Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, Glencree, Enniskerry, Co

Submission from

to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Public Consultation on Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security December 2018

Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, Glencree, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow

01 282 9711 [email protected]

“We know that without peace, development is impossible - and without women, neither peace nor development is possible”

The above quotation is from Killeen, P. (2014). ‘The Role of Women in Peacebuilding’ in Ed. E. Rafter. (2014). Deepening Reconciliation, Reflections on Glencree Peacebuilding. Glencree.

1. Glencree Centre for Peace and they flee conflict and violence in other Reconciliation and Women, Peace and countries. Security Internationally, Glencree works to share the lessons of the Irish peace process with war- Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation torn countries all over the world including (called Glencree from hereon) is an Palestine and Afghanistan. independent non-governmental organisation, Through this work, Glencree seeks to build that is the only peace and reconciliation positive relationships and public discourse centre in the Republic of Ireland. towards realising increased safety, justice Glencree has a deep involvement in peace and dignity in communities for whom building since the 1970s. conflict and violence may be a threat, reality or a previous experience. 1.1 Glencree’s Approach to Peace and 1.2 Glencree Activities Reconciliation The range of current initiatives by Glencree Glencree considers that recognition of the includes: uniquely gendered aspects of conflict is crucial to the success of efforts to deepen • Women’s Programme reconciliation and promote inclusive societies. • Young Peacebuilders Programme The active inclusion of women decision- • Peace Education Programme makers in the design, implementation and • Addressing the Legacy of Violence evaluation of peacebuilding initiatives is a key through Facilitated Dialogue core value for Glencree. • Dialogue with Muslim Communities of Glencree’s focus on reconciliation and Ireland inclusivity is local and international. • Political and Community Dialogue • Refugee and Intercultural Programme Glencree actively supports dialogue with and including work to support refugee between communities and people on the women living in direct provision island of Ireland. centres in Ireland This involves the creation and facilitation of • Working with international partners safe spaces, to enable people who hold on the Global Alliance of Muslims for different viewpoints and/or identities, to Equality engage with each other and to have their 1.3 Glencree’s Interest in the Third NAP voices heard. Glencree actively respects and promotes This dialogic approach is valued as a human rights and very much values the transformative strategy that deepens opportunity to engage on the development of relationships and reconciliation across Ireland’s Third National Action Plan on communities and that contributes to Women, Peace and Security. addressing the legacy of the historical political In 2020, the United Nations Security Council conflict on the island. of Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 will reach its 20th Glencree also works with communities and anniversary. people seeking to lively safely in Ireland as The importance of robust National Action Plans to progress women’s participation in all

phases of peace operations and of conflict Third NAP and is interested to act as a prevention, resolution and recovery is resource that supports the WPS reiterated by the finding that, between 1990 implementation in Ireland and internationally. and 2017, women made up just two percent of mediators; five per cent of witnesses and signatories and eight per cent of negotiators1.

This submission draws on the knowledge, understanding and perspectives gained from

Glencree’s work over the past 40 years.

Glencree is interested to engage and remain in dialogue on the implementation on the

1 https://theglobalobservatory.org/2018/10/why- women-peace-and-security-why-now/

2. Twenty-Five Proposals to the Third National Action Plan

This section distils the discussion from Section 3 of the Submission into proposals in response to the questions asked in the Public Discussion Paper. The proposals are numbered for referencing purposes and are not indicative of any priority order to them.

Section 3 provides a more detailed discussion on the issues that gives rise to the proposals.

