UCD Working Papers in Law, Criminology & Socio-Legal Studies, 2024
This paper presents a new 'Framework of Paramilitary-related Coercive Control'. Based on empirica... more This paper presents a new 'Framework of Paramilitary-related Coercive Control'. Based on empirical research in Northern Ireland, the paper advances the concept of 'conflict-related coercive control', evidencing how the coercive and predatory nature of armed group social control intersects with that of the endemic and sustained gendered coercion and control of women. It expands the study of coercive control, evidencing its relevance to conflict-affected group-based controls. In so doing, it further expands the concept of social control, evidencing the gendered nature of armed group governance. The paper extends the boundaries of understanding of women's experiences of conflict-related harm, evidencing how sites of conflict and political transition are characterised by multidimensional gendered coercive harm.
Violence, and the threat of violence, is a pervasive fea- ture of women’s lives. From high-profil... more Violence, and the threat of violence, is a pervasive fea- ture of women’s lives. From high-profile threats in poli- tics to everyday harms such as domestic abuse, violence, threat, and intimidation control women’s behaviour and silence their voices. Yet in many cases the pernicious and harmful effect of threat is not captured by the law. Drawing on the work of sociologist Pierre Bourdieu and empirical research undertaken in Northern Ireland, this article analyses the ways in which both objective and ‘incorporated’ social structures generate invisible forces of fear and threat that the law does not see, but that women feel and structure their lives around. The article develops the novel conceptual tool of ‘invisible threats’ to capture threat as harm, to show the relation between threat and gendered (in)securities, and to chal- lenge institutions of the law to respond better to invisible threats as perceived and articulated by women.
This article presents a textual analysis of areas of convergence and divergence between the Unite... more This article presents a textual analysis of areas of convergence and divergence between the United Nations (UN) Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19 and the six National Action Plans (NAPs) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) of the Arab States region. The article contributes to debates on the centering or sidelining of gender analysis and planning in crisis response to the nexus between COVID-19 and gender, peace, and security. Gender and gender planning inform the textual analysis, which shows that there are significant areas of overlap between the UN COVID-19 Framework and the NAPs. Divergences, such as the greater emphasis on economic recovery in the UN COVID-19 Framework, expose the gaps in engagement with the socio-economic and subsistence harms in the WPS agenda. Given the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, and the expectation of future novel outbreaks, the article provides evidence that rather than sidelining gender in times of crisis, existing tools such as NAPs should be centered in planning responses.
This article presents the first feminist doctrinal textual analysis of cross-pillar synergies wit... more This article presents the first feminist doctrinal textual analysis of cross-pillar synergies within thematic resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. Specifically, it examines the pillars relating to ‘participation’ and ‘protection’ under the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. In attempts to balance agency with victimhood, normative advancement of both pillars has until recently evolved along parallel tracks, with little acknowledgment of how protection relates to women's participation. This article identifies synergies, gaps and productive tensions as the WPS agenda begins to engage with the inter-relationship between the pillars. It outlines critical implications and considerations for any future moves towards cross-pillar congruence.
This briefing evaluates the UK’s contribution to the
Women, Peace and Security agenda over the la... more This briefing evaluates the UK’s contribution to the Women, Peace and Security agenda over the last fifteen years. Addressing strengths and limitations, it analyses successive thematic priorities, maps WPS spending, and considers common criticism. It draws out recommendations for future plans on infrastructure and monitoring, domestic applications and policy ambition
This article advances our understanding of the drivers and multidimensional nature of conflict-re... more This article advances our understanding of the drivers and multidimensional nature of conflict-related violence against women and girls (CRVAWG). It presents an adapted socioecological model, which supports research, analysis, and programming and can be further adapted as the empirical evidence base grows. Although models to help explore violence against women and girls generally have advanced over recent decades, these have not addressed the specific dynamics of conflict-affected settings. This article makes a unique contribution by bringing together research on CRVAWG and presenting a new model for deepening current approaches to understanding and preventing CRVAWG.
The “Troubles” in Northern Ireland are often assumed to represent an outlier in respect of contem... more The “Troubles” in Northern Ireland are often assumed to represent an outlier in respect of contemporary global discourse on conflict-related violence against women (CRVAW), and particularly “strategic rape.” CRVAW has neither commanded the narrative nor imagery of that conflict nor specifically recognized globally as part of women’s experiences of it. A composite and comprehensive analysis of CRVAW for that context has been absent. Based on primary and secondary research, and analyt- ically advanced through gender and critical harm theory, the article presents the first typology of CRVAW for the Northern Ireland Troubles. The article maps and evi- dences a range of gendered harms directly and indirectly resulting from the conflict enacted by state and nonstate actors. It argues that a resurfacing of gender is required to ensure current global debates on CRVAW are informed by a reconsideration of what constitutes “strategic” harm in armed conflict.
Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, 2020
there is growing acknowledgement of the need to address the impacts of con- flict-related sexual ... more there is growing acknowledgement of the need to address the impacts of con- flict-related sexual violence (CRSV), with less recognition of conflict-related reproductive and maternal harms and children born of war (CBW).An intricate set of common as well as distinctive interests arise for both victims/survivors and their children that remain unfulfilled. National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security (NAPs-WPS) present an opportunity to redress these gaps.this article examines to what extent are NAPs-WPS responsive to the specific rights and gendered interests of victims/survivors of CRSV and their children? It advances thinking on gen- der planning for peace and security and makes three significant analytical con- tributions: a ‘typology of Impacts and Losses’ advancing understanding of CRSV; a ‘Gender Interests Analysis’ framework, identifying the practical and strategic gender interests of victims/survivors and their children; and application of these frameworks to produce a critical analysis of the NAPs-WPS of Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines and timor-Leste. It finds that planning under WPS is failing to ensure that multi-sectoral services are available, while reproductive and maternity issues and CBW are completely neglected in the selected NAPs-WPS.the article dis- cusses the implications of these findings for gender planning through NAPs-WPS going forward.
