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GAPS newsletter: August 2019

Updates

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women, Peace and Security

The APPG on Women, Peace and Security has published event reports for two recent public events: “Life in Limbo: adolescent girls in crisis and conflict” and “Gender and Conflict in the Middle East: what next for Women, Peace and Security and displacement?“. If you want to be notified of events and updates of the APPG on Women, Peace and Security, email appg-wps@gaps-uk.org to be added to the distribution list.

Canadian Government appoints Jacqueline O’Neill as Canada’s first-ever Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security!

Read the Women, Peace and Security Network-Canada’s response to the appointment: “A global leader on women, peace and security, Jacqueline O’Neill is the former President of the Washington DC-based Institute for Inclusive Security and has over 15 years of expertise working with government and civil society. She has supported the creation of national strategies for over 30 countries, as well as NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the United Nations… Her appointment demonstrates Canada’s firm commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda. It comes at a critical time globally, with women seeking representation in peace processes in Syria, Yemen and other conflict countries.”

Open Letter to the Group of Friends of 1325

Read this open letter calling on governments to accelerate commitments on Women, Peace and Security as part of their work on sustainable development, including on gender equality and peaceful and inclusive societies. The letter states that “Realising the vision of the 2030 Agenda requires urgent political as well as technical shifts. Deep rather than superficial action is needed for political transformation”. It urges governments to “raise the bar and promote sustainable development and peace that works for every woman and every girl of every age, place, ability and status, and for all of us.”

Beijing+25 & the 64th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in 2020

In 2020, the global community will mark the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995. 2020 is therefore a pivotal year for the accelerated realisation of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, everywhere. The 64th session of the Commission on the Status of Women is planned to take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9 to 20 March 2020. The main focus of the session will be on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly. Read more on UN Women’s webpage for CSW64.


Research & Resources

WPS and Displacement in the Middle East

This joint policy report of the LSE Middle East Centre and GAPS is the result of extensive discussions at a workshop organised by the LSE Middle East Centre in Jordan in September 2018 with national and international experts. The workshop focused on the gendered impacts of displacement and how the Women, Peace and Security agenda can be used to address the issue of conflict-related displacement better. This report offers insights and provides recommendations to support responses to displacement to be gender-sensitive, and to integrate the displacement and Women, Peace and Security agendas through addressing the differential rights, needs and experiences of displaced women, girls, and men and boys.

Conversations with Funders of Women’s Organisations

This Oxfam report aims to help funders and organisations working with women and girls to better understand each other, find solutions to challenges and to work more effectively towards their shared goals. Despite increasing conversations on investing in women and girls, historically the sector has received a fraction as a percentage of overall funding. The report explores the funding approaches that shape investment in this area, and the challenges that may be preventing the rhetoric of support for women and girls from becoming reality. By also consulting women’s organisations, the research reveals the alignments and gaps between the priorities and perspectives of funders and grantees. It demonstrates how more open communication can build mutual trust, encourage stronger partnerships and enable more effective work to improve the lives of women and girls.

WILPF’s Feminist Analysis of the 2019 HLPF on Sustainable Development

Read the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom’s feminist analysis of the 2019 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. This year’s discussion set the stage for what could have been the most exciting space yet at the UN to tackle structural obstacles to gender equality, development and peace. However, most discussions missed the mark on this unique opportunity. Structural issues such as tax justice and plugging of illicit financial flows, arms control and disarmament regulation to prevent exports of violence, and regulation to address the climate crisis remained limited. We need to raise the bar on sustainable development to strengthen women’s participation, protection, and rights across the conflict spectrum. Read more here.

World Pulse’s Women, Peace and Security Report 2019

In the autumn of 2018, World Pulse crowdsourced the stories, experiences, and expertise of women across the world to democratise peacebuilding and security efforts. Despite being nearly 20 years since the passage of UNSCR 1325, women remain on the outside of peace and security decision-making. World Pulse, Our Secure Future and the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership – ICAN collected women’s voices to shed light on what peace and security mean to those who are most immediately impacted by it. This report shares ways women are redefining security by highlighting their security concerns and priorities, their accounts of how violence affects their lives, and their recommendations for including more women in security efforts. 

