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Commission on the Status of Women VMUN 2016 Background Guide 1


Dear Delegates, My name is Yuvitra Jeyaraman and I am honored to serve as your committee director of the Commission on the Status of Women at VMUN 2016. I am currently in Grade 12 at the Shawnigan Lake School and have been involved in Model UN since Grade 9. Over the years, I have been privileged to attend a dozen or so Model UN Conferences all over the world, and I am excited to meet all of you all the while witnessing the course of debate throughout the conference. This year, the topics chosen will be concentrated on the Development on the Status of Women and the Status of Women in Periods of Armed Conflict. These topics, allow for the perfect integration of perspectives, namely nations with various economic and political statuses. The CSW is perhaps unique in its nature namely due to the elevated status of smaller countries who will be crucial in providing significant context. Meanwhile, world superpowers will be instrumental in influencing the necessary cost of action without jeopardizing their various political and economic interests. In regards to the question of the Development on the Status of Women, many Least Economically Developed Countries will be pressed to eradicate negative stereotypes and or cultural notion surrounding women. With adequate support and policy implementation, many of these countries would be successful in their endeavor to improve the overall status and condition of women. However, it still remains that these nations require substantial efforts in promoting the empowerment of women. Further, the question of women and armed conflict is crucial as we mark our entry into the 21st century. Countries who have previously and are currently undergoing periods of armed conflict require substantial assistance to prevent the outbreak of war. The outbreak of armed conflict often begins with violations against women and gradually result in the complete and utter devastation of entire communities and nations. As of now, progress seems to be at a slower pace & significant cooperation and contribution is needed to further install political stability in affected areas. This topic will certainly be of challenge to your minds for it requires innovative solutions that need to address the cultural practices and notions, all the while focusing on reinstating political and economic stability in a foreign territory. During your research, it is crucial for you to think outside the box for possible solutions that address every aspect of the issue. If you ever have any questions, and/or possible concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. On behalf of the dais, I would like to cordially welcome you to VMUN and the CSW! Sincerely, Yuvitra Jeyaraman Director of the Commission on the Status of Women | VMUN 2016

Jake Hauser Secretary-General

Jason Liu

Director-General

Andrew Tsai Chief of Staff

Claudia Wang

USG General Assemblies

Chris Pang USG Committees

Alvin Tsuei

USG Delegate Affairs 1

Eva Zhang USG Delegate Affairs 2

Ashley Ng

USG Conference

Evan Johnson USG Finance

Isabelle Cheng

USG Sponsorship

Sunny Cui USG Marketing

VANCOUVER MODEL UNITED NATIONS the fifteenth annual conference | January 22-24, 2016


Commission on the Status of Women

Position Paper Policy What is a Position Paper? A position paper is a brief overview of a country’s stance on the topics being discussed by a particular committee. Though there is no specific format the position paper must follow, it should include a description of your positions your country holds on the issues on the agenda, relevant actions that your country has taken, and potential solutions that your country would support. At Vancouver Model United Nations, delegates should write a position paper for each of the committee’s topics. Each position paper should not exceed one page, and should all be combined into a single document per delegate. For the Commission on the Status of Women, position papers are highly recommended but not mandatory. However, in order to be eligible for an award, delegates must have submitted position papers. Formatting Position papers should: — Include the name of the delegate, his/her country, and the committee — Be in a standard font (e.g. Cambria, Minion Pro) with a 12-point font size and 1-inch document margins — Not include illustrations, diagrams, decorations, national symbols, watermarks, or page borders — Include citations and a bibliography, in any format, giving due credit to the sources used in research (not included in the 1-page limit) Due Dates and Submission Procedure Position papers for this committee must be submitted by midnight on January 8th, 2016. Once your position paper is complete, please save the file as your last name, your first name and send it as an attachment in an email, to your committee’s email address, with the subject heading as your last name, your first name — Position Paper. Please do not add any other attachments to the email or write anything else in the body. Both your position papers should be combined into a single PDF or Word document file; position papers submitted in another format will not be accepted. Each position paper will be manually reviewed and considered for the Best Position Paper award. The email address for this committee is [email protected].


Table of Contents

Violence against Women Armed Conflict ..................................................................................... 5 Overview ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Timeline ............................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Historical Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................... 7 Current Situation ............................................................................................................................................................. 8

Social ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Political .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 National & Foreign Policy ................................................................................................................................................... 9

Past UN & International Involvement .......................................................................................................................... 9 Possible Solutions ........................................................................................................................................................... 10 Bloc Positions ................................................................................................................................................................. 12

United Nations Security Council Veto Powers .............................................................................................................. 12 Most Economically Developed Countries (MEDC’s) ................................................................................................... 12 Least Economically Developed Nations (LEDC’S) ....................................................................................................... 12 Politically Unstable Nations .............................................................................................................................................. 13

Discussion Questions .................................................................................................................................................... 13 Additional Resources ..................................................................................................................................................... 13 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................................................... 13

Women in Politics ........................................................................................................................ 15 Overview ......................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Timeline .......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Historical Analysis ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 Current Situation ........................................................................................................................................................... 18

Social .................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Political ................................................................................................................................................................................ 19 National & Foreign Policy ................................................................................................................................................. 19

Past UN International Involvement ............................................................................................................................ 19 Bloc Positions ................................................................................................................................................................. 20

Western Bloc ....................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Middle East ......................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Asia ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Africa ................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Latin America ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Discussion Questions .................................................................................................................................................... 21 Additional Resources ..................................................................................................................................................... 23 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................................................... 23


Commission on the Status of Women Topic A

Violence against Women Armed Conflict Overview

Figure 1: Map of Ongoing Armed Conflict around the World (non- exhaustive)