As the twentieth anniversary of the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda approaches, one of its... more As the twentieth anniversary of the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda approaches, one of its most significant challenges has yet to be overcome: that of garnering real investment in the human development and human rights entitlements of women and girls in conflict-affected settings. Implementation has been heavily reliant on planning strategies, namely, National Action Plans on Women Peace and Security (NAPs-WPS) which have fallen short of fulfilling the women’s rights intentions of the agenda. Learning and adaptation from ‘gender planning theory’ employed in the development fields has been curiously absent from planning for WPS. This paper argues that through a move from ‘women in security’ to ‘gender, peace and security’, a ‘gender planning for peace and security’ approach could improve NAPS-WPS. The paper proposes a two-part ‘Gender Interests Analysis’ framework as a conceptual basis for gender planning for peace and security. To illustrate its validity, the framework is used to review existing NAPs-WPS in the Asia-Pacific region. The review of the NAPs-WPS finds that the plans are failing to address some of the most important critical needs of women and girls, are weighting planning towards the planners instead of women and girls, and are failing to ensure that common as well as distinctive and disaggregated interests of diverse groups of women and girls are met. It demonstrates that the use of gender planning frameworks could address such gaps and strengthen overall planning for WPS. The paper concludes by identifying the need for a re-orientation of NAPs-WPS towards the lives of women and girls through the use of gender planning for peace and security.
The exceptionalism attributed to acts of sexualised violence in war has reinforced the idea that ... more The exceptionalism attributed to acts of sexualised violence in war has reinforced the idea that what happens in war is different from that occurring outside of war. This counters long-standing feminist scholarship which has argued that violence against women (VAW) in conflict is a reflection of the everyday, mundane ways that women experience violence in their everyday lives. The paper presents a new ‘pre, during- and post-conflict framework’ to map, on the basis of theory and empirics, the inter-relationship between VAW within and outside conflict. Applied to the case study of Timor-Leste, the paper finds that common across time and space are the sustained presence of gendered harms, and that VAW is ambulant in nature and responsive to context, identifying connections and distinctions in VAW across conflict-time and peace-time. Through analysis of the Timor-Leste truth commission’s outcomes, the paper argues that an understanding of this complexity to VAW is essential to advancing gender-inclusive political settlements. The findings underline that sustaining an approach to conflict-time violence out of sync with how women experience violence within political processes means sustaining the structural inequalities that cause that violence, regardless of whether it is during or outside of armed conflict.
Conflict-related violence against women and girls (VAWG) has drawn increasing attention, yet scho... more Conflict-related violence against women and girls (VAWG) has drawn increasing attention, yet scholars, policymakers, and practitioners focussed on conflict-related VAWG and those focussed on post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding have largely worked separately. Less attention has been given to VAWG during post-conflict transitions than during conflict itself. This article makes three major contributions to guide researchers and policymakers in addressing VAWG in post-conflict contexts. First, it identifies critical gaps in understanding the intersection between VAWG and post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding processes. Second, it presents an ecological model to explore the drivers of VAWG during and after armed conflict. Third, it proposes a conceptual framework for analysing and addressing the intersections of VAWG with both post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding. The article concludes that application of this framework can help policymakers shape statebuilding and peacebuilding processes to more effectively institutionalise approaches to VAWG so that post-conflict transitions advance sustainable, positive peace.
Oxford Handbook of Women, Peace and Security, Sara E. Davies, Jacqui True, 2019
The concept of security has long been subject to debate, variably attached to the secu- rity of t... more The concept of security has long been subject to debate, variably attached to the secu- rity of the state, while, increasingly, if tentatively, linked to the security of people. Even where centered around “people,” approaches taken to advance security within global policy spaces have not comprehensively or equally included all. Nor has the development of policy approaches to security been grounded in the ways that social norms will influence what security is and means for differing people in different social contexts. Feminist scholars and activists have advocated for a gendered understanding of security, making it relevant to the lives of women and girls and the ways that gender norms and inequalities underpin connections in insecurities across public and private spaces. Where the endeavor to advance understandings of security through a gendered prism has got to is the subject of this chapter. Focusing on gender with respect to insecurities in women’s lives, this chapter looks back as well as forwards. To do so, it considers what may be meant by the idea of gendered security and how may it be pursued going forward? The chapter begins at the beginning, first setting out a frame for understanding gender and security and then discussing where and how concepts of gendered security came about in global policy spaces. It maps the trajectory of the emergence of gendered understandings of security and how these have fared in respect of the evolution of relevant global policy. It sets out three critical elements of gender security as a concept as it has emerged and continues to find positioning going forward. This is followed by exploring suggestions for key policy areas and issues that require engagement for pursuing gender security going forward.
Policy analysis of how to prevent or address violence against women during conflict should consid... more Policy analysis of how to prevent or address violence against women during conflict should consider pre-conflict gender inequalities and pre-existing forms of VAW. These factors indicate tolerance and opportunities for violence that will come to bear influence during conflict.
Policy that focuses solely on distinctive conflict-time acts, without attention to their basis in pre-existing gender norms and harms, miss the key causes of VAW. This research brief draws from the research and findings of my book 'Conflict-related Violence Against Women: Transforming Transition' to distill key policy-relevant findings and application.
Three National Action Plans on WPS (NAPs-WPS), in addition to an emergency NAP-WPS in Iraq1, have... more Three National Action Plans on WPS (NAPs-WPS), in addition to an emergency NAP-WPS in Iraq1, have recently been adopted in the Arab States region: Iraq (2014-2018), the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (2018-2021), and Palestine (2017-2019),2 while the League of Arab States (LAS) has also adopted a ‘Regional Strategy’3 on WPS. Further developments within the region are expected. To support the ongoing development of actionable and effective NAPs-WPS in the region, this paper presents the findings of a review of the text of the three existing action plans of Iraq, Jordan and Palestine. Using gender planning theory, the review analyses the NAP-WPS planning documents to document areas of good practice that can inform the future development and adoption of NAP-WPS in the Arab States region.
