ADELASIA DIVONA, PhD (She-Her)’s Post

Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, we reflect on the devastating impact of conflict-related sexual violence #CRSV in Ukraine. The Office of the Prosecutor General reports 298 cases as of June 2024 affecting men, women, and children since the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation in 2022.   UNDP in Ukraine teams up with UN Women, UNFPA, and The Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (OSRSG-SVC), UN Team of Experts on Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict and other UN agencies and programmes to address CRSV through a number of initiatives aimed at enhancing the capacities of national justice and government institutions to effectively identify, document and investigate these crimes and provide assistance to the survivors. Our projects include the deployment of national and international experts on CRSV within key government institutions, including the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, the Office of the Government Commissioner for Gender Equality and Policy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Office of the Prosecutor General, and the National Social Service of Ukraine.   Join us in reaffirming our commitment to combating CRSV and supporting survivors. Together, we can make a difference. Photo credit: EyeEm / Freepik UN Women Europe and Central Asia UNFPA Eastern Europe and Central Asia UNODC IOM Ukraine World Health Organization Ukraine

This week, we observed the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict #crsv. As a value-based company dedicated to exploring and addressing the links between gender, peace, and security, we understand the critical importance of tackling sexual violence in all its forms. Here are four facts to keep in mind: ✏ Sexual violence increases when wars and conflicts arise. Women and girls become particularly vulnerable, especially when (internally) displaced. ✏ Sexual violence can be used strategically to humiliate victims, destroy social and cultural structures, and in the context of ethnic cleansing and genocide. ✏ Men and boys also suffer from sexual violence in conflicts and are often overlooked, as women and girls are disproportionately affected. ✏ The emergence of sexual violence is neither limited to certain world regions nor to during armed conflict only. Preventing and addressing sexual violence before and after conflicts, including in non-conflict regions, remains critical. As we work on #womenpeacesecurity issues in all world regions- from Latin America to Europe, Africa and Asia- the protection and prevention of sexual and gender-based violence #sgbv is a cornerstone of our work. Together with the partners and clients that we have collaborated with over the years – the United Nations UN Women, NATO the European Union European Institute for Gender Equality, the OSCE, the Organización de los Estados Americanos, ECOWAS Commission, governments and CSOs Cordaid, PAX Protection of Civilians, The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, GS-Foundation, Prospera, Berghof Foundation- we work towards human security, sustainable peace and security for all. Check out how we do that: https://lnkd.in/gq4fNFhd

Understanding Gender-Based Violence in Conflicts Wars and conflicts must be studied through a gendered lens, recognizing gender as a hierarchical and relational construct. The UN highlights gender differences in roles, responsibilities, and vulnerabilities. Men often face violence as combatants, while women are seen as victims. Gender-based violence (GBV) became a focus for international organizations in the 1990s, with the UN prioritizing human rights for women and girls. The 2000 UN Security Council Resolution 1325 underscores the importance of women's voices in peacekeeping and their specific vulnerabilities in armed conflict. Subsequent resolutions and declarations emphasize preventing and addressing GBV. GBV often increases during conflicts, manifesting in physical and psychological abuse, deprivation of resources, and trafficking. It is used strategically to harm the enemy, with women symbolizing the nation's spirit. This violence has historical and contemporary precedence, from WWII to ongoing conflicts in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria. Both women and men suffer GBV, though men's experiences are often underreported. Addressing GBV requires acknowledging violence against all genders as part of the broader issue of gendered violence. Conflicts reproduce gender norms and inequalities, amplifying risks for those in already discriminatory societies. Masculinity, constructed within gender relations, is exacerbated during wars, reinforcing violence as a male institution. Understanding GBV in conflicts demands an exploration of gendered dynamics. This is a critical area for ongoing attention and deeper analysis to address the pervasive and complex nature of GBV in conflicts. It is a significant study that needs to be explored more intricately. #HumanRights #ConflictStudies #WomenEmpowerment #MasculinityInWar #WartimeViolence #SexualViolence #GenderEquality #WomenPeaceSecurity #ConflictResolution #GenderJustice

An article by Horia Mosadiq In Afghanistan, the Taliban's stringent restrictions on women's freedom of movement have resulted in significant challenges accessing healthcare and essential services, compounded by the dissolution of legal frameworks and protective institutions against violence. This exacerbates an already dire situation, leaving women vulnerable to increased risks of violence and discrimination, including forced marriages and gender-based violence. The economic repercussions are profound, with many women unable to support themselves due to limited access to employment opportunities and financial dependence on male relatives. Despite these adversities, Afghan women demonstrate remarkable resilience, courage, and determination, finding innovative ways to resist Taliban oppression and advocate for their rights, even in the face of severe restrictions on their autonomy and freedoms. #GenderApartheid #GenderEquality #AfghanWomen #Taliban VIDC (Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation)

𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 On 28th March 2024, during the High-Level Dialogue Session, representatives of the Central African Republic and the Deputy High Commissioner reviewed the progress and situation of human rights. They highlighted several positive advancements, particularly noting improvements following the 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review. Additionally, they acknowledged the collaborative efforts with MINUSCA and various UN agencies aimed at fostering development and peace in Central Africa. The complex security environment created a gap in implementing effective social norms and protection. Many abuses were reported and the presence of armed groups called for demobilisation and community reintegration. Mr. Arnaud Djoubaye Abazene emphasised the efforts put into improving the conditions of women, particularly the new law on parity and gender equality. The revision of the electoral code enhanced women’s participation in the political sphere, and the inquiries on sexual abuses have been reinforced through legal institutions. The protection of the child - especially children at risk - has been of main concern, drawing attention to the national plan against child trafficking and reinforcement of social infrastructures. While challenges remain, the government of Central Africa is committed to following up on the progress made by strengthening governance and allocating adequate resources. In order to tackle security challenges, Independent Expert Mr. Yao Agbetse called for the reinforcement of UPR mechanisms, and support from the international community to implement these changes. 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐚 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 (𝐆𝐈𝐂𝐉) welcomes the efforts made by the Central African Republic in improving human rights and calls on the United Nations and local partners to foster collaboration and support in implementing sustainably promising projects. #HumanRightsProgress #UNDialogue #CentralAfricaDevelopment #PeaceBuildingEfforts #SecurityChallenges #GenderEqualityLaw #ElectoralReform #ChildProtection #GovernanceStrengthening #InternationalSupport #Geneva4Justice #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #GenevaInternationalCentreforJustice

