PEACEKEEPING ADDRESSING CONFLICT-RELATED SEXUAL VIOLENCE ‘ Background: Sexual violence in conflict has been used strategically throughout the ages to threaten, dominate, humiliate, settle scores, intimidate and amongst other aims, change the religious and ethnic make-up of populations. This tactical approach coupled with unaddressed inequalities, and the glaring absence of the rule of law all contribute towards the perpetuation of this heinous crime. The United Nations Security Council recognises sexual violence to be a fundamental threat to global peace and security, an international crime and through adopting seven Women, Peace and Security resolutions [of which four are devoted to addressing conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV)], the Council has elevated sexual violence in conflict to the highest political level. Today, peacekeeping missions are well positioned to implement the CRSV resolutions given: their mandates derived from the Security Council; extensive geographic presence and reach on the ground; and their political engagement at the highest levels in the host countries and Security Council. Currently, military, police and civilian peacekeepers are deployed to all peacekeeping operations which face CRSV - MONUSCO (Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)), UNAMID (Sudan), UNMISS (South Sudan), UNOCI (Cote d'Ivoire), MINUSMA (Mali) and MINUSCA (Central African Republic (CAR)).. Peacekeeping Act s to address CRSV: @ Policies and Guidance: Related Security Council resolutions on CRSV have been translated into policies, operational guidance and training within the framework of the protection of civilians, gender, human rights and justice. Training: DPKO/DFS develop training packages to be used by peacekeeping training centres and are responsible for setting training standards. However, Member States deploying Police and Military to peacekeeping missions are responsible for delivering these training materials. Intensive orientation courses are organised for Senior Mission Leadership at Headquarters and include CRSV. Training packages for UN Police and Military to address CRSV and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) are being finalised. In mission, CRSV is included in trainings on gender, protection of civilians and human rights and integrated training materials for all mission personnel is under development. ® _Peployment of Women’s Protection Advisers (WPA): To guarantee that sexual violence issues are incorporated into all mission functions (justice, security and defence sector reform, military, police, child protection, protection of civilians etc.) WPAs are deployed into the offices of mission leadership, the human rights and gender components. Currently, WPAs are deployed to UNMISS and MINUSMA and additional WPAs are being deployed to UNOCI, MONUSCO, MINUSCA and UNAMID. [WPAs should not be confused with Gender Advisers who advise, address and integrate gender issues throughout the work of mission components]. (@ Promotion of Gender Equality: Since gender inequality is a root cause of CRSV, a gender sensitive approach must be integrated throughout the work of all mission ‘components. Activities such as establishing women’s protection networks in IDP sites and sensitising religious leaders about the use of sexual violence in Darfur, supporting the ‘The United Nations Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support (OPKO/DFS), June 2014development of national legislation to reflect the principles of international law with regards to SGBV, as well as supporting uniformed personnel to work in a gender sensitive manner, supports the development of a holistic approach towards addressing CRSV. (@ Monitoring and Reporting on CRSV: To better prevent incidents from occurring, and to strengthen accountability at the local, national and international levels, monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements are established by WPAs, with mission personnel and members of the UN Country team. @ Strengthening Prevention Activities: Each mission has 9 protection of civilian strategy throughout which CRSV is integrated. Furthermore, military, police and civilian cooperation, the use of gender sensitive early warning indicators on CRSV and liaising with women and local communities enable community protection mechanisms to be strengthened, and military peacekeepers to effectively target their patrols to deter incidents from taking place. This is carried out, for example through accompanying women and girls to wells, markets and fields (MONUSCO, UNMISS, UNAMID). Results have proven that Joint Protection Teams (civilian, police and military) such as those used by MONUSCO identify risks and vulnerabilities, and support the development of local protection plans which are implemented by the military component. @ Engaging with Parties to the Conflict: High level political engagement with governmental partners and armed groups is carried out to enable them to prevent and respond to sexual violence incidents through for example, including the prohibition of CRSV in codes of conduct and training, and ensuring accountability for incidents of CRSV. This takes lace through gender sensitive security, defence and justice sector reform, as well as disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programming Dy peacekeeping missions with key partners and for example is being addressed by the Government of the DRC. MONUSCO has also established Prosecution Support Cells since March 2012 to enable Congolese military justice to investigate sexual violence incidents committed by elements of the national military and police. Strengthening the National Security Sector: All police components in missions have specialised UN Police (UNPOL) gender focal points who specifically mentor and strengthen the host police to assume their responsibilities vis-a-vis SGBV/CRSV. A number have supported the creation of specialised police units in the host State police such as in the DRC, Liberia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Timor-Leste. A specialised SGBV UNPOL team has been deployed to Haiti. Challenges and Partnership: @ Key Challenges: Although peacekeeping has for some time addressed SGBV, the mandated requirements on CRSV are relatively recent. Challenges to fully implement the mandate include: i) ensuring that troop and police contributing countries systematically carry out pre-deployment training on Gender, Protection of Civilians, Human Rights and CRSV in line with UN standards; and ii) in a period of fiscal pressure, including WPA posts in mission budgets as well as for CRSV capacity at DPKO/DFS headquarters. @ _ Partnerships: DPKO/DFS works closely with: the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, the Department of Political Affairs, the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, UN Women, and is a core member of UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action), as well as the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law (established to assist national authorities to strengthen the rule of law with respect to sexual violence in armed conflict). For additional information, please contact: dpko-gender@un.org ‘The United Nations Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support (DPKO/OFS), June 2014ST@P RAPE NOW Ss —Z UN ACTION AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action) UN Action unites the work of 13 UN entities with the goal of ending sexual violence during and in the wake of confit. Endorsed by the Secretary-General's Policy Committee in June 2007, it represents a concerted effort by the UN fo “work as one” amplifying advocacy, improving coordination and accountability, and supporting country efforts to prevent contlict-related sexual violence and respond effectively fo the needs of survivors Why did the UN establish UN Action? Sexual violence during and in the aftermath of conflict is a serious, present-day emergency affecting millions of people, primarily women and git its frequently o Conscious strategy employed on a large scale by armed groups fo humiliate opponents, shred societies and destroy individuals. It is the only crime for which a community's response is more often to Punish the victim, rather than the perpetrator. Sexual violence during conflict remains vaslly under-addressed due to weak national protection mechanisms, inadequate rule of aw and judicial systems, ‘and piecemeal services for survivors. Many sill view sexual violence as an inevitable, if regrettable, consequence of conflict and displacement - an attitude which encourages impunity for perpetrators and silences survivors. Yet rape during conflict can constitute a war crime, crime against humanity, act of genocide and form of torture. As a grave violation of human rights ‘nd international humanitarign law, it has received widespread condemnation. UN Action is comprised In 2008, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1820, linking sexual violence with the maintenance of intemational peace and security, demanding the “cessation by all parties to armed conflict of ail acts of sexual violence". In 2009, the Council adopted resolution 1888, mandating new measures and mechanisms to advance implementation. in December 2010, resolution 1960 was adopted fo sirenginen monitoring, reporting and accountability. Although a range of governmental, non- governmental and international initiatives to address sexual violence are being implemented, the scale and complexity of the problem, coupled with poor coordination, has meant huge gaps in the response. The creation of UN Action responds to calls from women’s rights organizations, NGOs and rape survivors for the UN to do much more to provide a holistic response. It reinforces efforts by UN entities to better coordinate and streamiine their activities, as well as to protect civilians from violence in conflict-atfected settings. What are the aims of UN Action? UN Action is committed to aligning the UN's work more effectively behind national efforts to address sexual violence, and to DPA, DPKO, OCHA, OHCHR, PBSO, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN WOMEN, UNODC, WHOdeepen partnerships with NGOs and civil society organisations at all levels. It builds upon existing coordination mechanisms including the inier-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the work of the humanitarian Protection Cluster. UN Action aims to strengthen both the UN's response to survivors and efforts to prevent sexual violence during and after conflict - recognising that the problem is a peace and security challenge, as well os a humanitarian and developmental issue. UN Action supports women's engagement in conflict prevention and enhances their influence over peace negotiations and post-conflict recovery processes. UN Action seeks fo strengthen services for survivors, including health care, legal support and economic assistance to help them rebuild their lives. What are the focus areas of UN Action? UN Action has three main pillars: 1. Country Level Action: strategic support to integrated UN Missions to help them design comprehensive strategies to combat Conflict-related sexual violence, and targeted support to strengthen joint UN Programming. For example, UN Action has supported the design and implementation of the first-ever Comprehensive Strategy on Combating Sexual Violence in the DRC, os well as the Joint Government-UN Programme on Sexual Violence in Liberi 2. Advocating for Action: advocacy to raise public awareness and generate political will to address sexual violence as part of broader UN campaigns to Stop Rope Now and UNITE to End Violence Against Women, 3. Learning by Doing: creation of o knowledge hub to develop new data- collection methodologies, provide guidance on judicial and rule of law fesponses, and promising approaches to tackling stigma. What guides UN Action? * Rape is not an inevitable consequence of conflict. It must be prevented, © Confict-related sexual violence is a of fundamental human dignity and rights. + Attempts to end sexual violence must address gender-based inequalities by empowering women, and promoting their human rights. + Women must guide advocacy and programming efforts to end sexual violence and secure peace. * Constructive involvement of men and boys is vital. + Sexual violence in conflict, and the impunity of the perpetrators, are among history's greatest silences. We al have a duty to act. UN Action seeks to marshal the UN's response to Security Council Resolutions 1820, 1888 and 1960, broadening the Constituency for addressing conflict-related sexual violence. For more information: The work of UN Action is governed by a Steering Committee consisting of Principals from the 13 UN entities, supported by a small Secretariat, and chaired by the SRSG on Sexual Violence in Confit. Funding for the network's activities is channelled through a MultiDonor Trust Fund. For more information, please contact Gillian Holmes gillan.holmes@unwomen.org; or Letitia Anderson: letitic.anderson@unwomen.org or visit: www.sloprapenow.org: dace om/UNAction Join us in a display of global solidarity: cross your arms, take a photo and upload it at: woww.sloprapenow.org/get-cross/ UN Action is comprised of: OPA, DPKO, OCHA, OHCHR, PESO, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN WOMEN, UNODC, WHO.