Question in Public Proposals from Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Discussion Paper What strategic objectives 1. Retain the domestic and international dimensions of the should be priorities for the NAP Third NAP? 2. Continue to be leading advocates at home, regionally and internationally for the realisation of the WPS resolutions 3. Intensify efforts to support women as leaders in conflict prevention and peace building 4. Intensify efforts to address sexual exploitation and violence

How should the NAP apply 5. Sync the Third NAP with the Ireland’s implementation of to the Ireland-Northern the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 5 (women and Ireland context as well as girls’ empowerment); Goal 16 (peaceful societies) and migrants, asylum seekers Goal 13 (climate change) and others living in Ireland 6. Create opportunities at an inter-governmental level with who come from conflict and the British Government, and with any future reconvened post conflict affected areas? Northern Assembly, to develop an iterative approach to implementing WPS related priorities and Sustainable Development Agenda and Goals 5 and 16 7. Explore the development of a shared WPS action plan on an all-island basis and 8. Engage with women and civil society in the design, implementation and monitoring of such an action plan. 9. In the Third NAP, expand policy links to the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Sport section of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, given their focus on social inclusion and enhancing community cohesion. This is in addition to links with health and education bodies as mentioned in the Public Consultation Paper on the Third NAP 10. Engage women and others directly affected by conflict to develop education and awareness initiatives in Ireland to increase knowledge and understanding of the experiences and cultural diversity of groups in Ireland who seek safety here from conflict.

Question in Public Proposals from Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Discussion Paper How can the existing 11. Require Strategy Statements of government departments, monitoring and evaluation their agencies and relevant statutory/public bodies to mechanism of the NAP be explicitly commit to the implementation of WPS NAP improved? related actions 12. Put in place regular inter-Departmental planning and review of progress in achieving the priorities of the WPS/NAP, at Ministerial and/or Senior Official levels 13. Require Departmental Annual Reports and reports of their agencies and relevant statutory/public bodies to report on implementation of the Third NAP 14. Establish and annually report on the budget and expenditure that is attached to the implementation of the WPS across government and its agencies 15. Based on above, track resources towards gender equality and women’s empowerment under the Third and future NAPs. Current inter-Departmental work on Equality Budgeting is relevant here. How can the Plan better 16. Acknowledge the heterogeneity of people from conflict engage those who have a affected areas, through tailored outreach actions at local, role to play in Women, national and international levels Peace and Security but may 17. As well as better engaging with women and girls, men and not feel directly impacted? boy and LGBTI+ from conflict affected areas, reach out to faith groups and women with disabilities 18. Administer an expanded and targeted funding to support women’s groups, locally, nationally, regionally and internationally to work towards addressing human security issues. This spotlight on a human security approach is a supporting action to facilitate women’s transitions into decision-making and leadership roles in conflict and post conflict settings 19. Put in place an action plan and human and financial resources towards the expansion of opportunities for women and men to acquire or enhance their Dialogue and Mediation skills locally, nationally, regionally and internationally 20. Ireland could seek to become a recognised international resource in the promotion and development of Dialogue and Mediation skills as a strategy of engagement, negotiation and resolution in conflict affected areas 21. The Defence Forces engage across relevant groups from civil society in its development of their next Defence Forces Action Plan on UN Security Resolution 1325

Question in Public Proposals from Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Discussion Paper 22. Set a national target on the number of women in Irish military and police keeping by the end of 2023 – the projected completion date of the Third NAP. How should Ireland better 23. Develop and resource a WPS Capacity Building and promote knowledge of Communications Strategy that includes a focus on human Women, Peace, and Security resource development/education and training for locally, nationally, regionally politicians, government representatives, policymakers, and internationally? military, policy and civil society 24. Develop an education module on WPS for integration within education and awareness initiatives on the implementation of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act Section 42 aka as the Public Sector Duty 25. Initiate a Biennial WPS Forum to engage and build the capacity of an Irish WPS related network across a range of sectors

3. Glencree priority proposals for All those interviewed said that the course took them outside their own Third National Action Plan on comfort zone’ and gave them insight Women, Peace and Security (WPS) into ‘the other’.

3.1 Scope of the Third NAP Republican women expressed The Mid Term Review of the Second National themselves as ‘tired of attending Action Plan2 on WPS noted that, from the meetings’ where they were ‘the only outset the Irish National Action Plan was female voice in the room’ and unique by its inclusion of a dual focus, a focus expressed the hope that the on the domestic and international dimensions engagement with women from the of the UN resolutions on Women, Peace and Loyalist community could develop and Security. continue.