Insightful analysis "Missed Connections: Representations of Gender, (Armed) Violence and Security in Resolution 1325* The unanimous approval of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on “Women Peace and Security” was met with enthusiasm by various sectors of the academic and activist communities, which praised its uniqueness and importance (Rehn & Sirleaf, 2002; Hill et al., 2003). The Resolution's importance can also be measured by the number of times it has been translated since being approved – at the time of writing it has been translated into over 100 languages (Peace Women, 2012) – and by its relevance to activist work carried out by civil society organizations. According to the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, one of the key organizations in the creation and approval of Resolution 1325, most of the respondents to a 2005 questionnaire on civil society activity (out of a total of over 100 participants in two workshops devoted to the Resolution) confirmed that they were using * Article published in RCCS 96 (March 2012). This is a longer revised version of the text “UNSCR 1325: Is it Only about War? Armed Violence in Non War Contexts” (Santos, Roque & Moura, 2010), focusing on the centrality of war and its equation with violence in Resolution 1325. It has resulted from several research projects carried out between 2005 and 2010 by the Center for Peace Studies and the Observatory on Gender and Armed Violence. RCCS Annual Review, 5, October 2013: 3-31This article analyzes the limitations of the United Nations Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security (1325/2000) as a product of the concepts of gender, violence and security underpinning it. Although it represents an important historical advance, recognizing the potential role of women in peacemaking processes and post-conflict agreements, and ensuring that violence against them is taken seriously both nationally and internationally, the Resolution nevertheless has a number of limitations and challenges. It is argued here that the Resolution is (only) a first step towards the recognition of the connections and possibilities of dialogue between gender, violence and security, and that it does not necessarily transform the way each concept and the connections between them are understood within the United Nations, its member states and even non-governmental organizations dedicated to gender issues, particularly women’s groups. The limits of the Resolution are questioned by analyzing contexts of armed violence other than wars or post-conflict situations that are not covered by1325, focusing particularly on their gender dynamics. (Rita Santos, Sílvia Roque, Tatiana Moura Center for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, Portugal)

The number of women killed in wars doubled last year compared with 2022 figures, according to a report by UN Women. Women accounted for 4 out of every 10 deaths in conflict zones in 2023. Meanwhile, cases of conflict-related sexual violence surged by 50%.  The agency found that the majority of these deaths happened in Gaza, noting that on October 7, 2023, Hamas militants killed at least 280 women and abducted at least another 90 women and 36 children. The ensuing attacks on Gaza have "taken an especially cruel toll on women", with nearly two thirds of all fatalities in Gaza reported to be women and children. There have also been numerous reports of sexual violence against women at the hands of the Israeli military. In addition, more than 3,000 women have become widows and new heads of households, struggling to protect their families while dealing with profound trauma and grief. The report also highlights conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Sudan and Syria that remain unresolved and have contributed to the devastating harm experienced by women and girls, and by civilians at large. Additionally, in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Yemen women's rights are severely curtailed and women's rights defenders are increasingly under attack. The report details the dire situation in Sudan, "which already had one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world before the outbreak of the armed conflict in April 2023," and where "2.64 million women and girls of reproductive age are now in need of urgent assistance, including 260,000 pregnant women." We recently spoke to Dr Rabab Baldo, a mediator who has had a prominent role in Sudan’s peacemaking efforts since the 1990s, who explained that women in Sudan are the direct targets of the current war. “Since it started, the war has been fought on the bodies of women. Rape in RSF areas has become a trend," she said. "We have reports from fact-finding missions, as well as reports from women on the ground who are providing psychosocial and trauma healing for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence… Two-year-old children and 80-year-old women have been raped. Women have been taken to different areas from the capital Khartoum and from Darfur, to be enslaved for sexual purposes.” International human rights law and its special protections for women and children are being ignored, the report states, and out of 31 peace agreements reached in 2023, only 8 included explicit references to women, girls, gender or sexual violence. Sima Bahous, UN Women’s executive director, said: “Women continue to pay the price of the wars of men. This is happening in the context of a larger war on women. The deliberate targeting of women’s rights is not unique to conflict-affected countries but is even more lethal in those settings.” #UNWomen #WomenInConflict #UNReport PeaceWomen Across the Globe Photo: Gaza Strip by Yousef Hammash/ Norwegian Refugee Council

Domestic Violence Awareness Month reminds us of the transformative power of economic empowerment in addressing intimate partner violence (IPV). Jhumka Gupta’s research spans global borders, from Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia in West Africa to the U.S., where she develops and tests interventions that combine economic empowerment with gender equity training. In Côte d'Ivoire, her EA$E intervention showed that economic empowerment, paired with addressing harmful gender norms, can reduce violence. Now, she’s adapting these findings for forcibly displaced populations in the U.S., demonstrating the global impact of this innovative approach. Learn more: https://ow.ly/H68A50TRLO1 #DVAM #WomensEmpowerment #IPV #EconomicIntervention #GlobalHealth