Integrating Gender Into the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States

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Integrating Gender Into the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States www.cordaid.org POLICY PAPER SEPTEMBER 2012 INTEGRATING GENDER INTO THE NEW DEAL FOR ENGAGEMENT IN FRAGILE STATES The New Deal offers an important opportunity to key recommendations advance women, peace and security issues. This policy paper has identified entry points for integrating a gender ■■ Prioritise women’s voices and strengthen engagement perspective into the various aspects of the New Deal as with civil society around implementation of the well as its implementation in the pilot countries. The case New Deal studies from Afghanistan and South Sudan demonstrate ■■ Link the implementation of the New Deal to existing that much work has already been done by women’s in-country activities around the implementation of organisations to identify, prioritise and advocate around UNSCR 1325, and vice versa key issues of concern, and there is great interest among ■■ Apply a gender perspective to all analytical frameworks civil society to play a more active role in supporting the and approaches used to implement the New Deal implementation of the New Deal. The paper highlights key ■■ Integrate gender issues into fragility assessments recommendations and possible actions that could be taken ■■ Allocate adequate financing to women’s needs and to integrate a gender perspective as the New Deal piloting gender-related priorities continues in the coming months. ■■ Ensure that any indicators developed to monitor the PSGs reflect a gender perspective and are sex- disaggregated ■■ Increase communication and collaboration across government ministries to ensure a more coordinated approach to addressing gender issues in FCAS “Gender equality, and women’s NO PEACE participation, is critical to the WITHOUT WOMEN’S realisation of the central aims LEADERSHIP of the New Deal.” CARE. ACT. SHARE. LIKE CORDAID. Dewi Suralaga Expert Women’s Leadership for Peace and Security 02 COLOPHON ABOUT CORDAID The policy paper Integrating Gender into the New Deal Cordaid is the Catholic Organisation for Relief & for Engagement in Fragile States is produced by Cordaid’s Development Aid, with its headquarters in The Hague, the programme on Women’s Leadership for Peace and Security Netherlands. We have been fighting poverty and exclusion (WLPS). The programme aims to increase capacities of in the world’s most fragile societies and conflict-stricken women’s networks and voice of women at the local level areas for almost a century. Cordaid is founding member of in processes of peace and security. Cordaid assists women Caritas Internationalis and Cidse. Our network consists of to improve their practical situation and that of their 890 partner organizations in 28 countries in Africa, Asia, communities. This results in improved safety, cooperative the Middle East and Latin America. As social entrepreneurs relationships and a better access to basic services at we work together with organizations, enterprises, local, the local level. Cordaid mobilises and strengthens local national and international authorities and other parties women’s networks in conflict areas, increases their voice who want to participate in development and cooperation. and promotes their agenda in national and global arenas, Cordaid is one of the largest development organizations in and influences policies to reflect their concerns and needs. the Netherlands. With almost 400,000 private donors we Creative Commons: you are free to use the materials in this enjoy broad public support and are deeply rooted in Dutch publication for research and educational purposes. Please society. credit Cordaid We strive for a fair and sustainable society in which every individual counts; a society in which people share the Researcher/Writer: Karen Barnes Robinson Global Common Goods and respect diversity. We support Project Leader: Dewi Suralaga people in vulnerable regions and areas of conflict to build Cover photo: Ton Koene/Hollandse Hoogte flourishing communities. We do this by enhancing safety, Design: Haagsblauw by creating opportunities and bringing out the best in people. 02-2013-wlps Care. Act. Share. Like Cordaid. Contact information: Dewi Suralaga, Policy Advisor [email protected] P.O. Box 16440 2500 BK The Hague The Netherlands Tel.: + 31 (0)70 31363000 www.cordaid.org POLICY PAPER CORDAID 2012 INTEGRATING GENDER INTO THE NEW DEAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 03 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Cordaid initiated and funded this research as part of its and was facilitated by Stephen Pande, and was attended by commitment to contribute to the advancement of the women’s organisations, civil society organisations working women, peace and security agenda. The findings reflect on peacebuilding and development issues, representatives Cordaid’s policy advocacy objective to highlight syner- from the African Union and the IDPS focal point for South gies between development and women, peace and secu- Sudan. We would like to extend our thanks and appre- rity policies and practice to ensure the full and effective ciation to the women and men who