Year: 2017
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Year: 2017

Ukrainian Media Discuss Their Role in the Implementation of Resolution 1325 and Formulate a Media and Communication Strategy

Ukrainian Media Discuss Their Role in the Implementation of Resolution 1325 and Formulate a Media and Communication Strategy

December 20, 2018 by Kelly Yzique-Zea

Kyiv, Ukraine–“The Ukrainian society needs to be aware of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women and Peace and Security.  I have been working as a journalist for 15 years but this is the first time I have heard of this resolution. It is now my responsibility and those who attended the Media and 1325 workshop to inform our audiences about the importance of this resolution,” said Antonina Tarasowa from Bukovyna News, a daily/weekly newspaper in Ukraine.

Prompted by the low level of awareness of the women, peace and security resolutions and Ukraine’s National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 among the general public and some government sectors, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) and the Democracy Development Center (DDC) – Ukraine in collaboration with the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine facilitated a workshop on UNSCR 1325, 1820 and its supporting resolutions with Ukrainian journalists on December 7-8, 2018 in Kiev. The organization of the workshop in Ukraine and similar workshops in Armenia, Georgia and Moldova are supported by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA). The workshops are part of a bigger project that provides support in the development and implementation of National Action Plans (NAP) on UNSCR 1325 as well as their localization.

The Media and 1325 workshop raised awareness and knowledge of Ukraine’s NAP on UNSCR 1325 and the resolutions broadly. One key output was a media and communication strategy by the media that spells out the long-term plan in popularizing the resolution; stimulating discussions on gender equality, peace and security issues; and sharing information toward effective implementation.

During the workshop, the participants analyzed the content of local and national newspapers, particularly on how they portray women. They also discussed how national and international media cover the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the factors that influence such portrayal and coverage. The participants highlighted that in most of the major print publications in Ukraine, women are portrayed as sex objects and incapable of taking decision-making positions.  In the coverage of conflict, women are portrayed only as victims. The work of Ukrainian women activists who promote peace and conflict prevention rarely gets into the media. As for the international media, the coverage of conflict in eastern Ukraine increases when Russia is involved or when there is a new move from Russia or increased warfare.  The participants also noted that there are no women on the editorial boards of Ukrainian newspapers.  The role of social media in information dissemination and generating support for NAP implementation among the general public was likewise discussed by the participants.

Representatives from the Ministry of Social Policy, the coordinating agency for the NAP; as well as UN Women also participated at the workshop. GNWP’s CEO Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, Ella Lamakh, Executive Director of DDC, and Dulcie Leimbach, a former editor at The New York Times and editor of PassBlue, an independent, women-led online publication, funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, that covers the United Nations, particularly women’s issues, human rights, peacekeeping and Mykola Bilous, Deputy Minister of the State Committee of Radio and Television Issues emphasized the importance of training journalists and media practitioners on gender policies and the NAP. He underlined the commitment of the Ministry of the State Committee of Radio and Television Issues to cooperate in training for the media on these policies. Dmytro Semenuk, from Persha Miska Hazeta, Kropynytsky, a radio program, reinforced this view: “Gender equality is a prerequisite for peace and if we advance gender equality we can make peacebuilding possible.”

GNWP and DDC with the support of ADA will co-facilitate Localization and NAP workshops in 2018 as part of the continuing efforts to effectively implement UNSCR 1325 and the supporting resolutions.

Georgia Responds to the Lingering Impact of the War Through Localization of Resolution 1325

Georgia Responds to the Lingering Impact of the War Through Localization of Resolution 1325

December 12, 2017 by Prativa Khanal

Georgia adopted its first National Action Plan (NAP) on the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women and Peace and Security in 2012, the first post-Soviet country to do so. The first NAP, approved by the Parliament of Georgia, covered the period 2012-2015. Georgia is now implementing its second NAP for the years 2016-2017; and work is ongoing on the third NAP. One of the key features of the current NAP process is the inclusion of local authorities and other local leaders.

With support from the Austrian Development Cooperation and in partnership with the IDP Women’s Association Consent, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) facilitated Localization of UNSCR 1325 workshops in Georgia’s Shida Kartli and Samegrelo regions from November 24-28, 2017.

The Localization workshops convened local council members, representatives of women’s groups and other civil society organizations, internally displaced persons, police officers, Ministry of Refugees, Social Service Department, and Education Resource Centre. The workshops raised awareness of UNSCR 1325 and the third phase of Georgia’s NAP among local authorities and leaders in Shida Kartli and Samegrelo regions. There is a total of 273,411 internally displaced people (IDP) in Georgia because of the violent conflicts the country experienced including the Russian-Georgian war in 2008. Zugdidi has the largest number of IDP and conflict-affected population due to its proximity to the breakaway region of  Abkhazia. Gori, which was occupied and was the target of several aerial attacks by Russian troops during the 2008 war recorded a large number of civilian injuries and deaths during and after the war. It maintains a strategic importance due to its location on the principal highway connecting eastern and western parts of Georgia.