3.1.1 Retain the dual focus The hope was expressed by a Glencree strongly endorses the continuation participant giving the graduation and strengthening of this dual focus in the speech that, ‘I would be interested Third National Action Plan. and keen in reforming the group to continue the work that’s already been The domestic dimension of the NAP allows for made but especially with the vision of two majority policy priority areas. These are 3 discussed next. promoting women within Loyalism” .

3.1.1a Address the legacy of conflict in 3.1.1b Support a dignified life experience for Ireland-Northern Ireland women in Ireland escaping conflict and violence in other countries The first is to strengthen efforts to further identify issues for girls, women and their The second is to intensify supports to communities, that have arisen or continue to populations of girls and women and their emerge, from conflict in Ireland-Northern families/communities, now living in Ireland Ireland and its legacy; and to intensify efforts who may have arrived here independently or to address them. in families or other groups such as asylum seekers, refugees, trafficked women and The low participation of women in peace and migrants to seek safety and a dignified life reconciliation initiatives and the engagement experience. of women with each other across various divides remains strongly prevalent, well- In particular the NAP should give attention to: illustrated by the words of women who i. The specific needs of girls who arrive participated in a recent conflict intervention as separated children initiative: ii. The issue of women’s vulnerability to domestic and sexual violence within “For some Loyalist and Republican the ‘direct provision system’ women participants, it was their first (documented with Akidwa. 2013. Am time engaging ‘with women from the other community’. Only Saying It Now)

2 Hinds B. and D. Donnelly. (2017) Mid Term 3 Walshe B. (2017). Evaluation Report on behalf of Review of Ireland’s Second National Action Plan on the Edward Kennedy Institute and the Community Women, Peace and Security 2015-2018. Dublin: Engagement Network of The Theory and Practice Government of Ireland. of Mediation and Conflict Intervention Module. Maynooth: Edward Kennedy Institute, Maynooth University.

iii. Family reunification – families coming 3.2 Women, Peace and Security from conflict zones into Ireland with no housing or integration plans in as a Cross-cutting Policy Issue place. This results in the practice of There are a range of international and placing them directly into temporary national policy initiatives that are relevant to homeless accommodation Women, Peace and Security. iv. Women and girls in Ireland affected 3.2.1 WPS and Northern Ireland by female genital mutilation (FGM) Glencree suggests that the Third NAP v. Development of hate crime legislation supports the creation of opportunities, at an to combat all forms of racism in inter-governmental level with the British Ireland Government, and with any future reconvened vi. An official response to Northern Assembly to discuss and examine Islamaphobia/anti-Muslim hatred how an iterative approach to applying WPS which affects Muslim women and girls and SDG (particularly Goals 5 and 16) could be disproportionately. Research developed, implemented and supported. undertaken by James Carr of University of Limerick, involving 300 There are a range of bodies where this could Muslims living in Ireland, shows that be considered including the Council of the 47% experience hostility including Isles, British Irish Council, British Irish threats, verbal abuse and physical Assembly and relevant North-South bodies. assault. Muslim women experienced hostility 1.6 times more than men due A shared WPS action plan on an all-island, or to the visibility of their Islamic dress. tri-partite basis, would be an opportunity to develop a strategic resourced approach across 3.1.2 Continue as a leading international a range of actors. advocate of WPS The engagement of women and civil society The international dimension of the WPS across the communities would be essential to remains central to the broader policy the authenticity of this process under WPS. development and implementation roles that Such engagement will be most effective by Ireland engages in globally. involving women, especially those affected by Ireland is a long-standing UN troop- conflict, in the design, implementation and contributing country to peace effort. We are monitoring of such an action plan. also a country that has emerged from a Glencree notes that the UK WPS National history of hunger and conflict. Action Plan does not incorporate a focus on We have an historical and ongoing strong Northern Ireland. tradition of statutory and civil society support 3.2.2 WPS NAP and other national policy and solidarity in international co-operation and development. frameworks Glencree supports the commitment in the We are well placed to continue to be leading Public Consultation on the Third NAP to advocates for the realisation of the produce a stand-alone WPS National Plan that commitments of the WPS resolutions and to will interlink with the National Strategy for collaborate with regional and international Women and Girls, the Migrant Integration bodies in that effort. Strategy, the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking in Ireland, the National Glencree is steadfastly supportive of this Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender approach by Ireland. Based Violence, the LGBTI+ National Youth

