New Zealand National Action Plan
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NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN for the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, including 1325, on Women, Peace & Security 2015–2019 1 NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN Front cover: Photo taken during a visit by a contingent of sailors from HMNZS WELLINGTON to Igam Barracks Primary School in Lae, Papua New Guinea. Credit: New Zealand Defence Force Top: New Zealand Police Officer in Bougainville Credit: New Zealand Police 2 NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN KIA TAU TE RANGIMĀRIE KI RUNGA I A TATOU LET PEACE SETTLE UPON US ALL 3 NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN New Zealand’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security explains how New Zealand will implement the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on women, peace and security for the period - . The UNSC Resolution on women, New Zealand’s National Action Plan, peace and security was a ground- led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs breaking resolution adopted in and Trade, New Zealand Police and the , followed in later years by six New Zealand Defence Force, addresses complementary UNSC resolutions. the role of women within New Zealand, Together the resolutions articulate including those working in government three priority issues: representation and agencies directly associated with peace- meaningful participation of women at all making and conflict prevention, those levels of peace and security governance; in civil society organisations and society promotion of all pertinent rights for more broadly, as well as women outside women and girls; and the protection of New Zealand in our immediate Pacific rights for women and girls in fragile, region, and globally. conflict and post-conflict situations. NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN Family violence stand in the Solomon Islands. Credit: New Zealand Police 5 NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN BACKGROUND Women’s and girls’ empowerment and Sexual violence and violence against gender equality are critical to efforts women continues to be used as a to maintain international peace and widespread and systemic tool of war. security. In contemporary conflicts, Women’s experiences of violence and the vast majority of casualties are discrimination in conflict societies civilians, and most of these are tend to reflect the attitudes and women and children. Women and girls social norms of the communities in disproportionately suffer the effects of which they live during times of peace. displacement from stable communities Violence and inequalities that women and societies. They are increasingly face in crises do not exist in a vacuum. targeted directly by combatants and Therefore educating whole communities women may also be combatants and achieving core attitudinal and themselves. societal norm change is an important preventative measure. Family violence is At the same time, women have an also a key concern that New Zealand is important role to play as leaders and working to address. decision-makers in the prevention and durable resolution of conflict. This role Progress is being made in addressing is recognised, but still not consistently many of these areas, but women and respected and embedded within girls continue to face specific and international peace-building practice. devastating forms of sexual and gender- Addressing these issues is crucial to based violence. Even after conflict has sustainable peace, economic recovery, ended the impacts of sexual and gender- social cohesion and political legitimacy, based violence against women and girls and the impact on operational persist. Insecurity, impunity and social effectiveness in fragile, conflict and stigmatisation can then prevent women post-conflict situations. from accessing education, becoming financially independent and participating in governance and peace-building. NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN Within the United Nations, the numbers of women appointed to senior roles is slowly increasing in direct response Women and girls to the Resolution agenda. At disproportionately the most recent review (end of ) suer the eects of women headed per cent of United Nations peacekeeping, political and displacement from peacebuilding missions. The majority stable communities of field missions now include gender and societies. advisers, but at around per cent, there is some way to go to meet the target of all such missions incorporating Moreover, women continue to be poorly dedicated gender expertise. The represented in formal peace processes. United Nations Department of Political In recent peace negotiations women Affairs’ eight-member Standby Team of have represented fewer than eight per Mediation Experts currently includes cent of participants and fewer than three women. In the Secretary- three per cent of signatories. No woman General appointed the United Nations has ever been appointed chief or lead first woman lead mediator as Special mediator for the host-country side in Envoy to the African Great Lakes region. United Nations sponsored peace talks. Progress on women’s representation Women’s participation is critical as in international fora is welcomed, but it presents an important and diverse further advancements in this area wisdom. Women bring a perspective require the combined efforts of the to peace talks beyond that of the often United Nations, individual States and small and unrepresentative group of civil society. active combatants, and they represent New Zealand is proud to be able to a broader base of society that would join more than other countries otherwise be excluded from durable in responding to Resolution by peace-building plans. An inclusive peace committing to a National Action Plan on process is more likely to lead to lasting Women Peace and Security. peace. NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN THE RESOLUTIONS UNSC Resolutions Along with these resolutions, the broader United Nations women, peace In recognition of the specific protection and security agenda is grounded in needs of women in situations of conflict, a number of key treaties and other Resolution was adopted in . decisions. One example of this is Resolution affirmed the importance the Committee on the Elimination of of the full participation of women in Discrimination Against Women’s conflict resolution, at decision-making General Recommendation No. on levels of durable peace processes Women in Conflict Prevention, Conflict and the build-up of gender response and Post-conflict Situations (CEDAW/C/ capability in peacekeeping missions. GC/). Since six further resolutions have been adopted by the UNSC that Actions and measurements for are relevant to the women, peace and Women Peace and Security security agenda: SCR ( ); The United Nations has identified SCR ( ); SCR ( ); four complementary and overlapping SCR ( ); SCR ( ) thematic areas for conceptualising and SCR ( ). Together these actions and measuring progress in the resolutions reaffirm Resolution , women, peace and security agenda. drawing particular attention to the prevalence of sexual violence against PREVENTION women and girls, calling for more Incorporating women’s perspectives into rigorous investigation and prosecution, early warning systems, public education noting the continued and persistent and training guidelines and prosecution underrepresentation of women at all of violators of women’s rights, including stages of peace processes, including sexual and gender-based violence, their very low participation in formal are all measures that are essential to mediation roles and limited participation conflict prevention efforts. in many facets of post-conflict public life. These fundamental human rights Key UNSC Resolution Operative issues are crucial to sustainable peace, Paragraphs: OP of SCR (); economic recovery, social cohesion and OP of SCR (); OP of SCR political legitimacy. () and OP of SCR () NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN PARTICIPATION PEACEBUILDING, RELIEF AND RECOVERY Recognising the positive impact on conflict prevention and lasting This includes equality of access to resolution, this relates to increasing resources, justice and basic services, the quantity and seniority of women’s and investment in economic and social representation in national and United security for women and girls. Nations led peace processes, and Key UNSC Resolution Operative empowering local women at all levels to Paragraphs: OP, OP of (); be involved at all decision-making levels OP of () and OP of SCR in formal and community led conflict () and post-conflict peace processes. Key UNSC Resolution Operative Paragraphs: OP of SCR () PROTECTION Strengthening and amplifying efforts to protect the human rights of women and girls, and ensure their physical and economic wellbeing, with particular regard to sexual and gender-based violence. In the context of the Pacific, this includes institutional strengthening of local police and judiciary in order to protect the rights of victims and reducing sexual and gender-based violence. Key UNSC Resolution Operative Paragraphs: OP of SCR (); OP of SCR (); OP of SCR () and Op of SCR (). NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN NEW ZEALAND POLICY FRAMEWORK New Zealand has a long history of international leadership in promoting the rights of women to participate equally in all aspects of society. In 1893 New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world to grant universal suffrage to women. Today New Zealand has a comprehensive set of legislation to protect human rights and eliminate discrimination against women,