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	Women are increasingly at-risk in conflict and underrepresented in peace processes by UN Women, agencies   Sima Bahous, UN Women Executive Director:   "It is an honour to present the Secretary-General’s annual report on women, peace and security to the UN Security Council. I do so with anguish at the price being paid by women and girls for the alarming spread of conflict, the continued growth of military budgets, and the rise of authoritarianism.   I do so knowing too well that, while horrors and cruelties are being visited on humanity, women and girls remain largely excluded from the ability to make decisions, whether about war and peace, the future of their countries, or even about their own bodies".   "And I do so still hopeful and determined, because the global women’s rights movement is never deterred by setbacks, because it only gains adherents and courage with each injustice, and because it remains the largest and most reliable constituency for peace".   "We meet at a time when the impacts of conflict on women and girls have never been more stark, nor the price we collectively pay through spurning women’s leadership more obvious, as millions upon millions suffer the consequences of the wars of men".   More than 600 million women and girls lived in conflict-affected countries in 2022, a 50 per cent increase since 2017. Civilians around the world need greater humanitarian aid than ever before—but countries are instead increasing military spending, which topped USD $2.2 trillion in 2022.   That is the picture painted by the new UN Secretary-General report on women, peace, and security, issued annually coinciding with the UN Security Council Open Debate titled; “Women’s participation in international peace and security: from theory to practice”.   “These negative trends are setting back both gender equality and global peace”, said Sima Bahous. “However, this dire picture is not inevitable. We can reverse it by investing in women’s organizations in crisis settings, increasing the meaningful participation of women in mediation and peace processes, promoting parity in political and electoral processes, and using accountability tools to strengthen the protection of women in conflict-affected countries.”   Events of political violence targeting women increased by 50 percent in conflict-affected countries between 2020 and 2022, with a decline in several countries for women to participate in decision-making on peace and security.   A key recommendation presented in the report is for at least one-third of all participants in mediation and peace processes to be women, but the reality shows that women remain sidelined from the main negotiations.   While women participated in 80 per cent of UN-led or co-led peace processes, their actual numbers remained low, at only about 16 per cent of total participants—a proportion that has decreased for two years in a row.   Women were almost completely absent from many other peace processes and political talks on situations on the agenda of the Security Council, including in Ethiopia, Kosovo, Sudan, Myanmar, and Libya.   Importantly, the report provides examples of what works, particularly at the local level where women led successful crossline negotiations to secure access to water and humanitarian aid, brokered the release of political prisoners, prevented and resolved tribal conflicts, and mediated local ceasefires and the halt to violations against civilians. These examples must be replicated at the national level.   We should acknowledge that women’s participation in peacekeeping has increased. This last year, peace operations set up mobile courts to convict perpetrators of gender-based violence in conflict-affected settings, deployed female engagement teams to learn about the situation of women and girls in the most remote areas, helped release and rehabilitate hundreds of women and girls abducted by armed groups, included women in many local peace initiatives, and relocated women human rights defenders. Such examples should inspire us.   We need women’s leadership now. Yet, in conflict-affected countries, only 23 per cent of parliamentarians and 20 per cent of ministers are women. We can increase these numbers with quotas and by tackling political violence against women and gender-based hate speech, both of which are on the rise.   We need women to be safe. The growing number of reparations for survivors of sexual violence and the emerging recognition of gender persecution in national and international courts are positive steps. Yet the thousands of human rights violations, reported in UN documents annually, still vastly outnumber the successful cases of gender justice.   Around the world and across its crises and conflicts, women continue to risk their lives. They are caring for those around them, trying to carry their families, communities, and nations to peace. We can no longer fail to offer them our support.   * Full briefing by Ms. Sima Bahous, UN Women Executive Director, to the UN Security Council annual open debate on women, peace and security, UN Headquarters, 25 October 2023:   http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/speech/2023/10/speech-a-call-for-urgent-transformative-action-executive-director-briefing-to-un-security-council-open-debate-on-women-peace-and-security http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2023/11/international-community-must-walk-talk-safety-and-security-women-and-girls-times http://www.care.org/news-and-stories/news/care-us-on-international-day-of-human-solidarity/ http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/op-ed/2024/03/op-ed-how-conflict-drives-hunger-for-women-and-girls http://www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/statement/srsg-pattens-opening-remarks-at-the-international-conference-of-prosecutors-on-accountability-for-conflict-related-sexual-violence-the-hague-26-march-2024/   Oct. 2023   Report of the United Nations Secretary-General on women and peace and security:   Nearly a quarter of a century after the adoption by the UN Security Council of its resolution 1325 (2000), women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in building peace should be the norm, not an aspiration or an afterthought, but the data show that this is far from being a reality.   