This study was conducted as part of the What Works to Prevent violence against women and girls (V... more This study was conducted as part of the What Works to Prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Conflict and Humanitarian Crises and focuses on two overarching research questions: 1) How have programmes and policies to prevent and respond to VAWG been integrated and addressed within post-conflict state-building policy and programming? 2) In a conflict-affected country, how is VAWG related to efforts to achieve peace and stability? The study identifies and explores the linkages and interconnections between VAWG and state building and Peacebuilding (SBPB) processes. It does so through first developing two new conceptual frameworks - one which is an ecological model that identifies the causal drivers of conflict-related VAWG and another which adapts that model to its intersection with SBPB processes. The frameworks are used to assess the two research questions in respect to three case studies of Nepal, Sierra Leone and South Sudan. Amongst its many findings, the study evidences that VAWG is not sufficiently addressed in SBPB processes, that opportunities exist to advance approaches to VAWG through post-conflict transition and support to women's rights and women's organisations are essential.
The proliferation of legal and normative standards regulating women's rights in conflict has been... more The proliferation of legal and normative standards regulating women's rights in conflict has been accompanied by concerns about their efficacy. The article examines the activities of the CEDAW Committee and the UN Security Council and considers how synergies might be advanced. The article finds that, while the Security Council has unique authority over UN system activities, sanctions and peacekeeping, the CEDAW Committee—as a human rights treaty monitoring body—possesses the more effective system of State accountability and the more robust commitment to women's equality and rights. The article proposes measures for the optimum interaction between both institutions in order to maximize overall accountability for women's rights in conflict.
UCD Working Papers in Law, Criminology & Socio-Legal Studies, 2024
This paper presents a new 'Framework of Paramilitary-related Coercive Control'. Based on empirica... more This paper presents a new 'Framework of Paramilitary-related Coercive Control'. Based on empirical research in Northern Ireland, the paper advances the concept of 'conflict-related coercive control', evidencing how the coercive and predatory nature of armed group social control intersects with that of the endemic and sustained gendered coercion and control of women. It expands the study of coercive control, evidencing its relevance to conflict-affected group-based controls. In so doing, it further expands the concept of social control, evidencing the gendered nature of armed group governance. The paper extends the boundaries of understanding of women's experiences of conflict-related harm, evidencing how sites of conflict and political transition are characterised by multidimensional gendered coercive harm.
Violence, and the threat of violence, is a pervasive fea- ture of women’s lives. From high-profil... more Violence, and the threat of violence, is a pervasive fea- ture of women’s lives. From high-profile threats in poli- tics to everyday harms such as domestic abuse, violence, threat, and intimidation control women’s behaviour and silence their voices. Yet in many cases the pernicious and harmful effect of threat is not captured by the law. Drawing on the work of sociologist Pierre Bourdieu and empirical research undertaken in Northern Ireland, this article analyses the ways in which both objective and ‘incorporated’ social structures generate invisible forces of fear and threat that the law does not see, but that women feel and structure their lives around. The article develops the novel conceptual tool of ‘invisible threats’ to capture threat as harm, to show the relation between threat and gendered (in)securities, and to chal- lenge institutions of the law to respond better to invisible threats as perceived and articulated by women.
This article presents a textual analysis of areas of convergence and divergence between the Unite... more This article presents a textual analysis of areas of convergence and divergence between the United Nations (UN) Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19 and the six National Action Plans (NAPs) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) of the Arab States region. The article contributes to debates on the centering or sidelining of gender analysis and planning in crisis response to the nexus between COVID-19 and gender, peace, and security. Gender and gender planning inform the textual analysis, which shows that there are significant areas of overlap between the UN COVID-19 Framework and the NAPs. Divergences, such as the greater emphasis on economic recovery in the UN COVID-19 Framework, expose the gaps in engagement with the socio-economic and subsistence harms in the WPS agenda. Given the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, and the expectation of future novel outbreaks, the article provides evidence that rather than sidelining gender in times of crisis, existing tools such as NAPs should be centered in planning responses.
This article presents the first feminist doctrinal textual analysis of cross-pillar synergies wit... more This article presents the first feminist doctrinal textual analysis of cross-pillar synergies within thematic resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. Specifically, it examines the pillars relating to ‘participation’ and ‘protection’ under the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. In attempts to balance agency with victimhood, normative advancement of both pillars has until recently evolved along parallel tracks, with little acknowledgment of how protection relates to women's participation. This article identifies synergies, gaps and productive tensions as the WPS agenda begins to engage with the inter-relationship between the pillars. It outlines critical implications and considerations for any future moves towards cross-pillar congruence.
This briefing evaluates the UK’s contribution to the
Women, Peace and Security agenda over the la... more This briefing evaluates the UK’s contribution to the Women, Peace and Security agenda over the last fifteen years. Addressing strengths and limitations, it analyses successive thematic priorities, maps WPS spending, and considers common criticism. It draws out recommendations for future plans on infrastructure and monitoring, domestic applications and policy ambition
This article advances our understanding of the drivers and multidimensional nature of conflict-re... more This article advances our understanding of the drivers and multidimensional nature of conflict-related violence against women and girls (CRVAWG). It presents an adapted socioecological model, which supports research, analysis, and programming and can be further adapted as the empirical evidence base grows. Although models to help explore violence against women and girls generally have advanced over recent decades, these have not addressed the specific dynamics of conflict-affected settings. This article makes a unique contribution by bringing together research on CRVAWG and presenting a new model for deepening current approaches to understanding and preventing CRVAWG.
The “Troubles” in Northern Ireland are often assumed to represent an outlier in respect of contem... more The “Troubles” in Northern Ireland are often assumed to represent an outlier in respect of contemporary global discourse on conflict-related violence against women (CRVAW), and particularly “strategic rape.” CRVAW has neither commanded the narrative nor imagery of that conflict nor specifically recognized globally as part of women’s experiences of it. A composite and comprehensive analysis of CRVAW for that context has been absent. Based on primary and secondary research, and analyt- ically advanced through gender and critical harm theory, the article presents the first typology of CRVAW for the Northern Ireland Troubles. The article maps and evi- dences a range of gendered harms directly and indirectly resulting from the conflict enacted by state and nonstate actors. It argues that a resurfacing of gender is required to ensure current global debates on CRVAW are informed by a reconsideration of what constitutes “strategic” harm in armed conflict.
Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, 2020
there is growing acknowledgement of the need to address the impacts of con- flict-related sexual ... more there is growing acknowledgement of the need to address the impacts of con- flict-related sexual violence (CRSV), with less recognition of conflict-related reproductive and maternal harms and children born of war (CBW).An intricate set of common as well as distinctive interests arise for both victims/survivors and their children that remain unfulfilled. National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security (NAPs-WPS) present an opportunity to redress these gaps.this article examines to what extent are NAPs-WPS responsive to the specific rights and gendered interests of victims/survivors of CRSV and their children? It advances thinking on gen- der planning for peace and security and makes three significant analytical con- tributions: a ‘typology of Impacts and Losses’ advancing understanding of CRSV; a ‘Gender Interests Analysis’ framework, identifying the practical and strategic gender interests of victims/survivors and their children; and application of these frameworks to produce a critical analysis of the NAPs-WPS of Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines and timor-Leste. It finds that planning under WPS is failing to ensure that multi-sectoral services are available, while reproductive and maternity issues and CBW are completely neglected in the selected NAPs-WPS.the article dis- cusses the implications of these findings for gender planning through NAPs-WPS going forward.
As the twentieth anniversary of the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda approaches, one of its... more As the twentieth anniversary of the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda approaches, one of its most significant challenges has yet to be overcome: that of garnering real investment in the human development and human rights entitlements of women and girls in conflict-affected settings. Implementation has been heavily reliant on planning strategies, namely, National Action Plans on Women Peace and Security (NAPs-WPS) which have fallen short of fulfilling the women’s rights intentions of the agenda. Learning and adaptation from ‘gender planning theory’ employed in the development fields has been curiously absent from planning for WPS. This paper argues that through a move from ‘women in security’ to ‘gender, peace and security’, a ‘gender planning for peace and security’ approach could improve NAPS-WPS. The paper proposes a two-part ‘Gender Interests Analysis’ framework as a conceptual basis for gender planning for peace and security. To illustrate its validity, the framework is used to review existing NAPs-WPS in the Asia-Pacific region. The review of the NAPs-WPS finds that the plans are failing to address some of the most important critical needs of women and girls, are weighting planning towards the planners instead of women and girls, and are failing to ensure that common as well as distinctive and disaggregated interests of diverse groups of women and girls are met. It demonstrates that the use of gender planning frameworks could address such gaps and strengthen overall planning for WPS. The paper concludes by identifying the need for a re-orientation of NAPs-WPS towards the lives of women and girls through the use of gender planning for peace and security.
The exceptionalism attributed to acts of sexualised violence in war has reinforced the idea that ... more The exceptionalism attributed to acts of sexualised violence in war has reinforced the idea that what happens in war is different from that occurring outside of war. This counters long-standing feminist scholarship which has argued that violence against women (VAW) in conflict is a reflection of the everyday, mundane ways that women experience violence in their everyday lives. The paper presents a new ‘pre, during- and post-conflict framework’ to map, on the basis of theory and empirics, the inter-relationship between VAW within and outside conflict. Applied to the case study of Timor-Leste, the paper finds that common across time and space are the sustained presence of gendered harms, and that VAW is ambulant in nature and responsive to context, identifying connections and distinctions in VAW across conflict-time and peace-time. Through analysis of the Timor-Leste truth commission’s outcomes, the paper argues that an understanding of this complexity to VAW is essential to advancing gender-inclusive political settlements. The findings underline that sustaining an approach to conflict-time violence out of sync with how women experience violence within political processes means sustaining the structural inequalities that cause that violence, regardless of whether it is during or outside of armed conflict.
Conflict-related violence against women and girls (VAWG) has drawn increasing attention, yet scho... more Conflict-related violence against women and girls (VAWG) has drawn increasing attention, yet scholars, policymakers, and practitioners focussed on conflict-related VAWG and those focussed on post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding have largely worked separately. Less attention has been given to VAWG during post-conflict transitions than during conflict itself. This article makes three major contributions to guide researchers and policymakers in addressing VAWG in post-conflict contexts. First, it identifies critical gaps in understanding the intersection between VAWG and post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding processes. Second, it presents an ecological model to explore the drivers of VAWG during and after armed conflict. Third, it proposes a conceptual framework for analysing and addressing the intersections of VAWG with both post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding. The article concludes that application of this framework can help policymakers shape statebuilding and peacebuilding processes to more effectively institutionalise approaches to VAWG so that post-conflict transitions advance sustainable, positive peace.
Oxford Handbook of Women, Peace and Security, Sara E. Davies, Jacqui True, 2019
The concept of security has long been subject to debate, variably attached to the secu- rity of t... more The concept of security has long been subject to debate, variably attached to the secu- rity of the state, while, increasingly, if tentatively, linked to the security of people. Even where centered around “people,” approaches taken to advance security within global policy spaces have not comprehensively or equally included all. Nor has the development of policy approaches to security been grounded in the ways that social norms will influence what security is and means for differing people in different social contexts. Feminist scholars and activists have advocated for a gendered understanding of security, making it relevant to the lives of women and girls and the ways that gender norms and inequalities underpin connections in insecurities across public and private spaces. Where the endeavor to advance understandings of security through a gendered prism has got to is the subject of this chapter. Focusing on gender with respect to insecurities in women’s lives, this chapter looks back as well as forwards. To do so, it considers what may be meant by the idea of gendered security and how may it be pursued going forward? The chapter begins at the beginning, first setting out a frame for understanding gender and security and then discussing where and how concepts of gendered security came about in global policy spaces. It maps the trajectory of the emergence of gendered understandings of security and how these have fared in respect of the evolution of relevant global policy. It sets out three critical elements of gender security as a concept as it has emerged and continues to find positioning going forward. This is followed by exploring suggestions for key policy areas and issues that require engagement for pursuing gender security going forward.
Policy analysis of how to prevent or address violence against women during conflict should consid... more Policy analysis of how to prevent or address violence against women during conflict should consider pre-conflict gender inequalities and pre-existing forms of VAW. These factors indicate tolerance and opportunities for violence that will come to bear influence during conflict.
Policy that focuses solely on distinctive conflict-time acts, without attention to their basis in pre-existing gender norms and harms, miss the key causes of VAW. This research brief draws from the research and findings of my book 'Conflict-related Violence Against Women: Transforming Transition' to distill key policy-relevant findings and application.
