UNSCR 1325:

Women Making the

World
A Better Place

By: Rona A. Ysais

Seminar Paper in IS 204

Presented to: Ms. Aurora De Dios

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 A woman is the full circle.
Within her is the power to create, nurture
and transform.

~ Diane Mariechild ~

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Introduction

The lives of men and women, the work that they do, the income they receive, the
roles they are given and the relationships that they share are all shaped by our social
norms and so as our tradition -- which treats women and men differently. Truly in this age
of our living, gender really matters. If the different roles and responsibilities ascribed to
men and women are socially constructed, then, by definition, they may be changed by
society, by us. We can do something about this differentiality between men and women.

Why women are absent and men present when conflict ragged societies, sit down
for talks and reconstruct after war? Can women make a difference to peace and security?
What can they do to make the world a better place? These are just some questions that are
often asked before and sometimes of today. Women from all over the world met and with
all their hard work as well as the hard work of United Nations resulted to the United
Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.

Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said: "Women are often the first to suffer when
human security is threatened, whether by war, poverty, or natural disasters. We must
ensure that we fully address the impact on women of new threats to security like climate
change and fundamentalism".

Women's real and potential contribution to conflict prevention, interfaith

dialogue and mediation is still not fully appreciated or facilitated globally. Different
threats to security have been affecting women tremendously. Women as often the key
players in promoting human security at a local level, needs to harness their talents and

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translate it into a greater participation not only in the national but also in the global
decision making.

There have been lots of domestic and international women conferences that are
being held worldwide. They are having series of conversation regarding the
improvement on what women can do and what to do in order to make the women like us
be very effective just the like men who are in power. Are men really powerful than
women? If I may say it right, men are abusive in many composition particularly with the
power bestowed to them by the people; they violate not only women and children but
also other men’s right and freedom, I am not speaking in general however, I would just
like to point out that why some men do not believe in the capacity of women in making
a difference in this world. The fact that the men came from the womb of women, if men
would just give time to think that women as there mother surpassed the nine months of
carrying them plus the difficulty of laboring - that one fact is very evident that women
are robust and strong.

The “Women Stabilizing an Insecure World”, an international conference for

women political leaders held in Brussels on March 06, 2008. This conference has
brought together female heads of the states, ministers, international organizations,
business leaders, and civil society activists to discuss the dual themes of security and
women’s empowerment. By enchanting on this international conference I would further
discuss the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 which is the heart of their
meeting. By the help of this conference I would elaborate on the capacity of women in
making a difference for this world.

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The Women

In the olden times, it has been defined as a female human being able to conceive a
child (Cline, 2005). While in the modern era, the term women have been placed into
various ways. Women as the molder – for they conceive and give birth to their children,
they are the ones who take good care from the baby was born until it grows. It is the
woman, because the husband is off to work, who is always on the side of their children
especially at times that these children becoming aware of what is going on around them –
in this matter, woman can also be the teacher, the guide, and could be the shaper.
However, despite of these capacities, women become a victim in different ways; they can
fall into gender selective abortion and infanticide. Others do not receive the same amount
of food and medical attention as their brothers, fathers, and husbands. Others are being
prey to sexual offenders. Numerous of women are being violated and abused specially in
times of conflict, war, and post-conflict situations. Numerous of women are being killed
within their own walls through domestic violence. Rape and sexual exploitation remain,
moreover, a reality of countless women, are trafficked and some are being sold. These
situations, indeed, prove that women live in a very insecure world (DCAF, 2005)1.

Woman as human being have human rights. The violations of women are also the
violation of their human rights. There are number of violence that is being experienced by
women. Below is the table of Gender Violence throughout the Life Cycle of a Woman.

Period of Life Description of violence

1. Prenatal Phase Battering during pregnancy (emotional

and physical effects on the woman;

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 effects on birth); coerced pregnancy;
deprivation of food and liquids; sex
selective abortion
2. Infancy Female infanticide; emotional and
physical abuse; differential access to
food and medical care for girl infants
3. Childhood Child marriage; genital mutilation;
sexual abuse by family members and
strangers; differential access to
food and medical care; child
prostitution
4. Adolescence Rape and marital rape; sexual assault;
forced prostitution; trafficking in
women; courtship violence;
economically coerced sex; sexual
abuse in the workplace
5. Reproductive Age Abuse of women by intimate partners;
marital rape; dowry abuse and
murders; partner homicide;
psychological abuse; sexual abuse in
the workplace; sexual harassment;
rape; abuse of women with
disabilities; legal discrimination
6. Old-Age Abuse and exploitation of Widows.