In peace processes, negotiating parties continue to regularly exclude women, and impunity for atrocities against women and girls is still prevalent.   Women continue to face entrenched barriers to direct participation in peace and political processes, and women’s organizations struggle to find resources, while military spending continues to grow every year.   This remains the case even though there is ample evidence that women’s participation contributes to more robust democracies and longer-lasting peace.   A growing share of the world’s population lives under autocratic rule, after many years of democratic backsliding. Misogyny is a common thread in the rise of authoritarianism and in the spread of conflict and violent extremism.   The number of people in need of humanitarian aid increased by 25 per cent over the past year, and the world is undergoing the largest global food crisis in modern history.   Much of this increase is driven by nearly 200 armed conflicts and situations of organized violence, as well as by the climate crisis and the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.   In this difficult context, the number of women and girls living in conflict affected countries reached 614 million in 2022, 50 per cent higher than the number in 2017.   In early 2022, the number of people forced to flee war, violence and persecution surpassed 100 million, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that 117.2 million people will be forcibly displaced or stateless by the end of 2023.   As these negative trends turn back the clock on women’s rights, they also turn back the clock of history, setting back both gender equality and global peace.   When fighting broke out in the Sudan in April 2023, widespread sexual violence terrorized the women and girls of Darfur and elsewhere in the country, mirroring violence witnessed in Darfur two decades ago. In Afghanistan, the Taliban have issued more than 50 edicts to suppress women’s and girls’ rights, in a return to the oppression of the 1990s.   The UN Secretary-General report on women, peace, and security is issued annually coinciding with the UN Security Council Open Debate on resolution 1325, which calls for all parties to conflicts to ensure the safety of women and girls, and for women’s full involvement in peace processes.   The report is informed by data and analysis provided by entities of the United Nations system, including peace operations and country teams, inputs from Member States, regional organizations and civil society, and analysis from other globally recognized data sources.   http://reliefweb.int/report/world/report-secretary-general-women-and-peace-and-security-s2023725-enarruzh http://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1142797 http://www.passblue.com/2023/10/26/why-are-women-experts-still-excluded-from-peace-talks-across-the-globe/ http://www.ipsnews.net/2023/10/world-mostly-dominated-men-turmoil/ http://www.ipsnews.net/2023/10/violent-conflict-sudan-impacted-nearly-every-aspect-womens-lives/ http://www.prio.org/news/3476 http://www.globalsurvivorsfund.org/latest/articles/ http://www.mukwegefoundation.org/news/ http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2023/10/in-focus-the-women-peace-and-security-debate http://wphfund.org/2023/11/08/global-new-wphf-study-highlights-central-role-of-local-womens-organizations-in-conflict-prevention-provides-key-recommendations-to-scale-up-support-for-their-impact-on-the-front-lines/ http://wps.unwomen.org/index.html Visit the related web page
	Development and the Responsibility to Protect by Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect   Oct. 2023   Global Protection Update: In the Hour of Need, (Global Protection Cluster)   Conflict, violence and human rights abuses remain the main drivers of protection risks.   In 2023, more than 160 million people are in need of protection. Amidst growing levels of conflict and violence globally, civilians are often subjected to violence, abuse, coercion and deprivation during armed conflict.   In 2023, there continues to be a blatant disregard for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) and perpetrators of violations and abuses are rarely held to account, thus encouraging a climate of impunity.   This year Global Protection Forum’s theme, “In the Hour of Need”, focused on the range of approaches and interventions being advanced by protection actors to prevent and respond to violence, conflict, and human rights abuses.   A sharper focus on preventing protection risks and violence from the outset and ensuring timely, accountable, and locally driven protection interventions in the midst of conflict is increasingly critical in the current context of spiralling numbers of people in need, protracted crises and limited resources.   Over the past year, the Global Protection Cluster and all its partners have felt the increasing urgency of this topic (and this challenge), notably with the growing emergencies in Sudan, Haiti and DRC, not to mention in Gaza and the Middle East, the worsening situations in Ukraine, Honduras and Burkina Faso, as well as continued high levels of needs in protracted crises like Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan.   With growing protection risks and in light of extensive grave violations and protection concerns, there is a clear need to be more timely, responsive and impactful than ever.   Protection needs continue to grow at a steady pace, with 168 million people in need of protection in 28 operations, representing an additional 30 million people (22%) in comparison to 2022.   