participated in the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. validation workshops, shared their views and experiences, Drawing on local women’s direct experiences and perspec- and contributed to the country-specific priority issues and tives as a barometer for development, peace and security is recommendations that are highlighted in this report. of particular importance to Cordaid, and is a cornerstone of this research. This policy paper was researched and written The author and Cordaid would also jointly like to thank by Karen Barnes Robinson. Dewi Suralaga (Cordaid) man- the following individuals who have contributed valuable aged the project and her support and contributions to the comments and input throughout the drafting of this re- research were invaluable throughout the preparation of port: Larry Attree (Saferworld), Afifa Azim (AWN), Melanie this policy paper. Greenberg (Alliance for Peacebuilding), Erin McCandless (Journal of Peacebuilding and Development), Giulia Section 6 of the policy paper is based on two validation Pasquinelli and Antonia Potter (EPLO), Jennifer Salahub workshops held in Afghanistan and South Sudan in August (North-South Institute) and Phil Vernon (International 2012. The workshop in Kabul was organised by the Afghan Alert). We would finally like to thank the following col- Women’s Network with the support of Cordaid, and was leagues from Cordaid who have been involved in this attended by AWN member organisations, female MPs project and have supported it in various ways: Paul van den and the CSO focal point for the International Dialogue Berg, Frederique van Drumpt, Jain Holsheimer, François on Statebuilding and Peacebuilding in Afghanistan. The Lenfant, Bonnie Noorman, Frederica Ordelman, Akinyi workshop in Juba was organised by Cordaid South Sudan Walender and Erica Zwaan. POLICY PAPER CORDAID 2012 INTEGRATING GENDER INTO THE NEW DEAL 04 CONTENTS CONTENTS executive summary 5 acronyms 7 1. introduction 8 2. from paris to busan: the background to the new deal 9 3. a gender perspective on the new deal 11 3.1 Gender and the PSGs 12 3.2 Gender and FOCUS 12 3.3 Gender and TRUST 14 4. integrating gender into the implementation of the new deal 16 4.1 Carrying out fragility assessments and developing the fragility spectrum 16 4.2 Developing indicators for the PSGs 18 5. voices from civil society on gender and the new deal: case studies from afghanistan and south sudan 21 5.1 Afghanistan 21 5.2 South Sudan 24 5.3 Implications of the case study findings for implementation of the New Deal 26 6. recommendations 28 bibliography 30 POLICY PAPER CORDAID 2012 INTEGRATING GENDER INTO THE NEW DEAL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 05 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The New Deal builds on previous international commit- 1325 are identified and capitalised on. Over the coming ments such as the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness months there are two aspects of implementation linked to (2008) and the Accra Agenda for Action (2008), and provides the PSGs that will be moving forward quickly, and where it new momentum to efforts to support countries making the will be especially important to ensure that gender issues transition to peace. However, to date, gender issues have are integrated at the earliest stages. These are fragility been largely absent despite their status as a ‘cross-cutting’ assessments led by the g7+ governments in their countries theme, and more political will, guidance and resources to identify the causes and consequences of fragility, and are needed to ensure that they are incorporated into the further development of the fragility spectrum tool, and implementation of this important new global agenda. The the identification of selected country-specific indicators emphasis the New Deal places on country leadership, lo- for each of the PSGs that will feed into an eventual global cal ownership and multi-stakeholder collaboration make menu of indicators for the PSGs it particularly important that women’s voices are heard, and create the space to drive forward a more inclusive The draft analytical framework that has been developed agenda. As the New Deal evolves and is put into practice, for the fragility assessment and spectrum highlights a it also represents a significant opportunity to advance the few guiding questions that relate to women’s needs and implementation of UNSCR 1325 and other commitments vulnerabilities, and any final guidance or methodology on gender equality where only limited progress has been should ensure to take these into account, including in any made throughout the past couple of years. workshops and consultation processes. However, it is not clear that gender dynamics are recognised by the fragil- Gender equality, and women’s participation, is therefore ity assessment framework as one of the drivers of conflict, critical to the realisation of some of the central aims of fragility or resilience. If this were the case, that may lead the New Deal, and gender analysis is a valuable tool for to a different assessment of fragility and more importantly unpacking some of the key concepts of inclusion, state- may offer up new avenues towards resilience.
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