Three National Action Plans on WPS (NAPs-WPS), in addition to an emergency NAP-WPS in Iraq1, have... more Three National Action Plans on WPS (NAPs-WPS), in addition to an emergency NAP-WPS in Iraq1, have recently been adopted in the Arab States region: Iraq (2014-2018), the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (2018-2021), and Palestine (2017-2019),2 while the League of Arab States (LAS) has also adopted a ‘Regional Strategy’3 on WPS. Further developments within the region are expected. To support the ongoing development of actionable and effective NAPs-WPS in the region, this paper presents the findings of a review of the text of the three existing action plans of Iraq, Jordan and Palestine. Using gender planning theory, the review analyses the NAP-WPS planning documents to document areas of good practice that can inform the future development and adoption of NAP-WPS in the Arab States region.
This study was conducted as part of the What Works to Prevent violence against women and girls (V... more This study was conducted as part of the What Works to Prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Conflict and Humanitarian Crises and focuses on two overarching research questions: 1) How have programmes and policies to prevent and respond to VAWG been integrated and addressed within post-conflict state-building policy and programming? 2) In a conflict-affected country, how is VAWG related to efforts to achieve peace and stability? The study identifies and explores the linkages and interconnections between VAWG and state building and Peacebuilding (SBPB) processes. It does so through first developing two new conceptual frameworks - one which is an ecological model that identifies the causal drivers of conflict-related VAWG and another which adapts that model to its intersection with SBPB processes. The frameworks are used to assess the two research questions in respect to three case studies of Nepal, Sierra Leone and South Sudan. Amongst its many findings, the study evidences that VAWG is not sufficiently addressed in SBPB processes, that opportunities exist to advance approaches to VAWG through post-conflict transition and support to women's rights and women's organisations are essential.
The proliferation of legal and normative standards regulating women's rights in conflict has been... more The proliferation of legal and normative standards regulating women's rights in conflict has been accompanied by concerns about their efficacy. The article examines the activities of the CEDAW Committee and the UN Security Council and considers how synergies might be advanced. The article finds that, while the Security Council has unique authority over UN system activities, sanctions and peacekeeping, the CEDAW Committee—as a human rights treaty monitoring body—possesses the more effective system of State accountability and the more robust commitment to women's equality and rights. The article proposes measures for the optimum interaction between both institutions in order to maximize overall accountability for women's rights in conflict.
In this chapter, students will learn about the women, peace and security
agenda (WPS). Consisting... more In this chapter, students will learn about the women, peace and security agenda (WPS). Consisting of eight resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council since 2000, this framework addresses the entrenched gendered bias within the realm of international peace and security and seeks to advance women’s concerns, rights and interests across all aspects of conflict prevention, management and response. Since its adoption, scholars and activists have broadly critiqued the gaps that remain in implementing these resolutions by UN member states and entities of the UN system. This chapter provides an overview of the adoption of the WPS agenda and its broad-reaching aims to advance gendered approaches to peace and security. It sets out some of the key areas of controversy and critique and highlights some of the gaps in implementation of the agenda to date.
Rethinking National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security, Sahla Aroussi (ed.)
The United Nations (UN) has proposed multiple strategies for addressing deficits in the implement... more The United Nations (UN) has proposed multiple strategies for addressing deficits in the implementation of its women, peace and security (WPS) resolutions. National Action Plans (NAPs) have gained huge traction and popularity, yet there has been little critical assessment of how they have advanced the WPS agenda overall. This paper assesses a number of key trends: first, the purchase that NAPs have attempted to gain at macro-structural levels within the UN’s political arena; second, the procedural modalities that have come to determine how the WPS resolutions are translated into NAPs at meso-levels across Member States; and third, the kinds of substantive focus found at micro-levels within adopted NAPs. The peripheral activities on WPS by related UN and civil society entities are also explored. It emerges that, while many practical gains have been made, NAPs-WPS remain insecure in their political positioning and are not yet fully realising their potential to deliver on women’s rights.
Through a reflexive approach, this paper recounts an experience of providing relief services to s... more Through a reflexive approach, this paper recounts an experience of providing relief services to survivors of sexual violence in Darfur, Sudan, and explores whether and how paternalism in humanitarian aid may hold a particular dynamic and consequence for women. The inquiry in the paper is driven by the consideration of how initiatives that are principally framed on a mandate to help and assist, may be perceived or felt as condescending or authoritative by the objects of that assistance. The nexus of gender and paternalism is examined and discussed in relation to three key indicators of paternalism towards women in humanitarianism: paternalism towards women in the fault line between duty, care and control; the failure to consult with women by the patriarchy of protection that deems women to have no knowledge or expertise in dealing with challenges specifically facing them; paternalist responses to women’s needs that are fueled by sexist perceptions that posit women as “lacking capacity,” prompting sexist attitudes to become paternalist actions. By underlining the ways that gender inextricably features in paternalism and paternalist actions, and that both are active in humanitarianism, the paper discusses the challenges for humanitarianism going forward and its need to find ways to operate in ways that reflects its goal of solidarity with, so that value is placed on the knowledge, capacity and ability of its client populations, including overcoming exclusions of women.
International Law and Post-Conflict Reconstruction Policy, Matthew Saul, James Sweeney (eds.), May 25, 2015
The advent of what is now referred to as the women, peace and security agenda (WPS), consisting o... more The advent of what is now referred to as the women, peace and security agenda (WPS), consisting of seven resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council, brought with it great expectations. The resolutions created hope that approaches to addressing armed conflict and post-conflict reconstruction would tackle entrenched gendered bias against women and become equitably reflective of the gendered economic, political and social justice concerns of both women and men. Since their adoption however, scholars and activists have critiqued the gaps that remain in securing implementation of the resolutions. As a chapter in a volume examining International Law and Post-Conflict Reconstruction Policy, this paper examines the tensions that arise between the potential gains that can be made for women under this framework, and the limited ways in which the resolutions have been conceptually developed and since inception, implemented. Through the example of Liberia’s National Action Plan on women, peace and security, this chapter examines the pros and cons of a bureaucratic translation of an international law instrument into a state-level administrative policy tool. The chapter highlights that such processes should be practically oriented towards tackling the root causes of the obstacles faced by women - the gender inequalities that pre-empted the conflict and endure in its aftermath.