Source: United Nations Development Programme, Regional Bureau for Latin America and the
Caribbean, A Life Free of Violence: It’s our Right: United Nations Inter-Agency Campaign on Women’s

To lessen if not eradicate this kind of violence to women; there has been incessant
emergence of different women’s movement that will stand as the driving force behind the
global efforts to address the changes and challenges that women are facing, more so, to
strengthen and harness the potentials of women in doing its role in national and global
level.

Women have challenged states to address abuses against women that occur in the
private sphere. Some grassroots organizations contributed to the sensitization of the
international community to violence against civilians during conflict and war, and in their
aftermath. The participation of the women’s organizations in bringing critical views and
standpoints to the table, and being able to shed light on various problems in international
level has been recognized by the international community.

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 There is an acceptance of the absolute interdependency between women's
participation and successful, sustained development but a much more need of ensuring
women should be done to be empowered politically and financially to be involved in
decision-making. Women’s voices must be listened to in relation to other threats to
human security, such as lack of energy security, poor health and education, terrorism and
climate change. ‘In the world we have now, global warming …(is) already affecting the
poorest communities and who bears the brunt, who has to try and keep the family
together who when they have to flee as will increasingly happen has to carry the babies –
it’s the women.’ Mary Robinson2, Human Rights advocate.

The “Women: Stabilizing an Insecure World” Conference

In any situation of insecurity, from war to health threats to climate change,

women are often disproportionately affected because of their traditionally more
vulnerable position in society. This international conference for women political leaders
builds on recent initiatives including the meeting hosted by US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice last September in New York and the International Women Leaders
Global Security Summit last November, hosted by the Council of Women World leaders,
where Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström is chairing the Council Ministerial
Initiative.

More than 50 international women leaders attended the conference in Brussels.

Among the participants are the President of the Republic of Finland, Prime Minister of
Ukraine, First Lady of Egypt, the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Deputy
Secretary General of the United Nations and Commissioners Wallström, Hübner and
Kroes.

The conference did not only focused on women as victims, but also the
neglecting of the contribution that the strong women can bring in stabilizing difficult
situations all over the world. Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner3 said “Women rebuild

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 societies shattered by conflict and disaster, and lay the foundations of local stability
without which there can be no global security. We must do more to ensure the potential
of women is harnessed at a local, a national and a global level – in the interests of us
all".

Moreover, it will debate on the talents of women that can be better deployed to
contribute to human security, and in particular, conflict prevention and resolution.

Towards the end of the session, the participants summed up all their ideas and
thoughts in resolving their issue of how the women will contribute in stabilizing the
world. The participants come up with these common ideas in stabilizing the world.

First, the key to stable world is a sustainable development. It is about stabilizing

an insecure world and finding the right combination of economic growth and social
progress. Education is important in this means, because it can contribute to social
stability. However, poverty is one cause that millions of children all over the world are
not getting any education. That needs to be addressed in any case.

Another important instrument to stabilize the world is the United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1325 on Women’s Role in Peace Building and Security, which links
gender equality to global security and acknowledges the importance of women’s voice in
building a genuine and lasting peace. This resolution is a milestone on the road to more
gender-sensitive peace processes and security policies. Though the implementation of the
resolution is a long-term political process, it must receive more attention throughout the
EU and in the various member states, in particular among decision-makers in the fields of
foreign, defense, security and development policy. Since the adoption of the resolution in
2000, awareness of the importance of including women in the peace and reconstruction
process has grown. Yet the implementation of its mandate remains sporadic and ad
hoc. (Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner)

Despite the general consensus to protect and empower women, they remain
marginalized in decision-making, peace-building and peacekeeping operations. Under-

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representation of women in politics still persists worldwide. Barring women from full
participation at the decision-making levels is a significant barrier to achieving Resolution
1325's goals. There is also a widespread problem of simply viewing women as victims
and not recognizing their potential as active participants in the process of building a more
stable and secure world.

At the final statement given by Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner, in behalf of the

participants she summed up all the things that has been said and done in harnessing the
potentials of women in bringing and making the change not only for themselves but for
the whole world.