Strategy and the National Strategy on 3.2.3 Embedding WPS in Governmental Children and Young People’s Participation in and statutory strategies, reporting and Decision Making. budgets It also supports the commitment in the Public Glencree proposes that an explicit Consultation document to engage on commitment to the WPS/Third NAP be education and health issues. required in Strategy Statements of Government Departments and their agencies Glencree proposes that there is also scope to and relevant statutory entities, including Irish extend these WPS links to priorities and public sector bodies who may be new to programmes of the Department of Rural and explicit-related WPS work such as health, Community Development and the Sport education and those working to address priority of the Department of Transport, climate change. Tourism and Sport. These Departments play significant roles in addressing marginalisation, Glencree also considers that regular inter- and building and support social inclusion and departmental planning and review of the strong connected communities. This focus progress in achieving the priorities of the could explicitly outreach to women and Third NAP is valuable. The higher the level of groups in Ireland who come under the WPS - reporting the greater the priority. Reporting related resolutions. to an Inter-Ministerial group and/or an Inter- Departmental Senior Officials Group is 3.2.2a Sustainable Development Agenda and proposed. This demonstrates a visible and Goals active cross-cutting institutional commitment to the agenda of women, security and peace. The Third NAP presents an opportunity to sync with the longer-term 2030 Sustainable Publishing progress in the implementation of Development Goals (SDGs). the WPS NAP in Departmental Annual Reports is also valuable. This demonstrates a level of All countries are required to implement the public accountability on WPS. SDG Agenda domestically and internationally including SDGs goals on gender equality, 3.2.3a Budget commitment women and girls’ empowerment (SDG Goal 5) This reporting could also usefully identify and and peaceful societies (SDG 16). report on the budget and expenditure that is attached to the implementation of the WPS The UN Security Council, the European Union across government and its agencies. and the African Union has identified climate change as a defining threat to peace in the The implementation of the Irish NAP 21st century. contributes to the realisation of Ireland’s obligations to women under several Impacts of climate change, such as drought, international commitments including the floods, extreme weather events and reduced Beijing Platform for Action and the food and water security, affect women and Convention for the Elimination of men differently with the poorest being the Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). most vulnerable. The identification of budgets across human Goal 13 of the SDG is relevant here and and financial resource allocations is an Glencree proposes that this Goal could be indicator of the capacity to deliver on the incorporated into work that syncs the Third WPS/NAP agenda. Irish NAP with SDG processes and priorities. Implementation may be seriously constrained without such designation and can be

indicative that the work is an ‘add on’ to given Within this the WPS related expenditure from commitments already in place. the Stability Funds is noted as €450,000 in 2016. The Third NAP could put in place actions that would identify the extent of the budget Ireland’s ongoing role as a donor to commitment to the WPS across specified international initiatives, such as the Women’s Departments and bodies. Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is also commended, including our engagement with This could usefully act as a future baseline various WPHF activities at UNGA and regional against which to track resources towards levels. gender equality and women’s empowerment, in context of the WPS and future National 3.2.3b Five-year Alignment of NAP with Irish Actions Plans. Aid Country Strategy Programmes

The current inter-Departmental work by The proposal in the Public Consultation Paper government on Equality Budgeting is relevant to develop the next NAP as a five-year here. strategy is welcome.