By comparatively assessing three conflict-affected jurisdictions (Liberia, Northern Ireland and T... more By comparatively assessing three conflict-affected jurisdictions (Liberia, Northern Ireland and Timor-Leste), Conflict-Related Violence against Women empirically and theoretically expands current understanding of the form and nature of conflict-time harms impacting women. The 'violences' that occur in conflict beyond strategic rape are first identified. Employing both a disaggregated and an aggregated approach, relations between forms of violence within and across each context's pre-, mid- and post-conflict phase are then assessed, identifying connections and distinctions in violence. Swaine highlights a wider spectrum of conflict-related violence against women than is currently acknowledged. She identifies a range of forces that simultaneously push open and close down spaces for addressing violence against women through post-conflict transitional justice. The book proposes that in the aftermath of conflict, a transformation rather than a transition is required if justice is to play a role in preventing gendered violence before conflict and its appearance during and after conflict.
Susan Harris Rimmer. Gender and Transitional Justice: The Women of East Timor. London and New Yor... more Susan Harris Rimmer. Gender and Transitional Justice: The Women of East Timor. London and New York: Routledge, 2010. ISBN 0-415-56118-3.
Timor-Leste: Challenges for Justice and Human Rights in the Shadow of the Past by William Binchy,... more Timor-Leste: Challenges for Justice and Human Rights in the Shadow of the Past by William Binchy, Dublin, Clarus Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-1- 905536-21-4
No Place for a War Baby: The Global Politics of Children Born of Wartime Sexual Violence. Ashgate... more No Place for a War Baby: The Global Politics of Children Born of Wartime Sexual Violence. Ashgate, Farnham, England, 2013. 232 pp. isbn 978-1-4094-4923-2
The protection of women in armed conflict and their participation in peace and security activitie... more The protection of women in armed conflict and their participation in peace and security activities are central pillars of the women, peace, and security (WPS) agenda. Overall, however, the WPS agenda has overlooked the relationship between participation and protection. This paper considers the intersection between women’s participation and protection in the context of Northern Ireland. While often assumed to be free of “global policy” concerns such as WPS, Northern Ireland starkly illustrates the intrinsic connections and tensions between women’s leadership and protection in conflict and post-conflict situations. After providing an overview of these connections and tensions more broadly, this paper examines the participation and protection of women in Northern Ireland since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. It draws from twenty-five semi-structured interviews with women in leadership positions in Northern Ireland. The paper concludes that gender inequalities and gendered insecurities intersect with sectarianism, the legacy of violence, and political crises arising from power-sharing arrangements under the peace agreement. These, in turn, intersect with emerging technologies such as social media to stymy women’s participation across all areas of post-conflict political life. While these findings underscore the continued relevance of the WPS agenda, they also signify that deeper engagement with gendered protection issues is required if the agenda is to substantively advance women’s equality and participation in the longer term.
There is growing acknowledgment of the need to address the social, security, legal, health and ec... more There is growing acknowledgment of the need to address the social, security, legal, health and economic impacts that multiply and sustain the repercussions of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in the lives of women and girls globally. Less recognition has been given to the needs of the children of victims/survivors of CRSV, including those born of rape. An intricate set of rights impediments and needs arise for both victims/survivors and their children that require urgent attention and response. Commissioned by UN Women, this paper further develops a “gender planning for peace and security” framework to critically examine whether the NAPs-WPS of four Asia-Pacific countries, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines and Timor-Leste, address the rights and needs of this specific population. The paper presents quantitative and qualitative analysis of the NAPs. Finding include the following: while all four NAPs-WPS have to some degree included actions relating to CRSV, the plans do not employ a comprehensive multi-sectoral approach to service provision; there is little contextual data available on the experiences and needs of this population; the children of victims/survivors are entirely excluded from the action plans and the experience of forced maternity and pregnancy, and the responsibilities of the state in this regard, are omitted. The paper presents guidance on how NAPs-WPS can be used to specifically and substantively address the needs of this population.
Commissioned by UN Women for the “Asia-Pacific Regional Symposium on National Action Plans on Wom... more Commissioned by UN Women for the “Asia-Pacific Regional Symposium on National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security” (WPS NAPs) convened in Thailand in July 2016, this paper sets out the findings of a critical analysis of the nine existing Asia-Pacific plans. A WPS Gender Needs Analysis framework was developed to assess whether and how the plans meet the practical and strategic needs, well-being and rights of women and girls in the region. The analysis finds that while states address the practical and strategic needs of women and girls to varying degrees, the majority of actions focus on state institutions. An “Inclusivity Analysis” was also applied to the NAPs and identifies that only a small number of NAPs are tailoring actions to the needs of diverse demographics of women and girls. The paper provides evidence of the need for a re-orientation of NAPs towards the lives of women and girls in accordance with the women, peace and security resolutions that underpin the basis for the plans. The paper argues that WPS NAPS need to go beyond homogenous groups of “women and girls” to meet the diverse practical and strategic needs of different demographics of women and girls per their social context. The paper provides a set of recommendations and a menu of options for how WPS NAPs can achieve this going forward.
The adoption by the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (th... more The adoption by the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (the Committee) of General Recommendation No. 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-con- flict situations (GR30) in October 2013 strengthened and made clear the applicability of the Convention to a diverse range of settings affected by conflict and political crises. It also set out and affirmed the Convention’s linkages with the UN Security Council’s WPS agenda. Brought together, they offer a substantive framework to ensure that gender equality becomes integral to conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction and accountability. Commissioned by UN Women, this Guidebook increases knowledge on both sets of frameworks and expands understanding of how the Convention and the WPS resolutions can be implemented in congruent ways and used to strengthen and reinforce each instrument’s efficacy. The Guidebook provides an overview of the reporting and monitoring mechanisms inher- ent to both GR30 and the WPS resolutions, in order to enhance accountability for both frameworks. It provides guidance on how implementation of GR30 and the WPS resolutions can strengthen and reinforce each other, in particular through reporting.