Today, it is estimated that approximately 90% of war casualties are civilians, the majority of which are composed largely of women and children.1 Although entire communities are often victims of their circumstance and environment, women and girls are particularly affected because of their status in society. The majority of communities currently engaged in armed conflict around the world do not adhere to the rules of war as dictated by the Geneva Convention. Rather, these parties in conflict situations employ various means of violence against women as a systematic strategy of warfare. By its definition, conflict-related sexual violence refers to incidents or patterns of sexual violence against women, men, girls or boys occurring in a conflict or post-conflict setting. This kind of violence usually has direct or indirect links with the conflict itself or occur in other situations of concern such as in the context of political repression. These forms of violence, namely, against women, include rape, murder, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, and forced sterilization. The presence of armed conflict consequently results in a near exponential increase of sexual violence within and beyond the community. The increase of sexual violence in turn renders women vulnerable to poverty, unemployment, and the destruction of valuable assets. On average, conflict and post-conflict countries have reported that essential health services crumble at a rate of 2.5 times higher than the worldwide average. 2 While the name and location may inadvertently change over time, the first order implemented in areas of conflict is almost invariably to establish limits on women’s access to education and health services, including a

1 United Nations Department of Public Information. (2000, May). Women and Armed Conflict. 2 UN Women. (n.d.). Women & Armed Conflict. Retrieved from Beijing Platform for Women


near elimination of participation in economic and political agendas. These restrictions have been enforced through an increasing and alarming use of violence. These violations against women are the sign of an extremist form of fundamental conservatism. The agenda shared by various extremist groups devote a significant proportion of efforts to focus on the suppression of women’s autonomy and a further emphasis on the preservation of outdated, stereotypical gender roles. While the subordination of women remain to be the forefront of the agenda for these extremist groups, the same cannot be said for the response of the ongoing international community. As it currently stands, the international community has failed to acknowledge that the presence and continued empowerment of women remain to be the founding principle of a stable community. 3 Timeline 1995 – The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is adopted by 189 UN Member States, which makes women and armed conflict one of 12 critical areas of concern. 1995 – South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission employs steps to facilitate women’s participation such as, gender training for all commissioners; preparatory workshops, particularly for rural women; and development of gender-sensitive reparations policies. 1997 – The African region develops a "First Ladies for Peace Initiative” which includes conferences on peace & humanitarian issues. 1998 – Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) adopts agreed conclusions on women and armed conflict that calls for action in ensuring gender sensitive justice by means of increasing the participation of women in peacekeeping, while simultaneously addressing disarmament, illicit arms trafficking, landmines and small arms. 1998 – Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court prohibits “rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization and other forms of sexual violence”. 4 1999 – The Organization of African Unity and the Economic Commission for Africa launches the Women's Committee on Peace and Development. 2000 – The Security Council adopts the ground-breaking resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security; the first resolution to link women’s experiences of conflict to international peace and security. 2002 – The Statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone includes rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy and any other form of sexual violence among the constituent elements of crimes against humanity. 2004 – Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) adopts conclusions on women’s equal participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post-conflict peacebuilding 2005 – Israel amends the 1951 Equal Rights for Women Law, which mandates that there must be equal representation for women in bodies that shape national policy, including peacebuilding bodies. 3 Foreign Policy. (10 February , 2015) 4 United Nations Department of Public Information, 2000


2007 – Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers agree to the establishment of a Commonwealth Working Group on Gender, Peace and Security to address gender equality issues in peace and post-conflict processes. 2008 – The Security Council adopts resolution 1820 which reaffirms its resolve to eliminate all forms of violence against women, including by ending impunity. Additionally, the Council recognizes sexual violence as a security problem that requires a systematic security response. 2008 – Secretary General - Ban Ki- moon in his report on Small Arms to the Security Council stresses that gender approaches are particularly relevant for targeted policy interventions, as are prevention and response activities to address small arms victims, survivors and perpetrators, as well as community leaders, peace negotiators and peacekeepers. 2009 – Security Council Resolution 1888 mandates peacekeeping missions to protect women and girls from sexual violence in armed conflict. 2013 – UN Security Council adopts a resolution that sets in place stronger measures such as development and deployment of technical expertise for peacekeeping missions and UN mediation teams supporting peace talks; improved access to timely information and analysis on the impact of conflict on women and women's participation in conflict resolution in reports and briefings to the Council; and strengthened commitments to consult as well as include women directly in peace talks. 2015 – In October 2015, the Security Council will convene a High-level Review to assess 15 years of progress at the global, regional and national levels. Historical Analysis In the last century, the world has borne witness to armed conflicts in various parts of the world. Each year, at least 250,000 people die in armed conflicts, most of which occur within a state. While there have been significant improvements in the treatment of women, the everyday reality for most women in the world is far from ideal. Many have been inflicted with violence in its various forms ranging from domestic violence to rape to honor killings. In situations of armed conflict, research reveals an overall increase in the toleration of violence and an escalation of violence committed specifically against women. Although women are violated physically, psychologically and economically during such periods, the use of sexual violence is also prevalent. The prohibition of acts of violence against women, under both international human rights and humanitarian law, are in most instances ignored, and historically, impunity for such acts, has been the norm. The very existence of armed conflicts within the global spectrum endangers virtually every aspect of society: law and order, human rights, socioeconomic development, education, basic health services, and the environment. Often time, the use of sexual violence has been predominantly directed against women during situations of armed conflict. The humiliation, pain and terror inflicted by the perpetrator is meant to degrade not just the individual woman but also to strip the humanity from the larger group of which she is a part. The assault of one women is translated into an assault upon the community through the emphasis placed in every culture on a woman sexual virtue.5 During the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, women were subjected to sexual violence on a massive scale, perpetuated by members of the infamous Hutu Militia groups and soldiers of the Rwandan Armed Forces, including the Presidential Guard. Reports from the genocide later revealed that administrative, military and political leaders 5 Human Rights Watch, September 1996