Glencree notes that the UN has set a Glencree notes that this better facilitates minimum target of 15 per cent of all United alignment between the WPS NAP and the Nations-managed funding in five-year cycle of Irish Aid Country Strategy support of peacebuilding projects to advance programmes. gender equality and the empowerment of women. This was one of the benchmarks in 3.2.4 Promoting Knowledge of WPS the seven -point action plan for gender Improving knowledge of the provisions of the responsive peacebuilding.4 5 WPS is key to the capacity of people and institutions to invoke it to achieve greater gender equality and women’s empowerment; Glencree notes the finding of the Mid Term to end sexual violence in conflict and to deal 6 Review of the Second NAP that a small with its consequences. budget was designated to the Conflict and Resolution Unit of the Department of Foreign The development of a WPS Capacity Building Affairs and Trade which has been used to and Communications Strategy would be an good effect. The Review also noted that the important element of the forthcoming HSE does not have a designated WPS linked Ireland’s Third NAP. fund. Given the diversity of audiences to whom the 3.2.3b International Funding and WPS WPS is relevant, such a strategy would focus Glencree supports the Irish Government’s on human resource development at approach where the International Co- institutional and community levels. It would operation Budget cuts across a range of incorporate education and training for programmes that are WPS relevant, including politicians, government representatives, humanitarian and emergency assistance, policymakers, military, police and civil society human development, bilateral initiatives and on strategic advocacy and implementation civil society and co-financing initiatives with steps. NGOs.

4 Coomaraswamy, R. (2015). Preventing Conflict, 5 UN Secretary General. (2018). Report of the Transforming Justice, Securing the Peace. A Global Secretary General on Women, Peace and Security Study on the Implementation of United Nations October 2018. Geneva: UN Resolution 1325. Geneva: UN Women. 6 Hinds B. and Donnelly D. op.cit

Glencree proposes that the Third NAP men, and their experiences is acknowledged contains a commitment to the development and taken into account. an education module on WPS for integration Glencree’s experience is that people of within education and awareness initiatives on diverse backgrounds and ages really value the implementation of the Irish Human Rights being facilitated in a safe environment to and Equality Commission Act Section 42, also reflect on their experiences of conflict. In known as the Public Sector Duty. Glencree’s recent Dialogues with Muslim Direct involvement of people with experience Communities of Ireland7 participants of the reality of conflict needs to be appreciated having time and space to identify harnessed in the development of educational the issues which concern them and to have resources across sectors. further time to engage in dialogue with others on findings ways to take action and engage A key element of Capacity Building and with a wider group of stakeholders. Communications Strategy could be the inclusion in the Third NAP of a Biennial Forum One of the strong messages from that process or Platform on WPS. This would be aimed at a is that consultation and dialogue on their own range of civil society, statutory and other is not enough. People want to be part of bodies and serve several purposes such as: policy and decision making on important - Build the capacity of a WPS-related issues. network in Ireland from civil society, government, parliament, executive, The Dialogues project with Muslim statutory sector and the media Communities offers lessons relevant to - Greater awareness of WPS related planning work with women living in Ireland activity that is being resourced in who have come from conflict zones and have Ireland and internationally experienced human rights violations and - Inter-sectoral, domestic and traumas. It is vital to find opportunities to international exchanges on best practice on WPS related initiatives facilitate these women to find their voices and - Informed discussion on how to to engage in structured dialogue with officials improve policies and advance from government departments to inform effective solutions for greater Departmental led or funded work on WPS. participation by women in peace and Glencree notes that the Third NAP Public security - Active links and synergy between the Consultation document flags that the scope of domestic and international strands of the forthcoming NAP will outreach to better the Irish NAP. engage women and girls, men and boys and LGBTI+ people from conflict affected areas. Glencree proposes that faith groups and 3.3 Leadership, Voice and women with disability could be included in Engagement this outreach approach, which we strongly welcome. 3.3.1 Promoting strategies in response to heterogeneity of experiences Glencree’s Dialogue with Muslims highlighted In implementing the dual focus of Ireland’s that they feel excluded from policy making Third NAP, it is important that the heterogeneity of girls and women, boys and