This year, protection actors have been at the forefront of a number of crises affecting the lives, dignity and rights of populations. However, most of operations (23 out of 28, or 82%) still record less than 50% of the required funding – hampering an adequate protection response.   National and local actors are recognised as the driving force of protection. 20% of the funding reported was operated by national and local partners in 2023, compared to 17% in 2022. It is also clear that community-led approaches offer a pathway for advancing prevention and response to protection risks by giving control of decisions and resources to community groups as agents of their own protection.   * The Global Protection Cluster is a network of non-government organizations (NGOs), international organizations and United Nations agencies engaged in protection work in humanitarian crisis, including armed conflict and disasters.   http://www.globalprotectioncluster.org/publications/1630/reports/global-protection-update/global-protection-update-hour-need-october-2023 http://www.globalprotectioncluster.org/publications/1450/reports/global-protection-update/global-protection-update-protection-and-food http://www.acaps.org/en/thematics/all-topics/humanitarian-access http://www.acaps.org/en/countries/archives   June 2023   Statement by the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect regarding the UN General Assembly meeting on R2P, 2023.   The International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect (ICR2P) welcomes the UN General Assembly’s meeting today on “The responsibility to protect (R2P) and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.”   The International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect is a community of commitment made up of 65 civil society and non-governmental organizations from around the world dedicated to the promotion of human rights, the prevention of atrocities and effective and consistent implementation of R2P.   ICR2P welcomes this year’s focus on “Development and the Responsibility to Protect” in the UN Secretary-General’s annual report on R2P. Recurrent violence, conflict and atrocity crimes across the world are often rooted in long-standing institutionalized discrimination, economic inequalities and inequities, unequal access to education, social exclusion, and violations and abuses of human rights, including of economic, social and cultural rights, and can be exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, loss of biodiversity and other environmental pressures.   Not only are these factors a source of conflict in themselves, but they can also severely hinder a society’s capacity to prevent atrocity crimes.   The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes that sustainable development depends on fostering peaceful, just and inclusive societies that are free from fear and all forms of violence.   In turn, the promotion of economic growth, reduction of poverty and improvement of social conditions are critical foundations for resilient societies that can mitigate the risk of mass atrocities and protect vulnerable populations. In this regard, achieving the 2030 Agenda can be considered a cornerstone of atrocity prevention.   As noted in the Secretary-General’s report, the intricate connections between development, atrocity crimes and R2P demonstrate the critical importance of holistic prevention efforts.   Mass atrocity crimes are not random or isolated incidents. In order to protect populations from atrocities, the international community needs to understand the underlying drivers that perpetuate human suffering and invest in meaningful, effective and holistic prevention.   This should be based on comprehensive early warning involving accurate identification of all risk factors, including those associated with development indicators.   In fact, some of the most effective policies for the prevention of atrocities are those aimed at reducing socioeconomic inequalities, poor governance, weak institutions and mismanagement and abuse of natural resources. Individual member states, regional bodies and the UN system must more effectively seize such policies to better protect vulnerable populations and avoid costlier late-stage measures in the aftermath of atrocities.   The international community is already equipped with a wide range of tools to ensure the holistic prevention of atrocities. What is needed now is a comprehensive and unified approach for effective implementation.   It is imperative that UN member states strive to break silos within the system, including by implementing the three pillars of the UN – development, human rights and peace and security – in a manner that compliments and enhances the effectiveness of policies within each pillar.   Member states should work towards strengthening cross-departmental atrocity prevention in the UN system, including through linking cross-cutting agendas like the Call to Action for Human Rights and Our Common Agenda. This also includes strengthening how development cooperation, technical assistance and capacity building measures are utilized to address root causes and mitigate other factors that increase the risk of atrocity crimes.   The Peacebuilding Commission in particular can play an important role in supporting states in the transition from conflict and atrocity crimes to sustainable peace by addressing underlying development indicators.   Member states should explore possibilities for greater engagement of the Peacebuilding Commission in helping states and advising the UN Security Council to fulfil their obligations relating to the Responsibility to Protect.   Effective atrocity prevention efforts are equally predicated on the involvement of civil society. Civil society and affected populations, including survivor communities, are equipped with an in-depth understanding and expertise that UN member states should incorporate and centralize in development and all atrocity prevention efforts.   