The contribution that women make in securing their families, their communities,
and the world is still unappreciated and overlooked. So, they have agreed to call for an
international human right standards and instruments to be implemented with a renewed
vigor, including the UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Furthermore, they pay tribute and salute the countless women who in the face of
hostility, discrimination persevere in their struggle for justice and democracy. To women
who rebuild societies and families torn apart by conflict and disasters, and so to women
who have the courage to lay foundations of local stability, without which there can be no
global security. Because of the many kinds of violence being inflicted to women and
children, they call for an effective action to bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice,
and to end the environment impunity.

In addition, the key to women empowerment and to ensure that women play their
part in shaping a more secure future for themselves, their communities, their countries
and our world is to have a sustainable development especially education development for
women and girls which they are promoting.

They have committed themselves in ensuring that women are actively engaged in
all levels of decision making and to call upon leaders everywhere, of both genders, to do
the same. Moreover, they also committed to address the particular vulnerability of

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women in the face of old and new security threats, these includes poverty, natural
disasters, violence and abuses during conflict, and climate change. Lastly, they commit to
strengthening dialogue with those governments and leaders disbelieving of the need to
enhance women empowerment.

This kind of conference that advocates the aptitudes of women should be

supported by the citizens in order to establish a new orientation – the succeeding would
value the worth of women and would give much appreciation and respect to what women
can do in changing the world. As the saying goes, if you want to make a change, the
change should start within ourselves. Just like these women who are establishing
conferences as such, on their own they have already change something that led them to
bringing change to the citizen.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325

The United Nations Security Council held a debate on Women, Peace, and
Security in October 2000. The debate led to the passing of the Security Council
Resolution 1325 on October 31, 2001. This event was a result of the hard work of women
who participated coming from all over the world, and the hard work of the United
Nations, which has produced many documents, treaties and consensus agreements that
mention and expand on the effect of war on women and the need for their involvement in
conflict prevention, peace building and post-conflict reconstruction. Just like all
resolutions of the Security Council it has a status of International Law.

Prior to the passing of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, the
founding documents of these resolutions are the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women4 (CEDAW) of 1979; another is the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action in 19955; also in 1997 when the ECOSOC agreed
conclusions on gender mainstreaming6; the Security Council Presidential Statement of
Bangladesh in March 8, 20007; the Windhoek Declaration and the Namibia Plan of
Action on Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in the Multidimensional Peace Support

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Operations of May 20008; and the outcome document of the United Nations General
Assembly Special Session on Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development, and Peace
for the 21st Century or also known as the Beijing +59.

There are five commitments made in UNSC Resolution 1325: First is the Gender
Parity at all levels of decision-making. These calls for the: participation of women at all
decision-making at all levels for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict,
also, Women as Special Representatives and Envoys of the UN-Secretary General; and,
Women as military observers, civilian police, human rights and humanitarian personnel.
Second is Protection of and Respects for Human Rights of Women and Girls. There is a
call for Special Measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence and
other forms of violence in situations of armed conflict. Another is an end to impunity,
including for those responsible for committing sexual violence against women and girls.
Respect for the civilian and humanitarian character of refugee camps and the integration
of the particular needs of women and girls into the design of refugee camp. Third, Gender
Perspective in Peacekeeping, this put the responsibility to member states of giving gender
training of all peacekeeping personnel pre-deployment. Fourth, Gender Perspective in
Post Conflict Processes, these calls for the adaptation of a gender perspective in
Demobilization, Disarmament, Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration (DDRRR),
and post-conflict reconstruction. And fifth, Gender Perspective in Secretary General
Reports and in Security Country Missions, it calls for the Secretary General to carry out a
study on the impact of armed conflict on women and girls, the role of women in peace
building and the gender dimensions of peace processes, and it also it calls for the Security
General to report on progress in gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping missions in all of
his report to the Security Council.

The UNSCR 1325 – this resolution as part of the Security Council, considering
the Article 25 of the UN Charter: “The Members of the United Nations agree to accept
and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the present
Charter.” Moreover, it does not stand alone, it is a holistic perspective and that it is
supported by Global Constituency.

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 Consequently, there are challenges to this resolution are that it has a weak
language. Translation into many languages is needed to fully understand in each part of
the world. It lacks political will among member states and within the UN system, Gender
still not a politicized issue for many UN member States, remains a ‘soft issue’, and there
is a resistance of budgetary actors to allocate funding for gender programming. And last
challenge is that people do not know it exists, example is that there is a lack of systematic
flow of information between the UN Headquarters and field.

