From conceptualization to implementation: women in peacebuilding revisited

1. Torunn L. Tryggestad From conceptualization to implementation: women in peacebuilding revisited Research ChallengesonWomen , Peace and Security, 11-12 November 2010

2. Women, Peace and Security Open debate of UN Security Council 2010: • Reinforced political commitment • Record number of statements • Record number of high level officials • Hillary Clinton: • “Women’s inclusion in the work for peace is a necessary global security imperative”

3. The UN Peacebuilding Architecture Three components: • The UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) • Inter-governmental body – 31 members (Organisational Committee) • Country configurations • Working Group on Lessons Learned • The UN Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) • Headed by Assistant Secretary-General • Supportive function to the PBC • The UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) • “seeks to minimize the risk of relapse into conflict by addressing the most immediate challenges facing post-conflict countries”

4. The UN Peacebuilding Architecture Mandate of the Peacebuilding Commission: • Provide advice on how to develop integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding • Marshal resources for post-conflict recovery activities • Improve the international community’s attention to countries in a precarious post-conflict phase • Improve coordination at the strategic level among all actors involved in peacebuilding activities

5. The UN PeacebuildingArchitecture Research findings: • Provisions of Resolution 1325 was surprisingly well integrated • Formative resolutions • Separate thematic meetings • Field missions met with women’s organisations • Language on women and women’s concerns integrated into peacebuilding strategies for first two countries on the PBC agenda (Burundi and Sierra Leone) • Gender advisor at PBSO • PBF funded women’s projects

6. The UN Peacebuilding Architecture Research findings: • The PBC Working Group on Lessons Learned: • “the integration of a gender perspective is a key principle and element of peacebuilding” • “resolution 1325 constitutes a normative framework that enjoys widespread acceptance”

7. Women and Peacebuilding – twoyearson • Secretary-General’sreportonpeacebuilding • Hardlyanymentioningofwomen • Separate reportonwomen and peacebuilding • Peacebuilding agenda? • Women’s agenda?

8. Women and Peacebuilding – The Report • Programming and budgetting: have failed to translatepoliticalcommitment and guidance material intogender sensitive projecs • Onlylowpercentageofbudgetsareallocated to women’sneeds and theadvancementofwomen • Efforts must be accelerated • Women as ’addon’ is still prominent

9. Women and Peacebuilding Five recurring priorities of peacebuilding: • Safety and security • Confidence in the political process through inclusive dialogue and elections • Access to basic services such as water and education • Functioning public administration • Economic revitalisation • Highly relevant - also for women – but not analysed and planned from gendered perspective

10. Research Challenges • Too much research conducted by women’s NGOs and advocacy groups – easy target of criticism • More field based research is needed conducted by trained researchers • Pairing of feminist researchers with mainstream (male) researchers • Fascilitate dialogue between mainstream scholars and policy makers within the peace and security field and scholars and activists within women/feminist studies • More research on the gendered dimensions of peace and conflict – also focus on men.