NGO Guide for Beijing+25 National Parallel Reports

In preparation for Beijing+25 in 2020, NGOs and civil society stakeholders must have their own independent process to report on progress made, challenges and recommendations. The purpose of these NGO Guidelines for Parallel Reports is to provide a common template for NGOs to use for country (city or state) reports. NGOs should adapt it to suit their local contexts and feel free to change it as needed. Although many questions are drawn from UN Women’s official Guidelines for governments, these are adapted to reflect NGO and civil society perspectives. NGOs can prepare their own parallel national reports in preparation for Beijing+25 in order to strengthen the feminist and women’s movement’s collective influence on  governments and have an independent voice at the UN. The NGO parallel reports can help to make governments accountable and ensure the inclusion of the gender equality agenda into national policies. They should be an integral part of local, national and regional reviews that will assess progress made in implementation and identify challenges. 

Gender & Development Journal: Humanitarian Action & Crisis Response

This issue of the Gender and Development Journal was produced in collaboration with UN Women’s Humanitarian Action and Crisis Response Office, and Oxfam’s Global Humanitarian Team. The rate of forced displacement across the world is at an unprecedentedly high level. As of 2018, nearly 71 million people have had to flee their homes. Gender inequality creates a range of specific needs for women and girls in humanitarian crisis. Women need equality, security and the means to survive, while good humanitarian responses desperately need women’s full participation and leadership. Yet funding to protect and promote women’s rights remains painfully low. This issue offers cutting-edge insights on innovative humanitarian programming aiming to advance women’s rights and gender equality. Read the issue blog here.

Stronger Civic Voices Across the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth Foundation has published a report showcasing their projects around the world. The stories within this publication demonstrate their commitment to amplifying less-heard civic voices at all levels of society, from the smallest rural community to the largest international forum. 

Harnessing the Power of Data for Gender Equality

Equal Measures 2030 has launched the 2019 SDG Gender Index, The SDG Gender Index is a tool for girls’ and women’s movements and champions from all sectors to ensure that governments live up to the gender equality promises laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The index finds that, with just 11 years to go until 2030, nearly 40% of the world’s girls and women – 1.4 billion – live in countries failing on gender equality. Another 1.4 billion live in countries that “barely pass”. Even the highest scoring countries have more to do, particularly on complex issues such as climate change, gender budgeting and public services, equal representation in powerful positions, gender pay gaps, and addressing gender-based violence. 

Gender-Responsive Implementation  of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Read the report and recommendations spotlighting SDGs 10 (reduced inequalities), 13 (climate action) and 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) from the expert group meeting on tackling global challenges to equality and inclusion through the gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This report: assesses progress on the three goals (SDGs 10, 13 and 16) and considers the interlinkages between them from a gender perspective; discusses the latest evidence and identify good practices, implementation challenges, as well as research and data gaps, to strengthen the integration of a gender perspective in policies and practices at all levels, including ensuring the principle of leaving no one behind; and puts forward a set of catalytic and actionable recommendations to support the achievement of sustainable and resilient societies through the accelerated and gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda, as well as related UN priorities on prevention and sustaining peace.

Sustainable Development Goals: Transforming Our World

Read UNA-UK’s latest report, investigating the implementation of the SDGs and their stated ambition to leave no one behind. The report, produced in collaboration with Witan Media, contains analysis and recommendations from 36 expert contributors. 

Spotlight on SDG16

Realising SDG 16 on peaceful, just, and inclusive societies requires a power shift that re-centres work on equality, development and peace around the voices, human security and rights of women and those most marginalised. This requires not just technical fixes, but structural transformation that moves from institutionalising a form of governance that enables domination and violence to institutionalising a form of governance that enables equality and peace for people and planet. Read more from WILPF’s Abigail Ruane here.

Global Peace Index 2019

The Institute for Economics and Peace has launched the thirteenth edition of the Global Peace Index, which ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness. The report presents a comprehensive data-driven analysis to date on peace, its economic value, trends, and how to develop peaceful societies.


Events

A Celebration of Iranian Women’s Leadership

Tuesday 1 October, 18:00-20:00, RUSI, London: Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women Peace and Security; Nazenin Ansari, Managing Editor of Kayhan London; and Shéhérazade Semsar de Boisséson, CEO of POLITICO Europe are hosting a celebration of Iranian Women’s Leadership. The event honours Dr Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Laureate and Human Rights Champion, and Mahnaz Afkhami, First Iranian Minister for Women’s Affairs (1975-78) and Founder and President of Women’s Learning Partnership. Register for the event here.