The workshop participants started the drafting of Local Action Plans (LAPs) for their municipalities highlighting issues such as women’s participation in public decision-making, shelters for IDP, psycho-social counseling, legal assistance, employment support; access to education and basic social services such as health care, water, and electricity. The participants also called for funding for LAPs from the budgets of the municipalities as well as the national government. They stress the value of the Localization process: “Localization helps in adapting Georgia’s NAP 1325 to the existing situations and realities in local communities,” states Lia Chlachidze, Member of Gori Local Council during the Workshop on Localization of UNSCR 1325 in Gori, Shida Kartli region. At the Localization workshop in Zugdidi, Samegrelo region, Ana Emukhvari, from the civil society organization “Community Development Centre” shares “Localization assists local organizations and authorities in making local communities aware about UNSCR 1325 as an instrument that should be used to address the impact of war.”

Sopo Japaridze, the Prime Minister’s Adviser for Human Rights and Gender Equality, who is also the Head of the Inter-Agency Commission on Gender Equality, Violence against Women and Domestic Violence; and overall coordinator of the NAP, spoke at the workshop in Zugdidi municipality. She stressed, “We are here to listen to the  concerns, challenges and issues of local authorities and population in order to mitigate risk and prevent further problems by including them in the upcoming NAP on UNSCR 1325 of Georgia.”

Representatives from UN Women; Office of the Prime Minister; Inter-Agency Commission on Gender Equality, Violence against Women and Domestic Violence; EU Monitoring Mission, and the International Committee of the Red Cross also attended the Localization workshop in Zugdidi.

Prior to the Localization workshops, the Office of the Prime Minister, UN Women office in Georgia, GNWP and   IDP Women’s Association Consent, co-organized a NAP Workshop in Tbilisi, Georgia on November 21-22, 2017. It was the first NAP workshop attended by newly elected local authorities from different municipalities. This was a critical step in promoting participation of local communities in the development of the NAP which could ensure strong local ownership and effective implementation.

Civil society groups and the representative of the State Committee of Women, Family and Child Issues from Azerbaijan also participated in the NAP and Localization workshops under GNWP’s Peace Exchange program. The Peace Exchange is aimed at knowledge-sharing and exchange of strategies among NAP stakeholders. It also promotes meaningful government-civil society partnership in the implementation of UNSCR 1325.

Global Appeal on the Marawi Siege, Extra Judicial Killings and Human Rights Violations in the Philippines

Global Appeal on the Marawi Siege, Extra Judicial Killings and Human Rights Violations in the Philippines

December 10, 2017 by Prativa Khanal

On the occasion of the 2017 International Human Rights Day, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders and Miriam College Center for Peace Education are re-circulating this Global Appeal on the Marawi Siege, Extra Judicial Killings and Human Rights Violations in the Philippines signed by 192 concerned individuals from 40 countries.  The rise in the killings of human rights defenders and political activists in the Philippines in recent weeks continues to put to test the fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We appeal to you to support the non-profit initiatives that support victims and survivors of human rights violations and disasters listed on this appeal namely: the Justice Advocates of Miriam Humanitarian Fund, Baigani, Art Relief Mobile Kitchen, and the Maranaw People Development Center.

We urge everyone to continue to oppose the human rights violations and call on the Philippine government to honor its responsibility to respect, protect, and fulfill their obligations under international human rights laws.

Please find the links to the Global Appeal on the Marawi Siege, Extra Judicial Killings and Human Rights Violations in the Philippines in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Chinese:

Global Appeal on the Marawi Siege, Extra Judicial Killings and Human Rights Violations in the Philippines

Apelación mundial sobre la toma de Marawi y violaciones de derechos humanos en las Filipinas

Appel global sur le siège de Marawi et Violations des droits de l’homme aux Philippines

النداء العالمي حول مروي

关于菲律宾马拉维危机、非法杀戮和人权侵犯的全球倡议书

 

Young Women And Girls in Indonesia Want Their Voices Heard in Promoting Peace, And Preventing Violent Extremism

Young Women And Girls in Indonesia Want Their Voices Heard in Promoting Peace, And Preventing Violent Extremism

December 9, 2017 by Mavic Cabrera-Balleza and Prativa Khanal

Today, December 9, 2017, the second anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) shares this blog that highlights the organization’s work with young women and adolescent girls in Indonesia under its program Girl Ambassadors for Peace (GA4P). Resolution 2250 emphasizes that today’s generation of youth is the largest the world has ever known and that young people often form the majority of the population of countries affected by armed conflict. The resolution underscores the importance of involving young people on issues of peace and security, especially in conflict-affected countries, where they comprise an even bigger percentage of the population.