Nevertheless, in order to resolve its weakness, each states leaders or has the
capacity to interpret and translate it in their own language the UNSCR 1325 should have
the initiative in doing it so, for that it would be widely understand by the women and so
as the men in all parts of the world. If this happen then the information would be spread
and widely recognize. The UNSCR 1325 as an international law should be transparent to
everyone, which it may be more helpful if everyone would know there rights and
freedom. In this sense everyone will be force to comply in making the establishment of
this international law a helpful and effective not only to women but to all human beings.
Moreover, the lack of budget can be resolve in many ways, such as concert for a cause
and so on; it is just a matter of doing a brainstorming and willingness of everyone to take
the initiative to help improve and .make this international law a reality.

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Conclusion

The conference on any subject, especially on women that are being held all over
the world is really beneficial not only to those who attend it but also for the ones that are
being addressed in the duration of the conference. The people who are meeting on such
subjects, are indeed, very dedicated in bringing up change. The role of women is
continuing to evolve – in a matter of the whole world accepting the capacity and what
role can women do especially in the peacebuilding operations.

Women should be given the chance to show the world that they be equal to men
and that they need not to be underestimated and just be violated at all times. Going back
to what I have said earlier in this paper that women are molder – they nurture their
children to grow up wisely with love in heart and compassionate to each and everyone.
We should framed women as the mother of all – considering the world as woman, like
what we refer our nature as Mother. Women should be respected just as the way we
respect our environment. But, since because of globalization is changing everything –
that more things are put into devastation10, the mother nature is starting move on its own
(natural hazards) in order to be notice or get the attention of the people. Just like women,
they are doing something in order to get the attention of the whole for them to show that
they can do something that could bring change.

The participation of women in decision making is important not only in times of

peace but also in times of conflict and war. As we all know, in many cases of conflict,
women are the most vulnerable and the first victims. However, women are also the key to
initiating and preserving peace and security after conflict, this kind of role is increasingly
acknowledged through support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
Professor Christine Chinkin11, an international law expert said that ‘it is women who have

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maintained what fabric of society there is during conflict… and this builds up …actions
very often across the lines of warring parties and it just seems completely one-sided to
ignore that depth of experience in favour of those who have been away fighting.’

Women truly make a difference, because they adopt a more inclusive approach
toward security and in addressing the key social and economic issues that are often
ignored. The efforts of women in peace agreements and post-conflict are more viable,
effective, and practical. It is by engaging in a wide variety of actions that includes their
participation in peace talks, rehabilitating of children associated with armed groups or the
so-called child soldiers, convening conflicting parties to discuss common concerns, and
women advocates’ budget priorities that emphasize the social services rather than military
expenditures.

Finally, we society should be open minded and willingly support such actions that
needs to be done in order to propagate the worth and the capacity of women in many
aspect. Women are not only for the house but they can be somewhere especially in
peacebuilding processes. Women are made to be loved and respect, furthermore, they are
made by God with a unique way of thinking that they can be an effective in such process
or operations. The women’s way of thinking is way far different from men for a reason
that they are more patient and that they can always come up with a decision that is
meticulous and real firm.

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1
The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) works with governments and civil society to
foster and strengthen the democratic and civilian control of security sector organizations such as police, intelligence
agencies, border security services, paramilitary forces, and armed forces. See www.dcaf.ch

2
Mary Robinson, the first woman President of Ireland (1990-1997) and more recently United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights (1997-2002), has been a human rights advocate for most of her life. She is currently founder and
president of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative. Born Mary Bourke in Ballina, County Mayo (1944), the
daughter of two physicians, she was educated at the University of Dublin (Trinity College), King’s Inns Dublin and Harvard
Law School, to which she won a fellowship in 1967. (See http://www.theelders.org/elders/robinson.aspx)

3
Benita Ferrero-Waldner was the 11th European Commissioner for External Relation and European Neighborhood Policy.
She is also part of the Austrian European Commissioner. One of her priorities as a commissioner is to represent European
Union towards third countries; another is to foster cooperation and promote dialogue with their partner states. She should be
able to promote peace, security and stability, and to protect the values and interests of the European Union.
4
CEDAW adopted in 1979 by the General Assembly of the United Nations. It is the far reaching international commitments
of governments working for gender equality – was the first international human rights instrument to explicitly define all
forms of discrimination on women as fundamental human-rights violations. As of April 2005, there has been already 180
states ratified CEDAW.