An effective and caring humanitarian response that enables preparedness and delivery by national ... more An effective and caring humanitarian response that enables preparedness and delivery by national responders, that makes use of and develops capacity on new technologies, and that is informed by the express input of marginalized populations were the key recommendations in the June 2015, Emerging Humanitarian Frontiers conference organized by the American Red Cross and the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University. Bringing together expert practitioners and academics, the conference identified critical issues and ideas for the World Humanitarian Summit. This policy brief summarizes the key findings and recommendations of the conference.
Working Paper, Institute for Global and International Studies, 2014
This Working Paper looks at the Women, Peace and Security agenda as laid out in UNSCR 1325
and i... more This Working Paper looks at the Women, Peace and Security agenda as laid out in UNSCR 1325
and in six following Security Council Resolutions - UNSCR 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106 and 2122 (see Boxes 1 and 2) - to assess progress in the past decade and a half since the adoption of UNSCR 1325 in 2000. We conducted an extensive desk study of the existing literature on UNSCR 1325, performed a detailed content analysis of 40 of the 42 existing 1325 NAPs, and offer an update on implementation of Women, Peace, and Security goals more broadly. The Working Paper is addresses three main questions: What does the social science and related literature say about UNSCR 1325 since its adoption in 2000? What does content analysis of National Action Plans (NAPs) in support of UNSCR 1325 reveal about the effectiveness of such plans? What are examples of implementation of 1325 principles with and beyond 1325 NAPs?
Policy Brief, Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre (NOREF), 2013
The implementation of the women, peace and security resolutions of the United Nations Security Co... more The implementation of the women, peace and security resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) faces ongoing challenges. National action plans (NAPs) are being developed as a means to address the implementation gap, with 40 such NAPs developed by UN member states to date. NAPs aim to enable states’ commitments under the various UNSC resolutions to become the actions they take in both domestic and foreign policy. Stand-alone NAPs offer significant opportunity to advance national implementation of the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda. They also present risks, however, most notably in terms of how strategic provisions of the various WPS resolutions are translated into actions in an action plan. Successful implementation of the WPS agenda is thus not just contingent on the adoption of a NAP, but the proper implementation of that NAP. This policy brief provides an overview of the key opportunities and constraints presented by NAPs and the action planning process itself, and concludes with a range of recommenda- tions for enhancing the development and implementation of NAPs for the overall fulfilment of the WPS agenda.
Study commissioned by UN Women - with Catherine O'Rourke and Fionnuala Ní Aoláin.
The purpos... more Study commissioned by UN Women - with Catherine O'Rourke and Fionnuala Ní Aoláin.
The purpose of the study is to address the gap in knowledge on current delivery of reparations for victims of conflict related sexual violence and to identify ways in which current policy and practice may be advanced. The study evidences lacuna in providing measures of redress to those who have experienced conflict related sexual violence. The overall objective of the study is to draw together clear and concrete guidance on the ways in which reparations may be effectively and gender-sensitively conceived of, designed and delivered to victims of conflict-related sexual violence.
A Report of the Cross-Learning Process of Ireland/Northern Ireland, Timor-Leste and Liberia on UN... more A Report of the Cross-Learning Process of Ireland/Northern Ireland, Timor-Leste and Liberia on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 Sponsored by the Government of Ireland
The principal aim of this study was to gather information regarding local justice systems in Timo... more The principal aim of this study was to gather information regarding local justice systems in Timor Leste and how these systems handle cases of gender based violence.
A further aim was to gather information regarding police services, the formal justice system and how these together with service providers are utilizing local justice systems. Recommendations were to be made which would assist in the protection and promotion of women’s rights in the context of these systems, and prompt the development of appropriate government policy.
This blog highlights the importance of the adoption by the UN CEDAW Committee of General Recommen... more This blog highlights the importance of the adoption by the UN CEDAW Committee of General Recommendation No. 35 with respect to conflict-related violence against women. It argues that General Recommendation No. 35 offers an expansive framework for addressing the links between conflict-related and non-conflict violence against women, and for accounting for the social and gendered context in the manifestation of conflict-related violence against women.
Global Gender Current blog, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University
In October 2015, the UN Security Council hosted a “High-Level Review” to consider progress made t... more In October 2015, the UN Security Council hosted a “High-Level Review” to consider progress made towards meeting its commitment to overcome the historic exclusion of women and their concerns from its purview. The event marked fifteen years since the Security Council adopted a ground-breaking resolution, Resolution 1325 (2000), that for the first time, recognized and strived to advance the overlooked, but critical role women can play in global efforts towards conflict resolution and peacemaking. This blog piece reviews these events and highlights the need for a more concerted focus on conflict prevention in this overall agenda.
Much has been gained by the women who secured Resolution 1325 in 2000. Seven resolutions on issu... more Much has been gained by the women who secured Resolution 1325 in 2000. Seven resolutions on issues of women, peace and security in total have now been adopted and sit firmly within global policy. By examining progress towards the development of national action plans on Resolution 1325, on this blog considers how far has implementation of these resolutions come?
Feminist scholars and activists have long identified that the post-conflict moment and the proces... more Feminist scholars and activists have long identified that the post-conflict moment and the process of reconstruction in particular offer significant potential to bring about equality gains for women –in terms of the creation of formal equality norms as reforms and new policy ventures are pursued, and in turn effecting substantive equality in women’s lives. As a body of emerging (soft) law, the WPS resolutions are now looked to as the principal framework through which women’s concerns, rights and interests may be addressed in domestic level policy and practice of post-conflict reconstruction. How they become interpreted into and implemented through policy and practice is now the critical challenge. This blog is based on a book chapter of the same title [in International Law in Post-Conflict Reconstruction Policy, Matthew Saul and James A. Sweeney eds.] and considers in what ways these international legal norms become infused in and determine the ways that state-level post-conflict reconstruction evolves?
This blog marks "The Women's Power to Stop War conference", taking place in The Hague in April 2... more This blog marks "The Women's Power to Stop War conference", taking place in The Hague in April 2015. It discusses how this conference is not only a celebration of the stand for peace made by a group of courageous women during World War I, it is a demonstration of critical will by women activists from around the globe to continue to work towards the creation of a humanity and community of nations based on the premise of peace and equality.