at the national and local levels including the heads of militia were responsible for directing and encouraging sexual violence to further their political agenda of destructing the Tutsis as a group. Despite the countless atrocities committed, the Fourth World Conference held in 1995 marked a progressive beginning in terms of expansion of the international normative and policy framework on issues related to women and armed conflict, including in the United Nations Security Council. Four years later, in 1998, the Commission on the Status of Women adopted conclusions on women and armed conflict. The platform called for action in a number of areas namely that of ensuring gender sensitive justice, meeting the specific needs of women in armed conflict, increasing the participation of women in peacekeeping, pre- and post-conflict decision-making; and addressing disarmament, illicit arms trafficking, landmines and small arms. In 2004, the Commission adopted agreed conclusions on women’s equal participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post-conflict peacebuilding. These recognized that peace agreements provide a vehicle for the promotion of gender equality and that a gender sensitive constitutional and legal framework was necessary to ensure that women fully participate in such processes. Marking the beginning of the 20th Century, the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly entitled “Women 2000” chose to focus on gender equality, development and peace for the twenty first century.” The session reaffirmed the previous, Platform for Action and called for the complete participation of women in all matters of the decision making process including peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The assembly also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting girls in armed conflict, especially through the prohibition of forced recruitment. Following the devastation of armed conflicts in Yugoslavia and Rwanda, The International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda broke new ground in the area of jurisprudence on sexual violence under international law by convicting individuals of using rape as an instrument of genocide and a form of torture and by recognizing rape as a crime against humanity. Following the jurisprudence established, the statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, established in January 2002, included rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy and any other form of sexual violence among the constituent elements of crimes against humanity. Historically, the world has witnessed devastation on nearly every scale. But often, the devastation has triggered a simultaneous rally for change and the achievement of progressive milestones. Current Situation Social Women’s roles as mothers and bearers of children, or as bearers of a collective identity, often render them as targets of specific policies and practices. For many years, feminist scholars and advocates have highlighted how women’s identities and status as “wife/ mother/ daughter/ chattel” and so on - which are entrenched in patriarchal societies - inform beliefs and expectations in society in general, and in legal and political systems in particular. Women are defined in terms of their reproductive and sexual roles and hence are not seen as individual human beings with rights of dignity and bodily integrity. Through the designated gender roles, they are reduced to embodiments or beholders of another’s identity and thus become vulnerable targets, both in times of peace and during armed conflict. Subsequently, the harms suffered by women become marginalized and even invisible. A universal struggle for women has been the de-linking of attacks against them and their bodies, from the notion that these attacks are against the family or the community. The consequence of such designated gender roles to date has been a general lack of accountability for crimes against women. The abovementioned scenario in respect to both violence and the use of identity to violate women’s human rights was a reality in South Africa, under both colonization and apartheid.


Political Since 1995, the awareness of the impact of armed conflict on women and the contribution of women’s progress to peace process have increased significantly. Resolution 1325 adopted by the Security Council has lobbied for women’s participation in formal peace negotiations and decision-making processes, conducted research, and built networks. The resolution has also been used as a basis for training at the country level, advocacy and awareness raising. The Peace Women website by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom provides an overview of initiatives throughout the globe. Presently, there are challenges to establishing mechanisms that would allow the introduction of priorities and recommendations of informal women’s groups into a far more formal process including removing barriers for women’s representation at all levels of decision making. The participation of women in decision making processes have often been directly opposed namely through intimidation, harassment, and violence, time and mobility constraints, responsibilities in the home, including care obligations, illiteracy and limited access to education and training, limited access to information, economic dependency and lack of adequate financial resources, customs and traditions. Further, gender stereotypes continue to both limit and narrowly define women’s role in public life and decision-making. National & Foreign Policy In continuance with the devastating effects of armed conflict, there is still a need for strengthened and coordinated efforts at both a national and international level. Impunity for the violent crimes committed against women remains a serious problem. The failure of the judiciary and police to take these violence crimes as a serious threat consequently leads to minimal prosecution. Other issues also include the lacking enforcement due to the low capacities of the police, military and judicial officials to respond to violence. These include but are not limited to terms of protection, victims and witness support. Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence suffer from psychological trauma, permanent physical injury, and long-term health risks, including HIV/AIDS. Coupled together, these circumstances only reinforce the negative stigma towards women that have been victims of violent crimes. Additionally, in some countries, legislation on violence against women does not exist. Ironically, even with existing laws, there are still loopholes that allow perpetrators to act with impunity. Beyond that, the present circumstance is the lack of effective accountability and monitoring mechanisms to follow-up and drive more determined action. The inadequate availability of information and limited capacity to collect data and information at national level to inform and to guide policy making and programs, remain a challenge. Without such data, the analysis of security situations, including violations of women’s human rights, will be incomplete and women’s contributions to peace processes and their participation will continue to be challenged. Past UN & International Involvement In September 1995, the opening of the Fourth World Conference on Women would mark the beginning of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, arguably the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing women’s rights. The platform for action outlined and made comprehensive commitments under 12 areas of concern. Among one of the strategic objectives and actions adopted by the council includes the women and armed conflict. The key strategic objective of women and armed conflict includes but is not limited to increasing the participation of women in conflict resolution at decision-making levels, promotion of women's contribution to enable a culture of peace through provision of assistance and training to refugee women. Article 131 of the Platform underlines the importance of the empowerment of women and the definition of violence against women. 6 6 United Nations. (1995, September). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Retrieved from UN Women


