Guardians of Dignity: Women’s voices and rights in global conflict
By: Hannah Herd
Amidst all the global conflicts, women often bear the brunt of violence and discrimination in conflict zones. The UN recognises the urgent need to protect and promote women’s rights in these challenging environments. Therefore the UN has launched a series of initiatives in order to help combat and safeguard women’s rights amidst high conflict zones.
In the realm of global politics, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is a dominant power in determining international responses to crises and conflicts. The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, is an entity of the Security Council Resolutions and is central to the UN’s commitment in upholding women’s rights, equality and empowerment. These resolutions provide a solid framework for addressing particular challenges encountered by women in conflict zones and emphasises on their crucial role in the peacebuilding and conflict resolution. Adopted on October 31st, 2000, resolution 1325 was a historical milestone in recognising that armed conflicts have a disproportionate impact on women as well as acknowledging how they have been excluded from conflict resolution and peace procedures.
The resolution therefore underlines the need to protect women from violence, and ensure that women are involved in the decision-making. Its adoption signified a paradigm change in viewing women not only as victims, but as active contributors to long-term peace. Resolution 1325 has five key elements being, participation, protection, prevention, relief and recovery and finally, implementation and monitoring. The resolution calls for an increase in women participation in all dimensions of decision-making. From conflict prevention, to peace negotiations, it is crucial to have women involved in order to have their voices heard and implemented.
Concerning sexual and gender-based violences, the resolution recognises that girls and women are often the target of sexual crimes. It calls for accountability to all who commit such crimes as well as put measures in place in order to protect women and girls from them. By addressing the root cause of conflict, such as gender based discrimination, resolution 1325 emphasises that by promoting gender equality conflicts may be prevented. The resolution emphasises the necessity of taking women’s concerns into account when providing humanitarian assistance and rebuilding after a conflict. It urges action to address the specific issues that women are confronted with in the aftermath of conflict.
Finally, member states are encouraged to incorporate a gender perspective in their conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding efforts, and call for the creation of procedures in order to monitor and report on its implementation. Resolution 1325 is part of a larger collection of the Security Council’s resolutions addressing Women, Peace, and Security. Subsequent resolutions include 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960 which expand and reinforce the concepts established in Resolution 1325, resulting in a comprehensive framework for addressing the nexus of gender and conflict. These resolutions collaboratively make up the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees also known as the UNHCR is a United Nations agency made in order to protect and aid refugees. The UNHCR plays an important role in the protection of women’s rights, not only in conflict zones, but also in forced migration situations. The UNHCR funds and provides essential services for women, in order to safeguard the well-being of displaced women. The UNHCR established safe spaces within refugee camps and displacement locations, which work as safe havens for women and girls, where they are able to seek the help and protection that they require. Displaced women often are impacted with a severe psychological impact. Therefore, the UNHCR provides psychosocial support programs tailored to the specific needs of displaced women. The UNHCR also provides access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities. By addressing these fundamental requirements, the UNHCR hopes to empower displaced women and improve their overall well-being. The UNHCR also engages in several advocacy efforts in order to help seek awareness of the struggles displaced women have and how they should be addressed. The agency works with several NGOs, local communities and other UN entities in order to assure the effective implementation of their protection and needs.
Overall, the UNHCR’s commitment to supporting vulnerable women in displacement extends beyond just physical protection. The agency addresses the various struggles that displaced women face, aiming to establish environments that empower and assist women as they manage the complexities of forced migration. The UNHCR’s comprehensive strategy reflects the United Nations commitment to protecting women’s rights and dignity in conflict zones.
UN women is an United Nations entity dedicated to safeguarding women’s rights in all domains, including in conflict zones. UN women strive to intervene as much as possible in situations where women are more vulnerable and require specific attention. The entity focuses on emphasising the importance of women’s perspective and voices in shaping policies and strategies concerning conflict zones and post-conflict construction. By working with governments, international organisations and local stakeholders UN women are able to ensure the participation of women in conflict resolution and assure that their needs are being addressed to. Through various programs and initiatives, UN women are also able to provide direct support to women and girls in conflict-affected areas. Initiatives such as education, healthcare and economic opportunities are put in place so that women in these settings have access to direct support. In addition to its field-based initiatives, UN women conduct research and advocacy in order to raise awareness on gender dimensions in conflict, and promote policies that are aimed to help women in the conflict and post-conflict resolutions.
Moreover, UN women work to prevent and respond to gender-based violences in conflict-zones by offering support as well as raising awareness about the issue. Through its multifaceted approach, UN Women prioritises the rights and well-being of women in conflict-affected areas, in order to contribute to building a more inclusive and sustainable peace process.
It is clear that the United Nations have launched several initiatives and entities in order to strive at helping women and girls in conflict affected zones. Ranging from resolutions like 1325, to entities such as UN women, the United Nations strive for women to have equal rights in all domains of conflict zones and attempt to guarantee the assistance and protection of their rights.
However, there is always room for improvement and changes are being made daily to these entities and resolutions.
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