NIWEP AGM 12 September 2006

Report on 1325

Wilton Park Conference May/June 2006: Peace and Security: Implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325

The 816^th Wilton Park Conference was held on Peace and Security: Implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in cooperation with the UK’s Global Conflict Prevention Pool - Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO); Department for International Development (DFID); Ministry of Defence; the Canadian International Development Agency; the Commonwealth Secretariat; and Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS).

The Keynote Speakers were Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia and Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Former President of the UN Security Council and currently UN Under-Secretary General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.  Other speakers came from the Commonwealth Secretariat, the UK Permanent Representation to the UN, other UN Agencies and NGOs.

Participants came from across the world – Africa, Europe, Australia, United States & Canada, Asia, the Pacific Region and Latin America.  Many were from UN and other international agencies; others from countries affected by conflict.

The conference followed a number of themes through plenary roundtable sessions and working groups.  The plenary sessions covered:

·             An overview of implementation to date and highlighting constraints and challenges and identifying obstacles;

·             International, inter-governmental and regional organisation roles, mandates and co-ordination; 

·             The responsibility of states and the international community to address gender-based violence and what more can be done to improve protection;

·             Putting policy into practice on the ground, looking at specific examples of gender inclusion in disarmament, demobilisation, re-integration, peace-building and post-conflict construction;

·             Justice and accountability which considered the role of tribunals and truth and reconciliation processes as well as restorative and distributive justice post-conflict.

Workshops looked at:

·             Mechanisms for implementing 1325 including resources;

·             Accountability gaps in peace-keeping and military operations;

·             Gaps in women’s participation in peace processes;

·             Afghanistan;

·             Monitoring and evaluation.

Workshop reports and recommendations were made to the plenary and Elizabeth Rehn, Former Minister of Defence, Former UN Under Secretary-General, Former UNIFEM Independent Expert gave the final address.

There was extensive discussion in sessions whether plenary or workshop; much too much to encapsulate quickly into resolutions/recommendations.  A fuller transcript of the issues discussed at the Wilton Park conference will be available.

Informal sessions were also useful.  Of particular note for NIWEP were contacts with Joan Link of the FCO and the UK Mission to the UN.

Associate Parliamentary Group on Women, Peace and Security (UN SCR 1325)

On 20 June Joan Ruddock MP chaired the inaugural meeting and AGM of the new Associated Parliamentary Group (APG) on 1325.  Five MPs and twelve Members of the House of Lords either attended or were represented by their staff (2).  There were 2 FCO representatives, 3 from the MOD and 1 from DFID.  Eleven NGOs were present e.g. GAPS, Womankind, UNIFEM UK/Soroptomists, WILPF, Widonws ofr Peace and Security, National Council of Women, Women and Equality Unit, Hope Medical Enterprises, Amnesty International,

The meeting was opened by Joan Ruddock.  Zarin Hainsworth from GAPS gave a presentation on NGO activity on 1325, spoke about GAPs’ satisfaction in working with the FCO on the UK’s action plan for the implementation of 1325 and said that there was potential with the new Post Conflict Reconstruction Unit in DfID to work on mainstreaming 1325 and gender training.

Joan Link from the FCO said that the establishment of a Parliamentary Group was a great idea and she hoped it would act to make 1325 more operational. She said that UK efforts had focused on raising awareness of the role women can play in conflict management, peace building and reconstruction and referred to UK work in the UN system.  The imbalance between implementation of 1325 in the UN and in member states was recognised in 2004.  Joan indicated that the UK Action Plan on 1325 created a common agenda across government, based on a modest plan focusing on practical aspects of implementation.  The three key departments are the FCO, MOD and DfID who, according to Joan, are talking to the other departments and devolved administrations.  

Joan gave some examples of the government’s work around 1325 including supporting mainstreaming in international organisations, raising awareness, supporting women’s participation in political processes (including in Iraq and Afghanistan), work in the justice sector such as police and judicial training, and in helping women to be heard in peace negotiations.  The MOD is also going to undertake an audit of gender training for military personnel who are deployed overseas.  Joan explained that the UK Action Plan had been discussed widely with NGOs and that civil society has a large role to play.  She hoped the APG would help facilitate dialogue, share ideas, and encourage but also monitor the government’s performance on 1325.

DfID has been doing a lot of mainstreaming work and Jeremy Stickings told the group that work was underway on a new conflict policy and that 1325 would be fully reflected in it.  The Africa and Global Prevention Pools between the FCO, MOD and DfID has been funding specific gender work in various countries, including the DRC, Liberia and Kosovo.  DfID is also looking at how the work of gender advisers can be made more effective.  The Department also funds UNIFEM.

In discussion the following issues were identified: Mainstreaming 1325 in the MOD, DFID Conflict Resolution Team, a Newsletter, audit of MOD training, gender training and standards of training, protecting women’s interests in reconstruction, Iraq and Afghanistan, influencing foreign policy on fragile states and countries in transition, linking with work around UN reform and particularly the new Peacebuilding Commission, a list of where achievements are being made but 1325 is ignored.

The meeting ended with electing officers, with attention to making the officer board cross-party.  Joan Ruddock was elected as Chair unopposed.  Anne Milton MP, Jenny Tonge and Pola Uddin were elected unopposed to the position of Vice-Chairs.  Anne Gibson was elected unopposed as Treasurer and Sandra Osborne MP was elected unopposed to the position of Secretary.

Joan Ruddock suggested that the best way forward would be for a working group to be formed.  This would include the officers of the group, representatives from Departments and representatives from the NGOs.  They would work through the suggestions that came out of the meeting, agree priorities and commission work between meetings of the full group.  She asked that people contribute focused ideas and information through Susan Adams (adamss@parliament.uk).  Zarin Hainsworth mentioned that the coordinator of GAPS could assist in coordinating the APG.