7 Catibusic-Finnegan. B. (2018). Dialogues with Muslim Communities of Ireland. Glencree: Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation.

and women highlighted the specificity of their There is a need to recognise post conflict negative portrayal in the Irish media. trauma and recovery after conflict. Creating an informed perspective on the nature and Glencree suggests there is a need to support extent of these experiences by women, Muslims to be aware of their rights here and listening fully to their voices and valuing their to raise their awareness about political ideas and actions here in Ireland is vitally participation including in local level important. community groups and Public Participation Networks (PPNs). This, in turn, equips Ireland and gives us the responsibility to express these ideas at Glencree also considers that active international level and to use them to inform development and promotion of education and its own peacebuilding efforts worldwide. awareness initiatives with the media in Ireland could help increase understanding of 3.3.2 Female Leaders and Human Security cultural diversity of groups in Ireland who are Local and political norms, age, socio-economic fleeing conflict. class, sexuality and disability are amongst the contextual factors that impact on girls’ and Engagement with these groups, in the women’s experience of conflict and violence. development of such initiatives, is crucial to Women’s experience of these is mediated by the authenticity of the narrative in these underlying economic, social, cultural and resources and to their capacity to increase political structures within their communities knowledge and understanding of WPS related and countries. issued by target audiences. In the Third NAP, an intensification of effort to Some women who came to Ireland as promote and support women as leaders is a refugees and migrants have already strong message about women’s agency in established projects back in their countries of conflict prevention and in building sustainable origin, working against the use of sexual peace efforts. This approach can also violence in conflict. They have also contribute to systemic change towards more campaigned here to bring in legislation to ban fair and equal social structures. FGM. Others have studied mediation and peacebuilding. This work has been Human security, is one of the key tenets of undertaken without specific support or the WPS. It is about feeling safe, secure and engagement with the Government’s UN 1325 being able to live life to one’s full potential. Strategy. Greater security of women is an essential If there are specific channels of outreach to underpinning to support their participation in women in Ireland, fleeing conflict, individuals conflict prevention and peace building and it can discover that their voices, talents and is, of course, critical to ending sexual violence motivation to bring about change can be in conflict and to trafficking of women. harnessed and supported in a systematic way. Being able to articulate needs and wants, Glencree’s work with women seeking asylum rights and responsibilities; giving voice to from conflict and human rights violations has experiences and opinions are all critical to led it to being attentive to the trauma they women’s empowerment and to women’s have experienced and to incorporating self- capacity to act as leaders. care practices into its work with them. It is slow painstaking work to support Voice, empowerment and human security are . psychological safety for women coming from all interlinked war, conflict and human rights abuses.

Evidence from Northern Ireland reports how transmission of a sectarian culture the lack of human security causes fear and (with loathing, fear and hatred at its disempowerment: core) which is still going on daily in many homes across Northern Ireland. “Women from some areas have It is clear to us that sectarianism still reported: lies just below the surface. There is • high levels of control (through enduring hurt caused by what has fear and intimidation) happened in the past and the effects • local women unable to speak are being transferred to succeeding up due to threat to property generations who bear the brunt of and personal security this legacy”9. • women (and men) and their families living in fear and An intergenerational focus to peacebuilding silence due to the threat of initiatives within the NAP could be considered reprisals in the above context. • women not having ‘safe spaces’ to discuss issues’ “8. Threat to life and loss of life are significant fears for many women in conflict affected Glencree’s own Women’s Programme communities. reiterates how challenging it is for people to be voices of change: The scale of this issue is shocking when it is noted that more than half of the women “Participants on the programme say honoured in the annual tribute of the they want change but are still held Association for Women in Development for back by the fear of public opinion in 2017 were murdered because of their work in their own neighbourhoods, conflict-affected countries, including disapproval of people they love, or Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the the threat of violence to their Congo, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen10. families. The crucial contribution of women’s This fear isolates people and makes it organisations to conflict resolution and hard to work with those who are peacebuilding efforts has been explicitly longing for the same changes. People recognised in UNSCR 2122 (2013). This calls talk about helplessness and the on Member States to develop dedicated difficulty of individuals standing up funding mechanisms and increase their and speaking out” contributions to women’s organisations. The central role of the home is also identified: Glencree strongly endorses this approach, and “Evidence from the programme its intensification, in the forthcoming NAP. suggests that the home has a crucial Glencree suggests expanded and targeted role to play in ending the cycle of funding to support women’s groups, locally,