Five years later, the Security Council reaffirmed its commitment to women and armed conflict through the implementation of Resolution 1325. The resolution did not mark a progression of the empowerment of women but also simultaneously addressed country specific situations and other thematic issues such as protection of civilians for the purposes of maintaining international peace and security. Other resolutions adopted by the council included Resolution 1612 which urged the development of a monitoring and reporting mechanism to better assist in the progress of women and armed conflict. In 2008, following the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the 52nd session of the CSW reviewed its implementation of the participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and conflict resolution. The review was instrumental in revealing the discrepancy of the idealistic nature of the resolution to the real world circumstance. The other facet of the session was also concentrated on representation and participation of women in peace-processes and decision-making; prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence, monitoring and accountability, and funding. In a unanimous vote in 2009, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1889. The resolution marked the beginning of an offensive strategy by the international community that would implement peacekeeping missions to protect women and girls from sexual violence in armed conflict. The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2106 on 24th June 2013, to reaffirm its commitment to ensuring the protection of women during periods of armed conflict. The resolution affirmed the devastating effects that sexual violence could have on communities.7 Further, the resolution recounts that sexual violence will be constituted as a crime against humanity, and further strengthens the aims of the resolution with an inclusion of a developed form of systematic monitoring of and attention to sexual violence. Following the adoption of Resolution 2106, the Council adopted Resolution 2122, four months later, on 18th October 2013. The forefront of the resolution was the engagement of women in positions of power in an attempt to resolve conflict and promote peace. In a near unanimous vote, the council adopted a resolution that firmly established an emphasis to issues of women, peace and security in all relevant areas of work on its agenda. Article 4 of the Resolution includes the provisions and promotion of gender equality to facilitate the complete participation of women in election preparation and political processes, disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs. Through the Security Council and the CSW, the UN has made considerable progress in concentrating its effort on the concern of women and armed conflict. The CSW continues to be held annually to ensure that progress continues to be made, namely in the empowerment of women. Possible Solutions While progress has been made, there are still considerable challenges in the question of women and armed conflict. It needs to be noted that despite the various facets of challenges present, there are numerous possible solutions that have the capability of addressing not only the concern of women and armed conflict but also other pertinent issues. The concern over the question of women and armed conflict has existed since the dawn of mankind, however, there are still nagging doubts over the capability of most societies to destroy the “subservient” perception of women. Often time, the most effective solutions are not just encompassed within the larger spectrum of solutions, but also arise from small, humbler beginnings. Perhaps, the beauty of these small scale solutions is that they often do not require the support of other nations, nor as much resources. 7 United Nations Security Council. (2013, June 24). Resolution 2016 (2013).


The first order that requires immediate implementation is that of eradicating limits on a woman’s access to education and health services. Together with this, needs to be a proactive measure to encourage the participation of women in all facets of a nation’s economic and political agenda. The education of a women should not under any circumstances be side-lined, rather, it should remain a priority. The fact remains that the fundamental peace and security of any community and nation lies and begins with the empowerment of women. Arguably a primary concern over the issue is the continued perception and “subservient” status of women that is still dominant in cultures and communities worldwide. A natural inclination would be to counteract the negative perception of women by significantly highlighting their respective roles and contributions to the larger society. Another effective measure of counteracting the general disregard of a women’s rights is through the legal means embedded within a country. Beyond the rule of law, attention should also be directed towards public servants and officers of the law. With appropriate and standards and tools in place, healing through quasi-judicial and non-judicial systems could also be achieved through a public acknowledgement of the violation, by allowing the victim to testify. The acknowledgement of a violation and crime breaks the silence surrounding violence, while inviting further discussion including the restoration of the individual’s control over herself and by extension, her life. The United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the NGO Tokyo Tribunal and the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission are examples of such forums. Justice, accountability, healing, reconstruction and peacebuilding are, and continue to remain, contested issues and processes that many post-conflict nations continue to struggle with.8 Interestingly enough, other recommendations include the exploration of including gender-specific legal and institutional reforms, including the repeal of all discriminatory legislation and enactment of gender-progressive laws. Conversely, addressing the rights and violent crimes against women following a period of armed conflict is of a completely different issue. For many of these issues, these solutions are long term solutions that address the contributing factors that lead to armed conflict with a simultaneous focus on dealing with the aftermath and destruction of communities. Following the apartheid in South Africa, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established for those very purposes. The practice of rape by Security Forces, opposition political groups, and those in the camps of the liberation movements did not fully emerge prior to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing. 9 It has been argued the truth commissions have allowed for the experiences of women visible and legitimate. The mandate by its very nature demands a gender sensitive approach all the while explicitly reflecting the nature of violence and human rights violence against women. Additionally, it is crucial for women to have access to information on the mandate, structure, functioning and safety measures available. 10 In regards to the participation of women in economic and political agendas, further improvement remains to be witnessed. Reparations, beyond that of a financial one, have been identified as a crucial solution to the issue. In certain circumstances, women centered economic compensation or access to productive resources or credit may assist in enhancing women’s economic empowerment and autonomy, consequently resulting in a transformative society and nation. Following the armed conflict in Sierra Leone, the recommendations of reparations included free health care, mental care, skills training, community reparations, provision of housing and pensions, and urgent interim reparations for specific categories of individual beneficiaries, including

