There are 71 000 United Nations (UN) peacekeepers deployed in 11 missions worldwide – a decrease of 950 000 compared to nine years ago.
This, the world body’s Security Council (SC) was told by Sima Bahous, UN Women Executive Director, is “counter-intuitive” taking into account “unprecedented levels of conflict and violence”. She has it the cuts in peacekeeping personnel made by some governments are “despite an uptick in conflict and insecurity”.
She warned the UNSC there would be consequences for the protection of women and their rights in conflict zones in the light of recent decisions to close or “shrink” peacekeeping and special political missions. According to a UN news report she said wars are being fought with “clear disregard” for the lives, rights, welfare and autonomy of women seen by growing misogyny and violence against women.
Bahous was supported by Martha Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa. She is reported as saying: “Unless transitions are well structured, adequately resourced and gender responsive, women and girls will be at risk of setbacks” giving loss of access to essential services and exclusion from decision making as example of setbacks.
By way of illustration she turned to Mali where the UN mission MINUSMA ended in December at “the insistence of transitional military authorities”.
Prior to its accelerated departure, Mali witnessed “transformative” progress enhancing women’s political participation. “The MINUSMA drawdown negatively impacted peacebuilding programmes focusing on women and girls and sustaining the gains made in the political sphere.”
She also voiced concerns over the recent departures of missions from hotspots in Sudan and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that have led to security vacuums and greater vulnerability for women and girls. The drawdowns diminished UN capacity to support national partners in addressing conflict related sexual violence in investigation, reporting and assistance to survivors.
Other challenges are limited funding and an ability to implement existing national action plans relating to women, peace and security.