“As a young woman, it is important for me to have a voice and I will use my voice to prevent violent extremism and promote peace. Women become victims of violent extremism and radicalism because many people believe that women should rely on men particularly in decision-making,” said Iftitah Nabiilah Ramadhani, during the capacity building training on leadership and peacebuilding for young women and adolescent girls in Lamongan, Indonesia. Iftita is one of the 62 members of the Girl Ambassadors for Peace (GA4P) – Indonesia, a network of young women and adolescent girls who are promoting young women’s leadership and their role in preventing violent extremism and promoting sustainable peace in local communities.

The Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) and its partners Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN) – Indonesia, University of Indonesia – Division for Applied Social Psychology Research, Muslimat NU and Celebes Institute facilitated capacity building training for young women and adolescent girls in Lamongan, East Java and Poso, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia from November 7-18, 2017. The training focused on leadership, peacebuilding, prevention of violent extremism, entrepreneurship and job skills as well as on media, social media and theatre.

The GA4P program’s implementation in Indonesia and Bangladesh is supported by Nama Women Advancement Establishment, a non-profit women advancement organization based in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

Lillis Badriyah, another GA4P member in Lamongan, emphasized the importance of the social media training: “Nowadays, people have become blind, deaf, and mute because of social media. They only speak in social media; and their only source of news is social media.  What they don’t realize is that not everything in social media is true. News can easily be distorted in social media. Our role as GA4P is to disseminate truthful information and promote peace on social media. We should also use social media to reach out to other young people so that we take action to build peace and prevent violent extremism.”

The entrepreneurship and job skills training is meant to help young women and girls become financially literate and independent. The training on media, social media and theatre skills would help them disseminate peacebuilding messages, challenge the narratives of violence, prevent violent extremism, and engage in discussions on these issues with local populations as well as with local and national authorities.

Girl Ambassadors for Peace with Vice Regent of Poso, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

After the intensive capacity building training, GA4P members will travel to rural communities in Indonesia where they will share their skills on leadership, peacebuilding, entrepreneurship and life skills with other young women and girls particularly those who have limited opportunities to go to school or attend similar training.   

GA4P members also hold regular conference calls with their counterparts in different countries to share experiences and lessons learned from their training and other activities.

The Girl Ambassadors for Peace is a GNWP programme aimed to highlight young women’s and girls’ leadership potential and their important role in peacebuilding, sustaining peace and preventing violent extremism. It is operational in Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Preparations for the GA4P implementation in Bangladesh that focuses on the Rohingya communities is also underway.

No Money No NAP—GNWP launches the NAP 1325 Costing and Budgeting Manual

No Money No NAP—GNWP launches the NAP 1325 Costing and Budgeting Manual

 

October 27, 2017 by Katrina Leclerc

Predictable and adequate funding is a necessary condition for effective implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women and Peace and Security (WPS). Yet, seventeen years after the Resolution was adopted, only 16 out of the 68 existing National Action Plans (NAPs) have dedicated funding for implementation. One of the reasons behind this is the lack of funding for the implementation of the WPS agenda.

However, another reason is the lack of capacity to examine and identify domestic sources of funding and systematically allocate that to NAP implementation. Cognizant of this gap, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) developed the Manual on Costing and Budgeting National Action Plans on UNSCR 1325. The manual provides practical guidance on costing and budgeting NAPs on UNSCR 1325 that can be tailored to specific national contexts. It explains how costing and budgeting NAPs facilitate the efficient mobilization and allocation of financial resources. It also presents strategies on how gender-responsive budgeting can be used to guarantee funding for NAP implementation. It analyzes how costing and budgeting of NAPs allows the money to be moved on two levels: nationally, by eliciting more concrete budgetary commitments from the governments and improving accountability; and, internationally, by making it easier for governments and civil society to apply and advocate for more funding and for donors to commit funds.

The manual is based on GNWP’s experiences in facilitating NAP Costing and Budgeting workshops in Georgia, Jordan, and Nepal. It is accompanied by a training video taken during those workshops. In her Foreword for the manual, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, highlighted that it will contribute to advanc[ing] the implementation of the recommendations from the 2015 Global Study on UNSCR 1325.

The production of the manual was supported by the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund’s knowledge-management component. Its publication highlights the coherence in efforts to mobilize resources for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and the supporting resolutions.

The manual was launched on October 27, 2017 at the UN Women Headquarters in partnership with Cordaid, UN Women and the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of UNSCR 1325.

 

The Manual is available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

To watch GNWP’s video on the NAP Costing and Budgeting Manual, click here.

 

Katrina Leclerc is the Coordinator of GNWP’s Girl Ambassadors for Peace program. She served as the Production Coordinator for the NAP Costing and Budgeting manual.