8 Women and Peacebuilding, Sharing the Learning. (2014). The Women’s Resource and Development Agency, the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and the National Women’s Council of Ireland. 8Killeen, P. (2014). ‘The Role of Women in Peacebuilding’ 10 UN Secretary General. (2018). Report of the in Ed. E. Rafter. (2014). Deepening Reconciliation, Secretary General on Women, Peace and Security Reflections on Glencree Peacebuilding. Glencree. October 2018. Geneva: UN

nationally, regionally and internationally to 3.3.4 Engaging with others who have a role work towards addressing human security to play issues. In this section, Glencree confines its This spotlight on a human security approach is comments to Ireland’s support for UN peace a supporting action to facilitate women’s operations, in particular by the military. transitions into decision-making and As a troop contributing country Ireland leadership roles in conflict and post conflict continues to be involved in many settings. peacekeeping missions around the world.

3.3.3 Dialogue and Mediation Women as peacekeepers are a critical Dialogue and mediation are two concepts that leadership and support resource in conflict are central to Glencree’s own capacity and zones. expertise in peace and reconciliation work, widely used in our Young Peacebuilders 6.4% of the Irish Defence Forces are female. Programme, Women’s Programme amongst The UN Security Council Resolution 2242, in others. 2015, called on the UN and member states to Dialogue and mediation are skill-based tools double the number of women in military and that have the capacity to engage police peacekeeping by 2020. people/groups who may be isolated or disempowered or who may be in conflict with Expanding the base of female participation in each other. It helps to improve the Defence Forces increases the likelihood of understanding, relationships and trust as being able to strongly move towards the UN prerequisites towards conflict resolution, target over the next number of years. reconciliation and peace. Glencree acknowledge efforts to increase Glencree strongly advocates the rates of female participation in the Defence establishment of an action plan, with Forces and urges that these continue and are designated human and financial resources to intensified. expand opportunities for women and men, across sectors, to acquire or enhance these It also welcomes the presence of Gender conflict resolution and peace building skills Focal Points and Military Gender Advisors locally, nationally, regionally and within the Forces. internationally. Glencree would like to see a national target in The DFAT consideration of the development on the number of women in Irish military and of a Network or Consortium of Women police keeping by the end of 2023 – the Mediators is important in this context. projected completion date of the Third NAP.

The Irish Defence Forces have developed a Under the next NAP, Ireland could set a target for it to become a recognised international targeted Defence Forces Action Plan on UN resource that promotes and develops Security Council Resolution 1325. dialogue and mediation opportunities for Glencree encourages engagement across groups affected by conflict and for people relevant groups from civil society in the working in peace keeping roles and capacities. development by the Defence Forces of the

next iteration of this Action Plan.

4. Conclusion

Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation across sectors such as government, civil is pleased to have the opportunity to make a society, military, police and media is submission to the development of the Third important to realising a more equal world. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Active and transparent structures, adequate Security. resources and capacity and visible and regular We value the UN resolutions in support of this accountability and reporting are all key to as important international instruments that translating words into action and to can make a difference to gender equality and supporting the WPS to make a difference to women’s empowerment and to creating and people’s right to having a dignified life, a right maintaining sustainable peace around the that for many women is seriously world. compromised by conflict.

The WPS agenda is centrally connected to Glencree is interested to engage and remain many other instruments and policy in dialogue on the implementation on the frameworks locally, nationally, regionally and Third NAP and is interested to contribute as a internationally. Achieving complementarity resource that supports the WPS between these and building strong alliances implementation in Ireland and internationally.

======