The power of women peacebuilders

2020 marks two decades since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, which places women’s participation at the centre of conflict prevention and resolution. It’s a simple idea, to include both halves of any society, country or region in keeping people safe. Yet the reality is that we still live in a world that tolerates and excuses women’s continued exclusion from peace and political processes and institutions.

Anniversaries provide opportunities to take stock and address barriers to progress, as well as to reflect on successes. In a report released this month on global progress in women and peace and security, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres did not mince his words: “Women from diverse settings, including Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Libya, South Sudan, the Sudan and Yemen have faced and continue to face steep obstacles, direct resistance and great personal risks in their efforts to ensure their participation in processes pertaining to the future of their countries,” he wrote. “We must recognize that, too frequently, we fall short of our ambitions. Collectively, the United Nations, Member States, regional organizations and other actors supporting peace processes are not on track to attain sufficient concrete progress in the area of the women and peace and security agenda by 2020.”

In Sudan, women have been doing difficult, dangerous and important work at the forefront of recent anti-government protests. They have faced targeted, systematic harassment and sexual violence as a result. Nonetheless, the protests they led have grown to become some of the biggest in decades. A prominent leader of change in Sudan, Alaa Salah, addressed the UN Security Council at its annual Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security on 29th October. The demands of women like Alaa, for women’s rights and meaningful participation in the negotiations and decisions that will determine the future of their countries, must not only be heard, but heeded. The good news is that, although women’s absence from peace tables is still commonplace, it no longer goes unnoticed. What we need now is for governments to follow through with political will and concerted action.

This must include working with younger women, in particular adolescent girls, who often face greater risks of sexual and gender-based violence and trafficking in conflict and humanitarian emergencies, yet show enormous capabilities for leadership and resilience. It is vital that their efforts are supported and elevated – and that they are included in peacebuilding efforts and decision-making processes.

The 2016 peace accord in Colombia is a landmark agreement between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Despite the great efforts being made to implement it, recent analysis shows that around half of the 130 gender-related provisions in the agreement have not been initiated, and that gender provisions are being implemented at a slower rate than the rest.

As Charo Mina-Rojas, an advocate for justice and equality for Colombia’s Afro-descendent people, explains: “The space that has been left vacant by rebel groups since the peace agreement was signed, is being seized by other armed groups, forcing people to flee their homes,” she says. “Sexual violence, kidnappings and torture are being used as political weapons, and affecting younger women and girls, more now than in the past.” In the first half of this year, 447 threats, 20 homicides and 13 homicide attempts against women leaders, human rights defenders and peacebuilders were recorded. Afro-descendent Columbian women are particularly vulnerable.

Sufficient funding is also sorely needed in order to support the girls and women at the centre of conflict and peace efforts: Currently, across the planet, 35 million women, young women and girls are in need of life-saving sexual and reproductive health services. But funds allocated to gender-based violence in emergencies amount to just 0.12% of funding allocated for humanitarian response. In the 2016-17 period, just 0.2% of total bilateral aid to fragile and conflict-affected situations went directly to women’s organizations. Together, not even one per cent!

As we approach the pivotal year 2020, we can and must do better. As the Secretary General writes: “Bold and urgent action is needed to ensure that next year’s twentieth anniversary of the women and peace and security agenda gives rise to concrete commitments and impactful action rather than empty rhetoric.”

Around the world, women are overcoming great obstacles and putting themselves in danger to create better, more peaceful societies for all. We draw energy from the strength and determination of these women. We must not fail them.

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