[women-rights] UN Security Council pledges steps to involve more women in peacemaking

SECURITY COUNCIL PLEDGES STEPS TO INVOLVE MORE WOMEN IN PEACEMAKING
New York, Oct 31 2002  6:00PM
Two years after the United Nations Security Council adopted a landmark 
resolution aimed at increasing the role of women in peacemaking, the 
15-member body today outlined further steps to achieve that end.

Integrating gender perspectives into the mandates of all peacekeeping 
operations was one of the measures described in a statement read at a 
formal meeting by the Council President, Ambassador Martin Belinga-Eboutou 
of Cameroon. "The Council also requests the Secretary-General to provide 
systematic training of all staff in peacekeeping operations on gender 
perspectives, and to integrate gender perspectives into all standard 
operating procedures, manuals and other guidance materials for peacekeeping 
operations," he said.

Voicing concern about the slow progress in the appointment of women as 
special representatives and envoys of the Secretary-General, the Council 
urged him to work toward gender balance in that area. States were asked to 
continue providing Mr. Annan with suitable candidates.

Pointing to other problems, the President said the Council "deplores the 
continuing occurrence of sexual exploitation, including trafficking, of 
women and girls in the context of peacekeeping operations and humanitarian 
activities, and calls for the further development and full implementation 
of codes of conduct and of disciplinary procedures" in response. All 
concerned, he added, must work to investigate and prosecute alleged cases 
of misconduct.

The Council also condemned all human rights violations against women and 
girls in situations of armed conflict, and the use of sexual violence 
"including as a strategic and tactical weapon of war," Ambassador 
Belinga-Eboutou said.

The statement also called for more efforts to ensure gender mainstreaming 
in peacekeeping operations and post-conflict reconstruction, and encouraged 
the establishment of regular contacts with local women's groups and 
networks in order to take advantage of their knowledge and experience 
concerning the gender dimensions of conflict.