Does Gender Matter? A conversation between Senior Leaders

Tuesday, September 9, 2014 - 20:00
Location: 
UN

Since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security, many changes have taken place in the peace and security context, both at operational and policy levels. Yet, despite decades of national and international commitments, much more needs to be done. The DPKO-DFS Gender Strategy addresses the prevailing gaps and challenges to gender equality and offers a forward looking plan of action to further advance gender equality in peacekeeping. To mark the occasion of the launch of the DPKO/DFS Gender Strategy, the Permanent Mission of Finland and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations/ Department of Field Support hosted a discussion titled: Does Gender Matter? A conversation between Senior Leaders.

Despite constant progress in implementing the WPS agenda through the work of peacekeeping operations, further efforts need to be made. Against this background, DPKO/DFS has developed its first Gender Strategy.

Not only does the Strategy follow evolving resolutions on Women, Peace and Security, it also responds to a changed playing field in the peace and security environment. Within this changed landscape, the need has arisen to rearticulate the objectives of continued gender mainstreaming within peacekeeping operations.
The Strategy aims to equip DPKO/DFS to face challenges and respond more efficiently and effectively in supporting and protecting women and girls wherever peacekeeping is deployed. However, we also recognise that women are equal partners in our quest for peace and therefore it is critical that we continue to promote and foster the empowerment of women in our peace and security interventions.

The resounding message from this Strategy is that gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping is critical to the
effective implementation of our collective mandates and the goal of gender equality is a shared responsibility across peacekeeping.

Institutionalising gender mainstreaming cannot work without the leadership and support of senior managers. DPKO/DFS senior management must hold themselves and all those who work with them in peacekeeping accountable for the implementation and success of the Gender Strategy.