8 Manjoo & Spees 2002 9 Hayner 2001:77 10 Elisabeth Rehn & Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 2003


amputees, war wounded, and victims of sexual violence, war widows and children affected directly by the conflict. Ironically enough, post-conflict situations have the ability to provide unique opportunities to introduce an inclusive political framework to advance the political participation of women. The international community, through its various forms and organizations, must, work with women’s organizations, and other national governments to support post-conflict constitutional, legislative, and electoral reform. These reforms are fundamental to raising the bar of gender equality in post conflict areas. Countries, such as Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, South Africa and Timor Leste, have taken important steps to increase the number of women legislators in post-conflict elections, including revisions of constitutional and legal frameworks to remove discriminatory provisions; reform of electoral systems, specific targeting of women in voter registration, provision of security during elections, training of women candidates, and introduction of temporary special measures such as quotas. Beyond that, the involvement of the international community is essential to assisting in women’s peace and conflict resolution initiatives around the world. Their presence in various post conflict nations have facilitated a smoother transition to assist in the creation of structures that are representative of both men and women. The collective efforts of the international community, namely through the UN and its subsidiary bodies like the United Nations Peacekeeping force have strengthened outreach, in terms of uniting the different national women’s constituencies. Other possible recommendations that could potentially be explored would be the formation of a female military and peacekeeping unit. The realm of possible solutions to counteract the circumstance of women and armed conflict vary considerably; however, the empowerment of women, must ultimately remain a focal point. Beyond the principality of the solutions, further effort and resources also need to be developed and devoted to better implement the policies, and programs. Simultaneously, together, they allow for the better protection and preservation of women’s rights during periods of armed conflict. Bloc Positions United Nations Security Council Veto Powers Members of the United Nations Security Council that wield veto power will be needed to ensure the adoption and implementation of any resolution adopted, namely those that will be controversial due to the representative diversity that is present in the United Nations. Further, their presence will also be required to potentially evoke any form of military or peacekeeping involvement when required. Most Economically Developed Countries (MEDC’s) MEDC’s will serve to contribute their expertise and resources in the development of a nation following periods of harsh political instability. Additionally, the presence of MEDC’s also assist in providing support, in terms of military and financial support, research and development. Least Economically Developed Nations (LEDC’S) LDC’s will serve to monitor progress in committee closely. The lacking economic prowess of these nations will provide a fundamental perspective to ensure the means in which to navigate local customs. Practices and corruption. The in depth knowledge of striking a balance between past and future practices is crucial to ensure the proper implementation and feasibility of any programs and policies.


Politically Unstable Nations Nations with past or ongoing armed conflict will be instrumental to focusing debate on various elements, all centered solely on the empowerment of women. In many instances, these nations would seek significant guidance in empowering women, while simultaneously seeking to install some measure of stability in the lives of their citizens in the form of peace and security. Discussion Questions

1. Has there been substantive measures that have been implemented to ensure the elimination and protection of violence against women?

2. Would providing financial support be substantial in assisting the development of women and girls? 3. Has the UN done everything within its jurisdiction to eliminate violence against women? If not, what

are other means in which the United Nations and its other subsidiary bodies be able to do to both prevent and eliminate violence against women?

4. What and how could judicial means be used by nations to deter violence against women? 5. How do both nations currently experiencing or have experienced armed conflict balance their

economic priorities to that of social priorities, all the while maintaining a focus on the empowerment of women?

6. How can nations currently experiencing or have experienced armed conflict effectively implement the vision and recommendation as constituted by the Commission on the Status of Women?

7. What measures can be instituted at a regional and national spectrum to ensure the progression and empowerment of women?

8. Besides the enactment of policies, what are some other ways in which nations and communities alike can be supported and assisted?

Additional Resources Armed Violence against Women in Burundi Traditional Justice and Reconciliation after Violent Conflict Elimination & Prevention of All Forms of Violence against Women & Girls Beijing Declaration & Platform for Action Overview of Women & Armed Conflict UN Resources on Women & Armed Conflict Bibliography Foreign Policy. (2015, February 10). Foreign Policy. Retrieved from Women Are the Best Weapon in the War

against Terrorism: http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/02/10/women-are-the-best-weapon-in-the-war-against-terrorism/

Human Rights Watch. (September, 1996). Sexual Violence during the Rwandan Genocide and its Aftermath.

Retrieved from Shattered Lives: http://www.hrw.org/reports/1996/Rwanda.htm


Manjoo, R. (2004, November). The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission—. Retrieved from UNRISD: http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BCCF9/(httpAuxPages)/F2177FF8C83E0BB4C125723400591907/$file/Manjoo.pdf

UN Women . (n.d.). The Beijing Platform for Action: inspiration then and now . Retrieved from UN Women. UN Women. (n.d.). Women & Armed Conflict. Retrieved from Beijing Platform for Women:

http://beijing20.unwomen.org/en/in-focus/armed-conflict United Nations. (1995, September ). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action . Retrieved from UN Women:

http://beijing20.unwomen.org/~/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/csw/pfa_e_final_web.pdf#page=93

United Nations Department of Public Information. (2000, May). Women and Armed Conflict. Retrieved from

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality & the Empowerment of Women: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/followup/session/presskit/fs5.htm

United Nations Security Council. (2013, June 24). Resolution 2016 (2013). Retrieved from Directory of UN

Resources on Gender and Women's Issues: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/2106%282013%29

United Nations Security Council. (2013, October 18). UN Security Council Resolution 2122 on sexual violence in

conflict. Retrieved from Women & Armed Conflict: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/2122(2013)

United Nations Security Council. (2008, June 19). Resolution 1820 (2008). Retrieved from United Nations

Security Council: http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/CAC%20S%20RES%201820.pdf

Women Watch. (2010). Women and Armed Conflict. Retrieved from Directory of UN Resources on Gender and

Women's Issues: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/directory/women_and_armed_conflict_3005.htm


Commission on the Status of Women Topic B

Women in Politics Overview

Figure 1: Map of Women in Politics with a focus on Executive Government and in Parliament

