Translating the norms of the Women, Peace and Security Resolutions into operational standards and practice within the UN system‏

Future directions for translating the norms of the Women, Peace and Security
Resolutions into operational standards and practice within the UN system
 
*Summary
*Peacebuild, in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade, is convening a series of workshops on different
peacebuilding and conflict prevention policy issues between March and June,
2011. These workshops are bringing together expert civil society
practitioners, academics and, where possible, their international
counterparts, to share information with each other and with DFAIT and other
Government of Canada (GoC) officials. The goal is to generate specific,
up-to-date information and analysis as well as policy and programming
options for Canadian civil society and government to respond to policy
developments and emerging trends.
 
 
 
The workshops focus on:
 
1.      Next generation peacebuilding and conflict prevention issues
 
2.      Women�s political participation in post-conflict transitions
 
3.      Environmental and natural resource cooperation and transformation in
post-conflict situations
 
4.      Regional trends in peacebuilding in Latin America
 
5.      Future directions for translating the norms of the Women, Peace and
Security Resolutions into operational standards and practice within the UN
system
 
6.      The changing nature of non-governmental peacebuilding.
 
 
 
*Call for Issue Papers
*To provide up-to-date, expert background information for discussion at the
workshop focusing on �*Future directions for translating the norms of the
Women, Peace and Security Resolutions into operational standards and
practice within the UN system,�* Peacebuild is currently seeking to
commission two or three issue papers.
 
 
 
The four UNSC Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security establish
internationally sanctioned norms on the prevention of violence against
women, prosecution of sexual violence, access to justice for victims of
sexual violence, protection of women and girls� human rights, women�s
participation, gender training of deployed international personnel, and
representation of women in peacekeeping operations and within the UN system.
Resolution 1888 mandates peacekeeping missions to protect women and children
from rampant sexual violence and asks the Secretary-General to appoint a
special representative to coordinate the UN mechanisms to fight these
crimes. Resolution 1889 calls for a set of global indicators to facilitate
regular monitoring and reporting. The UN developed system-wide action plans
on women, peace and security for the 2005-2007 period and for the 2008-2009
period, but is still struggling with designing a coherent, holistic strategy
for taking the resolutions forward across its agencies and country offices.
 
 
 
Each background paper should be no more than 20 pages in length. The papers
will feed into a workshop discussion the week of June 13, 2011, to which the
authors of the papers will be invited.
 
 
 
The aim of the issue papers and workshop is to *review and discuss obstacles
encountered and progress made in translating the norms of the resolutions
into operational standards and practices*. Another primary aim is to *generate
concrete, practical recommendations of approaches and resources to overcome
obstacles to implementation*.
 
 
 
*Some suggested topics*
 
 
 
The issue papers could cover lessons learned and trends on issues such as:
 
�         Experiences with the development of UN system-wide action plans;
 
�         Use of and follow-on work to the *Analytical Inventory of
Peacekeeping Practice* for addressing conflict-related sexual violence;
 
�         Integrating the content of the Women, Peace and Security
Resolutions into country-specific Security Council resolutions;
 
�         Experiences with and lessons learned by the UN on implementation
of the norms at the field level in one or more specific country situations;
 
�         Experiences with and lessons learned within one or more specific
UN agencies;
 
�         Experiences from the efforts of regional inter-governmental
organizations in the practical application of the norms (e.g. African Union,
NATO, European Union, etc.);
 
�         Complementarities and contradictions with other normative
frameworks (e.g. Millennium Development Goals; Responsibility to Protect;
Human rights frameworks; Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict; Children
and Armed Conflict; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women; etc.);
 
�         How troop- and police-contributing countries can match their own
social change with institutional changes brought by UN norms;
 
�         Good practices and resources for police, military, and civilian
recruitment and training for peace operations missions;
 
�         Experiences with rosters and incentives for deploying qualified
and available women on peace operations.
Joint submissions are welcome, including submissions by graduate or
post-graduate students working with an established expert on peacebuilding,
conflict prevention or armed violence reduction issues. Particularly welcome
are submissions arising from ongoing research or practical field experience.
Issue papers can be written in English or French, but the workshop will be
held in English.
An *honorarium of $1,000* will be paid for each issue paper.
 *Expressions of interest are due Monday, April 18, 2011*. A decision
regarding the authors is expected to be reached by Peacebuild by the end of
the day, *Wednesday, April 20, 2011. *
*Completed drafts of the papers are due May 09, 2011* to allow for a review
and revisions. *Final papers are due May 27* and will be copy-edited and
circulated to workshop participants before the workshop.
*To be considered all expressions of interest (in English or French) must
include*:
   - a draft outline of the proposed paper in bullet-point form not
   exceeding one page in length;
   - the author�s CV;
   - a cover letter not exceeding two pages in length clearly articulating
   the candidate�s specific issue area expertise, stating his/her commitment to
   delivering a draft paper by May 9, 2011, a revised paper by May 27, and to
   participating for one day in person or by teleconference in the workshop the
   week of June 13, 2011.
The workshop will take place in Ottawa and is expected to include around 30
participants. Funding permitting, the authors of the issue papers will be
provided travel expenses to Ottawa from Canada or the U.S., or be asked to
participate by teleconference.
The findings and recommendations arising from the issue papers and the
workshop will be synthesized into a policy brief highlighting policy and
programming options aimed at improving Canadian government, civil society
and United Nations system approaches to translating the norms of the Women,
Peace and Security Resolutions into operational standards within the UN
system.
*Submit proposals by email to: prevention@peacebuild.ca and include in the
email subject line Women, Peace and Security Resolutions.*