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The Platform for Action of the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 further elaborated the nature
and scope of gender-based violence, acknowledging that there can be no development without equality, and that as long as
violence is tolerated, development becomes more elusive. The Beijing Platform for Action serves as a strategic guide for
states in the implementation of their policies around women and equality.
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Economic and Social Council decided to devote the coordination segment of its substantive session of 1997 to
consideration of the cross-sectoral theme "Mainstreaming the gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the
United Nations system". Herein, addresses issues of mainstreaming by intergovernmental bodies and the United Nations
system and proposes recommendations for consideration by the Council. (See
http://www.un.org/documents/ecosoc/docs/1997/e1997-66.htm)

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Bangladesh deemed it a privilege, to propose in the Council, during its Presidency in March 2000, that a statement be
issued on “Women, Peace and Security”. The Presidential statement contained in Press Release SC/6816 of 8 March 2000
recognized some of the following basic premises…

a. Peace is inextricably linked with equality between women and men;

b. Equal access and full participation of women in power structures and their full involvement in all efforts for the
prevention and resolution of conflicts are essential for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security;
c. While the entire communities suffer the consequences of armed conflict, women and girls are particularly affected;
d. Women constitute the majority of the world’s refugees and internally displaced persons;
e. Although women have begun to play an important role in conflict resolution, peacekeeping and peace building,
they are still under-represented in decision-making with regard to conflict;
f. If women are to play an equal part in security and maintenance of peace, they must be empowered politically and
economically, and represented adequately at all levels of decision making both at the pre-conflict stage and during
hostilities, also at points of peacekeeping, peace-building reconciliation and reconstruction;
g. There must be no impunity for war crimes against women and girls;
h. The importance of promoting an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies
and programmes while addressing armed and other conflicts;

(See http://www.un.int/bangladesh/statements/57/sc_women.htm)
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In order to ensure the effectiveness of peace support operations, the principles of gender equality must permeate the entire
mission, at all levels, thus ensuring the participation of women and men as equal partners and beneficiaries in all aspects of
the peace process -- from peacekeeping, reconciliation and peace-building, towards a situation of political stability in which
women and men play an equal part in the political, economic and social development of their country. Furthermore, Having
considered these matters in Windhoek, Namibia, at a seminar on ‘Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in Multidimensional
Peace Support Operations’ organized by the Lessons Learned Unit of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and
hosted by the Government of Namibia from 29 to 31 May 2000, participants looked at practical ways in which the UN
system and Member States can bring the aims set out above closer to realization. In that regard, the Seminar recommends
‘The Namibia Plan of Action’ and urges the Secretary-General to ensure that appropriate follow-up measures are taken to
implement it, in consultation with Member States, and that periodic progress reviews are undertaken. (See
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/wps/windhoek_declaration.pdf)

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The twenty-third special session of the General Assembly on "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for
the twenty-first century" took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 5 June to 9 June 2000 and
adopted a Political Declaration and outcome document entitled "further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action". This briefing note summarizes the steps leading up to the special session and
immediate implications of its outcome for the work of the Commission on the Status on Women, one of the main functional
commissions of ECOSOC and the main intergovernmental body tasked with the responsibility of promoting the
advancement of women and gender equality. (See http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/followup/beijing+5.htm)
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Like our environment, it is starting to degrade because of our carelessness.
11
Christine Chinkin is the Gender Advisory to the Swedish Armed Forces

Reference:

Cline, Austin. What is Women? [2005]. Retrieved last 15 October 2008 from
http://atheism.about.com/b/2005/04/30/what-is-a-woman.htm

DCAF. Women in an Insecure World: Violence Against Women, Facts, Figures and Analysis. Geneva,
2005

European Union. Women Stabilizing an Insecure World International Conference, [2008]. Retrieved
last 16 August 2008 from http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/ferrero-waldner/women_en.htm

Greig, A. et al. Men, Masculinities and Development: Broadening our work towards gender equality.
UNDP, 2000

UNDP, Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, A Life Free of Violence: It’s our Right:
United Nations Inter-Agency Campaign on Women’s
United Nations. Resolution 1325 (2000). Retrieved from http://www.un.org/events/res_1325e.pdf