Since the dawn of the 21st century, women’s leadership and political participation have been restricted on nearly every level, from the local to the global level both through informal and formal means. Women are underrepresented in elected offices, civil service, the private sector and academia, despite their proven abilities as leader and agents of change and their right to participate equally in democratic governance. Since the dawn of the 21st century, the international community has come to recognize that gender equality and women’s empowerment are not only human rights; but an imperative foundation for achieving inclusive, equitable and sustainable development. The participation of women remains to be a focal point to these goals, and political parties remain to be among the most important institutions for promoting and nurturing such participation. With women occupying approximately less than 20% of the World’s parliamentary seats, significant effort is still required of political parties to support women’s political empowerment. Although 40% to 50% of party members are women, women account for only 10% of the leadership positions within those parties. Ensuring the equal participation of women is critical in the decision making structures and processes of a government and in the promotion of gender equality. The percentage of women in national legislatures has since become a standard measure of a country’s achievements in women’s political participation. Globally, the world has witnessed an increase in the average, but is still far from reflecting women’s share in society considering the massive disparities that are prevalent among local government bodies. The discrepancy between the global averages to that of the national average directly infringes upon women’s political rights and has the potential to restrict rights in other areas, given the


central role that national legislatures and local bodies have in formulating, implementing and monitoring laws on a budget. Although the percentage of women in parliament has nearly doubled in the last 20 years, the fact remains that there are only 22% of women in parliament today. The international community has, thus far, failed to improve the participation of women within the political and leadership vicinity. Ensuring women’s equal participation in decision making structures, like political parties, is essential for promoting gender equality within society, and, therefore, must remain at the forefront of the agenda. Timeline 1953 – On March 31st, 1953, the 1952 Convention on the Political Rights of Women, which recognizes the commitment of all member states to provide equal access to public service in the country, is adopted. 1957 – The Convention on the Nationality of Married Women, which provides for the statehood of women, irrespective of their marital status, is adopted. 1979 – On December 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination is adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to monitor the situation of women and to promote women’s rights. 1990 – The United Nations Economic and Social Resolution encourages all parties to adopt a minimum female representation for leadership positions. 1995 – During the fourth United Nations World Conference on Women, a Platform for Action focusing on issues ranging from women’s equal access and full participation in power structures and decision-making is created. 1999 – The Organization of African Unity and the Economic Commission for Africa launches the Women's Committee on Peace and Development 2003 – On December 22nd, 2003, the General Assembly adopts Resolution 58/142 to reaffirm the commitment of all member states to increase women’s participation in politics.11 2004 – Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) adopts conclusions on women’s equal participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post-conflict peace-building. 2005 – Israel amends the 1951 Equal Rights for Women Law mandating that there must be equal representation for women in bodies that shape national policy, including peace building negotiations. 2007 – Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers agree to the establishment of a Commonwealth Working Group on Gender, Peace and Security to address gender equality issues in peace and post-conflict processes. 2009 – Since 2009, UN Women has supported local governments’ efforts to improve women’s access to services and resources in Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. 2011 – On December 19th, 2011, the General Assembly adopts Resolution 66/130 that focuses namely on the critical importance of women’s political participation in all contexts. 11 UN General Assembly . (2004, February 10). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 22 December 2003 . Retrieved from UN General Assembly


2012 – In 2012, the OECD/DAC Network supported the elaboration of a gender equality and women’s empowerment indicator. 2013 – In 2013, the UN Women aided 6 countries in their efforts to improve gender equality in their national, sectorial, and local development plans and budgets. In 24 countries, national planning documents incorporated priorities and budgets on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Historical Analysis In previous decades, women have consistently faced a myriad of obstacles in their efforts to be involved and integrated within and beyond the political governance of their nation. The structural barriers erected through discriminatory laws and institutions limit the opportunities for women to run for office. The pre-existing capacity gaps mean that women are far less likely than men to have the education, contacts, and resources needed to be leaders within their society. Individual women have overcome significant obstacles with great acclaim and often to the benefit of the larger society, but on a wider spectrum, the playing field needs to be levelled, opening opportunities for all. The inequality present in most countries is evidence of governance failure. National plans, institutions and budgets reflect how governments, sometimes poorly, translate commitments to gender equality into results for women. Through a gender equality perspective, these dimensions of governance mean putting aside the conventional assumption that they are gender neutral. On March 31st 1953, the Convention on the Political Rights of Women was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The Convention based upon the legal status of women voiced the concern over the basic rights of political participation as dictated in Article 1 & 2. Article 2 of the Convention specifically states that “women shall be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies, established by national law, on equal terms with men, without any discrimination.” Its other provisions included the guaranteed rights of women to vote, hold public office and exercise public functions. This includes the rights of women to represent their countries at an international level. Nearly two decades after the earlier convention, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was adopted. The highlight of the Convention is that it established a precedence of bringing the female half of humanity into the focus of human rights concerns. The spirit of the convention is rooted in the goals of the United Nations: to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women. By its very existence, the Convention establishes itself as an international bill of rights and an agenda for action by countries to guarantee the implementation of such convention. Following the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, Rwanda has worked hard to establish a peaceful state namely through the active participation of women. Rwanda has, to date, the highest number of women parliamentarians around the world with 64% of seats held by women. Rwanda also continues to be the only country in the world with more female Members of Parliament than male ones. Women worldwide continue to represent under a quarter (21.9%) of all elected parliamentary seats. However, interestingly enough in Rwanda following the genocide, 70% of the country’s remaining solution was female, and the introduction of quotas requiring 30% of political and government candidates for women reflected real change in national and local politics. The inclusion and increase of female participation within Parliament resulted in increased access to education for both males and females and the enactment of new laws that have allowed women to own and inherit property. Marking the beginning of the 20th Century, the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly entitled “Women 2000” chose to focus on gender equality, development and peace for the twenty first century.” The session reaffirmed the previous Platform for Action and called for the complete participation of women in all matters


of the decision making process including peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The assembly also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting girls in armed conflict, with a focus on the prohibition of forced recruitment. Following the Platform for Action, the UN Women, in 2009, has aided local governments with the improvement of women’s access to services and resources in Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania. The application of gender responsive planning and budgeting has resulted in the successful increase of women’s representation and participation in decision making and by extension, better access to services for women and girls. Historically, the world hasn’t always revolved around gender equality. Rather, it has often been the opposite. Women have continuously been side-lined, often in favour of their male counterparts. But, just like anything else, progress or rather change is inevitable in today’s modern day society. The role of women has evolved tremendously from that of mothers to leaders in their society.