Sexualized violence is an issue of security. It is also an issue of women’s equality and rights.... more Sexualized violence is an issue of security. It is also an issue of women’s equality and rights. It's imperative that we use the traction generated by UN Security Council resolutions to move forward. This blog offers a birds-eye and long-term view of where understanding of this issue has come from and where it should be going to.
Global Gender Current blog, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University
Key issues arise when examining the role of law during mediation and negotiation processes. The ... more Key issues arise when examining the role of law during mediation and negotiation processes. The relationship between law and politics is a key consideration, particularly in ensuring the adoption of a peace agreement that holds legitimacy and which in the longer term post-conflict terrain, adequately addresses the diverse concerns and needs of the affected population. This blog post considers the status of women in conflict and post-conflict environments, and how considerations of gender are relevant to the role of law in negotiations.
Global Gender Current blog, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University
The Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, released fo... more The Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, released for consultation its new Draft Policy Paper on Sexual and Gender Based Crimes (Draft Policy Paper). The Draft Policy Paper is a welcome initiative from the OTP. It provides a platform from which the OTP can contribute to furthering the application of International Criminal Law in ways that are both sensitive and responsive to a gendered understanding of international crimes. This blog explores ways that the policy can ensure that a safe and holistic gendered approach is taken to the prosecution of these crimes.
As we approach the 15th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the 20th anniversa... more As we approach the 15th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, there remain challenges to ensuring that women’s rights, needs and interests are fully addressed in all matters relating to international peace and security. On the one hand is a need for the more substantive gender equality provisions of the women, peace and security agenda to be fully engaged with and addressed, and on the other, a need for strengthened accountability on implementation of the range of normative provisions that we do have in place. This blog explores the potential what combined approaches to CEDAW and the WPS agenda offers.
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Papers by Aisling Swaine
Women, Peace and Security agenda over the last fifteen
years. Addressing strengths and limitations, it analyses
successive thematic priorities, maps WPS spending, and
considers common criticism. It draws out recommendations
for future plans on infrastructure and monitoring,
domestic applications and policy ambition
Where the endeavor to advance understandings of security through a gendered prism has got to is the subject of this chapter. Focusing on gender with respect to insecurities in women’s lives, this chapter looks back as well as forwards. To do so, it considers what may be meant by the idea of gendered security and how may it be pursued going forward? The chapter begins at the beginning, first setting out a frame for understanding gender and security and then discussing where and how concepts of gendered security came about in global policy spaces. It maps the trajectory of the emergence of gendered understandings of security and how these have fared in respect of the evolution of relevant global policy. It sets out three critical elements of gender security as a concept as it has emerged and continues to find positioning going forward. This is followed by exploring suggestions for key policy areas and issues that require engagement for pursuing gender security going forward.
Policy that focuses solely on distinctive conflict-time acts, without attention to their basis in pre-existing gender norms and harms, miss the key causes of VAW. This research brief draws from the research and findings of my book 'Conflict-related Violence Against Women: Transforming Transition' to distill key policy-relevant findings and application.
Women, Peace and Security agenda over the last fifteen
years. Addressing strengths and limitations, it analyses
successive thematic priorities, maps WPS spending, and
considers common criticism. It draws out recommendations
for future plans on infrastructure and monitoring,
domestic applications and policy ambition
Where the endeavor to advance understandings of security through a gendered prism has got to is the subject of this chapter. Focusing on gender with respect to insecurities in women’s lives, this chapter looks back as well as forwards. To do so, it considers what may be meant by the idea of gendered security and how may it be pursued going forward? The chapter begins at the beginning, first setting out a frame for understanding gender and security and then discussing where and how concepts of gendered security came about in global policy spaces. It maps the trajectory of the emergence of gendered understandings of security and how these have fared in respect of the evolution of relevant global policy. It sets out three critical elements of gender security as a concept as it has emerged and continues to find positioning going forward. This is followed by exploring suggestions for key policy areas and issues that require engagement for pursuing gender security going forward.
Policy that focuses solely on distinctive conflict-time acts, without attention to their basis in pre-existing gender norms and harms, miss the key causes of VAW. This research brief draws from the research and findings of my book 'Conflict-related Violence Against Women: Transforming Transition' to distill key policy-relevant findings and application.
agenda (WPS). Consisting of eight resolutions adopted by the UN Security
Council since 2000, this framework addresses the entrenched gendered bias within the realm of international peace and security and seeks to advance women’s concerns, rights and interests across all aspects of conflict prevention, management and response. Since its adoption, scholars and activists have broadly critiqued the gaps that remain in implementing these resolutions by UN member states and entities of the UN system. This chapter provides an overview of the adoption of the WPS agenda and its broad-reaching aims to advance gendered approaches to peace and security. It sets out some of the key areas of controversy and critique and highlights some of the gaps in implementation of the agenda to date.
and in six following Security Council Resolutions - UNSCR 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106 and 2122 (see Boxes 1 and 2) - to assess progress in the past decade and a half since the adoption of UNSCR 1325 in 2000. We conducted an extensive desk study of the existing literature on UNSCR 1325, performed a detailed content analysis of 40 of the 42 existing 1325 NAPs, and offer an update on implementation of Women, Peace, and Security goals more broadly. The Working Paper is addresses three main questions: What does the social science and related literature say about UNSCR 1325 since its adoption in 2000? What does content analysis of National Action Plans (NAPs) in support of UNSCR 1325 reveal about the effectiveness of such plans? What are examples of implementation of 1325 principles with and beyond 1325 NAPs?
The purpose of the study is to address the gap in knowledge on current delivery of reparations for victims of conflict related sexual violence and to identify ways in which current policy and practice may be advanced. The study evidences lacuna in providing measures of redress to those who have experienced conflict related sexual violence. The overall objective of the study is to draw together clear and concrete guidance on the ways in which reparations may be effectively and gender-sensitively conceived of, designed and delivered to victims of conflict-related sexual violence.
A further aim was to gather information regarding police services, the formal justice system and how these together with service providers are utilizing local justice systems. Recommendations were to be made which would assist in the protection and promotion of women’s rights in the context of these systems, and prompt the development of appropriate government policy.