Implementation of the WPS Agenda: National Action Plans and Beyond

Thursday 3 October, 18:30-20:00, LSEAs we approach the 20th anniversary of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the LSE Centre for WPS is hosting this event to consider the remarkable successes of the policy architecture formalised by the resolution. The 9 WPS resolutions guide implementation across the UN system and, for implementation at the national and regional levels, states and organisations have devised national and regional ‘action plans’ outlining the priority areas for action. This talk by Professor Laura J Shepherd provides an overview of these mechanisms for implementation and introduces a new database that presents quantitative analysis of the 81 current national action plans to identify trends and emerging issues.

FiLiA 2019 Conference

Saturday 19-Sunday 20 October, Bradford: The FiLiA 2019 conference brings together sisters taking down patriarchy! Learn more about the conference here.


Opportunities

UN Global Call for Nominations

The Global Call for Nominations for the positions of Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) in the United Nations peace operations is an outreach initiative conducted by the United Nations Secretariat. The 2019 Global Call outreach campaign will be open for nominations until 30 September 2019. As applications will be considered on a rolling basis, early submissions are encouraged. This Call for Nominations is open to Member States, international, regional and non-governmental organizations who can nominate up to four individuals with the required level of expertise, leadership skills and motivation to serve in senior leadership functions in United Nations field missions. Individuals can also nominate themselves as long as the same requirements are met. More information available here.

Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy ‘Disrupted’ journal submissions!

The Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy’s print journal ‘Disrupted’ seeks to understand, challenge and critique mainstream foreign policy through highlighting both experienced and emerging voices from across the globe. The 4th edition of ‘Disrupted’ will focus on reproductive health and justice. The deadline for abstracts/proposals is Saturday 31 August 2019, 5pm (UK time). Click here for more information.

Gender Just Climate Solutions Awards

Even after the adoption of a gender action plan at COP23, many decision makers still do not understand how adopting a rights-based and gender-responsive approach can lead to more ambitious and effective climate policies. That is why Women Engage for a Common Future wants to showcase the Gender Just Climate Solutions at the upcoming climate negotiations. The fifth edition of the Gender Just Climate Solutions Awards will honour at COP25 the fundamental contribution of women in the fight against climate change. More information is available here. The deadline for entries is Monday 9 September 2019.

Together First!

Together First is a growing movement of global citizens, coordinated by a network of over 100 experts, practitioners, civil society activists and business leaders from all regions of the world. They are committed to making the best ideas for global governance a reality. The UN’s 75th anniversary in 2020 must be the starting point of a global governance transformation. Together First is campaigning for a multi-stakeholder summit to mark this occasion – to discuss, adopt and initiate the reforms we urgently need, and to unite around a shared vision for the future. Read their report – How to Save the World – and participate in their consultation to improve global governance.

Recognising African Women’s Contributions to Peace and Security

As part of the 20th anniversary of UNSCR 1325 in 2020, the United Nations and African Union are collaborating to publish a commemorative book. The book aims to create a space for African women who have been involved in maintaining and promoting peace and security on the continent to have their voices heard and their stories told. While self-nominations are very welcome, you can also nominate an African woman, young or seasoned, whom you know has been a force of change in maintaining and promoting peace and security in her capacity at the community, national, regional and/or continental level. In short, think of a woman who has engaged in any or all four pillars of UNSCR 1325 which include: (i) participation, (ii) protection, (iii) prevention and (iv) relief and recovery in conflict or in peace-building processes. The call for nominations is open until Monday 2 September 2019! More information here.


Jobs & Volunteering

Womankind Worldwide

Graphic Designer, apply by Wednesday 28 August

Knowledge & Learning Advisor, apply by Wednesday 4 September

Communications Volunteer

Women for Women International UK

People & Culture Manager, apply by Wednesday 4 September

CARE International UK

Programme Team Assistant, apply by Sunday 1 September

Humanitarian Programme Funding Coordinator, apply by Sunday 1 September

Humanitarian Programme Management Coordiator, apply by Wednesday 28 August

Oxfam

Women’s Economic Empowerment Knowledge Hub Coordinator, apply by Tuesday 3 September

UN Association UK

Communications Volunteer, apply by Thursday 29 August

Saferworld

Conflict & Security Adviser, apply by Friday 30 August

International Alert

Peacebuilding Intern, apply by Thursday 29 August

Gender and Development Network

Administration & Communications Volunteer Internship, apply by Tuesday 24 September

Gender and Global Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE)

Research Uptake Advisor, apply by Sunday 1 September 2019

Crisis Action

Advocacy & Campaigns Manager, apply by Sunday 8 September 2019

Georgetown Institute for WPS

Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, apply by Sunday 1 September 2019

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