Figure 2: Governmental Participation by Women: measured by participation in parliament

Current Situation Social Women’s roles as mothers and bearers of children, or as bearers of a collective identity, often render women as targets of specific policies and practices. For many years, feminist scholars and advocates have highlighted how women’s identities and status as “wife/ mother/ daughter/ chattel” and so on - which are entrenched in patriarchal societies - inform beliefs and expectations in society, and particularly in legal and political systems. Women are defined in terms of their reproductive and sexual roles and hence are not seen as individual human beings. Rather, the legal status of a women has been linked to marriage, making them dependent on their husband’s nationality, status and welfare rather than individuals in their own right. Through the designated gender roles, they are reduced to embodiments or beholders of another’s identity and this makes women prone to inequality and discrimination within and beyond their community. A universal struggle for women is the continuous struggle to be viewed as educated, competent, and strong individuals. The consequence of such designated gender roles to date has been a general lack of accountability for discrimination and inequality against women.


Political Though the proportion of women in national assemblies still barely scrapes 16% on average, the striking outliers-Rwanda with 49% of its assembly female, Argentina with 35%, Liberia and Chile with new women presidents this year-have raised expectations that there is an upward trend in women's representation from which we may expect big changes in the quality of governance. Getting into public office today is merely the first step in creating governance and accountability systems that respond to women’s needs and protect their rights. Since the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action there has been a renewed emphasis on the goal of equal participation by women and men in political decision making.12 Member States of the UN have been called upon to monitor and evaluate progress in the representation of women at all levels of the public and private sector through the collection, analysis and dissemination of quantitative and qualitative data. Increasing women’s representation in political office is now among the development goals of member states. In line with previous ratifications of the international community, women in power and decision making has been an indicator for tracking progress towards the Millennium Development Goal 3, which is the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment women. National & Foreign Policy The continued discrimination and inequality imposed on women bring forth a need for strengthened and coordinated efforts at both the national and international level. The level of inequality against women remains a serious problem. The failure of the government and other third parties to address the discrimination against women remains a serious problem. The failure of the judiciary to acknowledge the disparity between the political participation of male and females as a serious problem consequently leads to a lax and negative stigma. Other issues also include the lacking enactment and enforcement of laws due to the subservient status that is associated with women. The combination of these circumstances reinforce the negative stigma towards women that intend to or are pursuing an active role in politics or leadership. Additionally, in some countries, legislation on the political participation of women does not exist. Though laws may exist “encouraging” the participation of women, there are still issues that contain loopholes and, consequently, pose as barriers for women who wish to enter politics. Beyond that, currently there are a lack of accountability and monitoring mechanisms to follow up upon the ratification of resolutions by members of state. It has to be noted that the political empowerment and equal participation of women in political decision-making have also underpinned global development targets since 1995 and are likely to feature in the new sustainable development agenda taking over the Millennium Development Goals this year. The lethargic progress on gender equality and women’s participation in public and political life will need to be tackled head-on for the overall success of the new goals.13 Past UN International Involvement On September 1995, the opening of the fourth World Conference on Women would mark the beginning of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, arguably the most progressive blueprint for advancing women’s rights.14 The platform for action made comprehensive commitments in 12 areas of concern. One of the strategic objectives and actions adopted by the council includes women in power and decision making. The key strategic objective of women in power and decision making includes but is not limited to the empowerment of women and their full participation on the basis of equality, including participation in the decision making process and access to power, a fundamental need for the achievement of equality, development and peace. The

12 United Nations. (1995, September). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Retrieved from UN Women 13 UN Women. (10 March, 2015). Press release: Sluggish progress on women in politics will hamper development 14 United Nations. (1995, September). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Retrieved from UN Women


platform further reaffirms that the advancement of women remains to be a fundamental force of leadership, conflict resolution, and the promotion of lasting peace at all levels at a local, national, regional and global peace. Nearly two decades prior, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against women was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The provisions of the Convention as stated in Article 7 reaffirm the basic rights of political participation for women through a guarantee of the women’s right to vote, to hold public office and to exercise public functions. Article 8 further includes the rights for women to represent their countries at an international level. The convention by its very existence draws attention to the fact that the rights and legal status of women have been liked to marriage as opposed to individuals in their own right. Articles 10, 11, 12 of the convention continue to recognize the rights of a women to non-discrimination in education, employment, and economic and social activities. These demands as outlined in the convention take into account the situation of women in rural communities, whose particular struggles and vital economic contributions as noted in Article 14, warrant more attention in policy planning. Article 15, continues to assert the complete equality of women in civil and business matters, demanding that all instruments and provisions directed at restricting women’s legal capacity shall be deemed null and void. Following the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 58/142 on 22nd December 2003.15 The recommendations based upon the Report of the Committee outline the crucial need for the empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of their political, social and economic status for continued sustainable development, peace and democracy. Clause 1 of the resolution urges states to promote and protect the right of women, in order to counter negative societal attitudes about women’s capacity to participate equally in the political process, and, thus, increase the number of women among political decision makers at the local, national and international level. On December 19th, 2011, the UN General Assembly again adopted resolution 66/130, which concentrates solely on women and political participation.16 The General Assembly in its perambulatory clause reaffirmed that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by its very existence provides everyone the right to take part in the government of his or her country directly, or through freely chosen representatives, and the right of equal access to public service. Clause 3 of the Resolution calls upon all member states to enhance the political participation of women whilst Clause 2 stresses a need for all nations to eliminate laws, regulations and practices that in a discriminatory manner, prevent or restrict women’s participation in the political process. The UN through its subsidiary bodies namely the CSW, UN Women, and UNDP have made considerable progress in concentrating its effort on the development of the status of women. The CSW continues to be held annually to ensure that progress continues to be made, namely in the empowerment of women. Bloc Positions Western Bloc Nations such as the United States, Canada, Australia and European Union nations are generally the most progressive with regards to women's involvement in politics and women's rights overall. These nations also have the highest percentage of multiparty democracies, which encourage women to run for legislative and executive offices. Western nations must be cautious of cultural bias when encouraging others to follow in their footsteps.