Civil society actors and affected communities are often the first to witness and document the indicators and early warning signs of atrocities – they are also the most severely impacted by the economic and social devastation inflicted by atrocity crimes.   As a result, civil society actors and affected communities should be at the forefront of efforts to foster post-conflict peace and development. They are best placed to understand the strategies required for long-term sustainable growth, including the most appropriate development measures that can facilitate structural prevention.   Governments, as well as international and regional organizations, must deepen their cooperation with civil society and affected populations at every stage of the decision-making process, particularly in crafting development priorities as well as technical assistance and capacity building efforts.   In so doing, the international community can take more appropriate and effective preventive action that is rights-based and community-informed.   The International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect commends the states that have begun to develop cohesive government-wide strategies and approaches to atrocity prevention that are gender-inclusive. We   further urgs all states to consider building similar national and regional architectures for atrocity prevention to institutionalize early warning and action as core priorities.   States should also ensure that development assistance programs benefit all communities equally, reduce tensions and empower local populations, including women, indigenous peoples, persons belonging to minority groups and other marginalized groups.   Member States should increase funding for relevant programs to promote social cohesion, prevent identity-based violence and decrease intergroup tensions in both their domestic and external affairs, without, however, diverting funds from other areas of support and assistance to populations in need.   We call on all UN member states to use the occasion of this year’s UN General Assembly meeting on R2P as an opportunity to not only renew individual and collective commitments to the prevention of atrocities and the Responsibility to Protect, but to also turn those commitments into timely and effective action.   When the Responsibility to Protect was established at the World Summit in 2005, states agreed that political expediency would not excuse inaction when confronted with the most heinous of crimes. Yet today we are confronted with unprecedented levels of violence, atrocities and displacement.   Our coalition stands ready as a partner for individual states, regional bodies and the international community to ensure that our enduring responsibility to protect is upheld consistently, robustly and without exception. Doing so will help us avoid the horrors of the past and break the cycle of mass atrocities.   http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/statement-by-the-international-coalition-for-the-responsibility-to-protect-regarding-the-un-general-assembly-plenary-meeting-on-r2p-2023/ http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/summary-2023-report/ http://www.globalr2p.org/international-coalition-for-the-responsibility-to-protect/ http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/   * Development and the responsibility to protect: Recognizing and addressing embedded risks and drivers of atrocity crimes - Report of the UN Secretary-General: http://reliefweb.int/report/world/development-and-responsibility-protect-recognizing-and-addressing-embedded-risks-and-drivers-atrocity-crimes-report-secretary-general-a77910-s2023409-enarruzh http://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2023/06/82383/preventing-contagion-atrocities-hinges-responsibility-protect   * R2P Monitor is a quarterly publication applying the atrocity prevention lens to populations at risk of mass atrocities around the world. The December Issue looks at developments in Afghanistan, Cameroon, Central Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger), China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Myanmar (Burma), Nicaragua, Nigeria, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, Central African Republic, South Sudan and Yemen:   http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/r2p-monitor-issue-67-1-december-2023/ http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/r2p-monitor-issue-68-1-march-2024/   * FAO: Social protection as a pathway to sustaining peace   Global crises are becoming the new normal. From climate change to the contemporary food price crisis, vulnerable populations – and especially rural people – are facing increasingly difficult odds of flourishing. Such challenges are even more pronounced where there is conflict, whose multidimensional nature demands to direct more attention to its drivers and impacts.   Over the past decades, social protection has contributed to development outcomes, such as those related to poverty reduction, food and nutrition security, and gender equality. However, there has been limited operational research regarding social protection’s contributions to peace. In order to start addressing this gap, this paper discusses how social protection can sustain peace efforts by understanding peace not as an outcome but, rather, as an ongoing process.   The paper argues that the contributions that social protection can make to peace can be divided between two overlapping scenarios: “working in conflict” and “working on conflict”. While the former refers to efforts aimed at offsetting the impacts of conflict, the latter relates to interventions that intend to deliberately address its underlying drivers.   http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en?details=CC9175EN
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