EU has a range of programmes addressing the needs of women and girls in conflict-affected and post-conflict situations, such as funding medical services for survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and in less than two years it funded projects with direct impact on women, peace and security worth over 300 million euro in 67 countries.
- The EU has started using a gender marker to track gender mainstreaming in its development cooperation programmes, and has appointed gender advisors or gender focal points to all its Peace and Security missions,
The EU works closely with the United Nations and civil society to boost women’s participation in peace and security. Inspired by the UN example, EU delegations and missions organised ‘Open Door’ days to mark this 10th anniversary and to meet with local women’s groups. Last week, the EU and the African Union organised a seminar in Addis Ababa bringing EU civil society representatives to discuss these issues with African representatives and to make recommendations for joint AU-EU actions.
- The EU is now also creating the new ‘European External Action Service’: there is a firm commitment to further the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 and following resolutions in our diplomatic, defence and development efforts, as well as to strive towards a gender balance.
(future intentions)
As for renewed and measurable commitments, we are looking to:
- develop specific standard training elements to be used by EU staff and Peace and Security missions and operations, on gender and human rights in crisis management with the aim of increasing gender capacity and female civil and military participation in peace missions..
- By 2013 the EU will develop local strategies to implement SCR 1325 in its development co-operation activities in at least 60% of fragile, conflict or post-conflict countries.
- To further boost women’s participation in peace and security, in 2011 we will implement specific capacity building projects to support civil society and women’s networks in crisis affected countries.
- To report regularly on the implementation of EU's women, peace and security commitments, using the 17 EU indicators that were adopted in July 2010. These EU indicators intend to measure progress and assess gaps in implementing the EU's Comprehensive approach. The first report is in the process of being completed. This is a strong commitment towards strengthened accountability.
(Requests to the SC)
The EU thus commits to increase its own accountability.
The EU is encouraged by the SC decision to taking forward the set of indicators as developed by the Secretary-General, to track implementation of resolution 1325 in situations of armed conflict and post conflict and other situations. The EU now calls for a swift operationalisation of the indicators. The newly established “UN women” will thereby play an important role. It has our full support.
The EU also supports the other recommendations by the Secretary-General,.
the EU hopes to see in the SG’s next annual report to the Council proposals for a single comprehensive framework consisting of an agreed set of goals, targets and indicators to guide the implementation of the resolution in the next decade, including defining clear roles and responsibilities within the UN system.
The EU considers that a dedicated working group should be established to review progress in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and make recommendations to the Council on how to address gaps and challenges and accelerate progress in implementing the resolution
The EU asks the Security Council to redouble its efforts in the fight against impunity; targeted and graduated measures should be imposed against all parties to conflict responsible for grave violations of women’s rights. Perpetrators of sexual violence, including commanders who commission or condone the use of sexual violence, should be held accountable. The Council should include sexual violence as a priority element in resolutions mandating its Sanctions Committees, and these should explicitly include sexual violence as a criterion for the designation of political and military leaders for targeted measures. The EU also emphasizes the importance of rule of law in general and the strengthening of national and international judicial systems to promote women’s legal empowerment.
Finally, the EU is convinced that ownership and awareness can be strongly increased by developing National Action Plans- or other strategic instruments. The EU Member States currently have 10 action plans with two more in the pipeline.
Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your attention.
***