15 United Nations. (1995, September). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Retrieved from UN Women 16 UN General Assembly . (2012, March 19). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2011 . Retrieved from United Nations General Assembly


Middle East Traditionally, women in the Middle East suffered from a lack of political opportunities and discrimination from the ruling parties and/or class. While governmental systems in the region vary, women face a particularly tough obstacle in achieving political liberalization and participation. Some nations, such as Iran are more progressive on the matter, having universal suffrage for all adults, while others such as Saudi Arabia ban women from voting. Asia The political situation of women, and for all intents and purposes, entire nations, vary vastly across the Asian continent. Typically, trends of increased democratization correlate with the increased participation of women in politics, with countries such as South Korea having female heads of state. Yet, due to the incredible cultural and political variance of the region, delegates will have to study their countries closely to determine its stance on the issue. Africa One of the most fascinating developments in African politics has been the increase in women’s political participation since the mid-1990s. In line with this trend, African nations have also become increasingly progressive governmentally in recent years. Today, Africa is a leader in women’s parliamentary representation globally. African countries have some of the world’s highest rates of representation: Rwanda claimed the world’s highest ratio of women in parliament in 2003 and today Rwandan women hold 64% of the country’s legislative seats. Latin America Like African nations, Latin American nations have experienced a steady growth in women's participation in politics. Yet, the growth has not been equally divided. Countries with statutory gender quotas tend to have more women in power. Given that most Latin American countries are presidential democracies, women have seen more participation in both the legislative and executive wing of governments.

Discussion Questions

1. Has there been substantive measures that have been implemented to ensure the participation of women in politics and leadership?

2. Would providing financial support be substantial in assisting in the development of the status of women and girls?

3. Has the UN & its subsidiary bodies done everything within its jurisdiction to assist in the progression

of women namely in the areas of politics and leadership?

4. How can nations in the lower quintile of the gender equality stage increase the active participation of women while counteracting the negative stigma associated with female empowerment?

5. How can nations who have witnessed significant gender inequality effectively implement the vision

and recommendation of current and pre-existing resolutions and conventions as constituted by the United Nations?


6. What measures can be instituted at a regional and national spectrum to ensure the progression and continued empowerment of women in politics and leadership?

7. What and how could judicial means be used by nations to assist in increasing female participation in politics and leadership roles?

8. How should political parties encourage and nurture women’s involvement and incorporate gender equality issues?

9. Besides the enactment of policies, what are some other ways in which nations and communities alike can be supported and assisted?


Additional Resources Women in Power and Decision Making (Global Commitments) Constitutional Database Overview: Women in Power and Decision Making Summary: Women in Power and Decision Making Beijing Platform for Action: Women in Power and Decision Making Bibliography UN General Assembly . (10 February , 2004). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 22 December

2003 . Retrieved from UN General Assembly : http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/58/142

UN General Assembly . (19 March , 2012). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2011 .

Retrieved from United Nations General Assembly : http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/66/130

UN Women . (n.d.). Parliaments and Local Governance . Retrieved from UN Women:

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/parliaments-and-local-governance

UN Women. (September, 1995). United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women. Retrieved from United

Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/platform/decision.htm

UN Women. (2015). Facts and Figures: Leadership and Political Participation . Retrieved from UN Women:

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures UN Women. (2015). Gender Equality: A Governance Matter . Retrieved from UN Women :

http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2013/12/un%20womenlggovernancebriefusweb%20pdf.ashx

UN Women. (2015). Governance and National Planning . Retrieved from UN Women:

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/governance-and-national-planning UN Women. (10 March, 2015). Press release: Sluggish progress on women in politics will hamper development .

Retrieved from UN Women: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2015/3/press-release-sluggish-progress-on-women-in-politics-will-hamper-development

UN Women. (n.d.). Engaging in Public Sector Reform . Retrieved from UN Women:

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/governance-and-national-planning/engaging-in-public-sector-reform

UN Women. (n.d.). Facts and Figures: Governance and National Planning . Retrieved from UN Women:

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/governance-and-national-planning/facts-and-figures


UN Women. (n.d.). Global Norms and Standards . Retrieved from UN Women:

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/governance-and-national-planning/global-norms-and-standards

UN Women. (n.d.). Inclusive National Planning. Retrieved from UN Women:

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/governance-and-national-planning/inclusive-national-planning

United Nations General Assembly. (27 March, 2012). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 22

December 2011 . Retrieved from General Assembly: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/66/216

United Nations Human Rights. (18 December , 1979). Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Women New York, 18 December 1979. Retrieved from Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CEDAW.aspx

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