MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security
22.11.2010
pursuant to Rule 110(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Edit Bauer, Philippe Juvin, Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, Eduard Kukan, Elisabeth Jeggle, Elisabeth Morin-Chartier, Mariya Nedelcheva, Eleni Theocharous on behalf of the PPE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0624/2010
B7‑0624/2010
European Parliament resolution on the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security
The European Parliament,
– having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008) on women, peace and security, and UN Security Council Resolution 1888 (2009) on sexual violence against women and children in situations of armed conflict, which emphasises the responsibility of all states to put an end to impunity and to prosecute those responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes, including those relating to sexual and other violence against women and girls,
– having regard to the EU Council Plan of Action on Gender Equality in Development Cooperation that should ensure that gender equality is mainstreamed throughout the EU's work with partner countries at all levels,
– having regard to the appointment in March 2010 of a Special Representative to the UN Secretary General on Sexual Violence in armed conflict,
– having regard to the Council paper Comprehensive Approach to the EU Implementation of UNSCR 1325 and 1820 and the operational document on the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 as reinforced by UNSCR 1820 in the context of ESDP both adopted in December 2008, and to the Council document on Mainstreaming of Human Rights into ESDP of September 2006,
– having regard to its resolution of 7 October 2010 on failures in protection of human rights and justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
– having regard to the new UN Gender Entity (UN Women),
– having regard to Rule 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas this year marks the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 which is the first resolution to address the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women and to link women's experiences of conflict to the maintenance of international peace and security covering the inter-linked thematic areas of participation, protection, prevention, relief and recovery,
B. whereas the International Day against violence against women on 25th November,
C. whereas Security Council resolutions 1820, 1888 and 1889 strengthen and complement 1325 and the four resolutions must be considered as the set of commitments on Women Peace and Security,
D. whereas the implementation of these commitments is a common concern and responsibility of each UN Member State, be it conflict-affected, donor or other; stressing in this respect the adoption in December 2008 of the EU Guidelines on violence against women and girls and EU Guidelines on children and armed conflict and combating all forms of discrimination against them which represent a strong political signal that these are priorities for the Union,
E. whereas the European Parliament should observe the implementation of the broad approach and of the prospective Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in EU External Action as well as the implementation of the guidelines on violence against women and children,
F. whereas the EU should enable participation of women in conflict prevention, crisis management, peace talks and post-conflict phases like post war reconstruction planning,
G. whereas when part of a widespread and systematic practice, rape and sexual slavery are recognized under the Geneva Convention as crimes against humanity and war crimes; whereas rape is also now recognized as an element of the crime of genocide when committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a targeted group; whereas the EU should support efforts being aimed at ending impunity for perpetrators of sexual violence against women and children,
H. whereas the establishment of the European External Action Service (EEAS) should contribute to further implementation of UNSC resolutions 1325 and 1820 with regard to both its internal structure and its external actions and policies,
I. whereas the EU has adopted a series of important documents on how to implement UNSCR 1820 and 1325,
J. whereas 2010 is also the year of MDG plus 10 review,
K. whereas only a minority of EU member states drafted a national action plan aiming the implementation of UN SC resolution 1325,
1. Stresses that the 10th anniversary of the Security Council resolution 1325 should mark the start of a reinvigorated agenda for the implementation of 1325 which cannot be advanced without political leadership at the highest levels and increased resources; highly recommends that this issue be duly addressed in the ongoing review of the EU human rights policy when it comes to the elaboration of a comprehensive Human Rights Country Strategy and to the evaluation of the EU Guidelines on violence against women and girls, the EU guidelines on children and armed conflict and combating all forms of discrimination against them;
2. Calls for the allocation of specific financial, human and organisational resources regarding the participation of women and gender mainstreaming in the field of foreign and security policy; calls for more women to be deployed in police, military and justice and rule-of-law missions and in peace-keeping operations; calls on EU Members States to actively promote women participation in their bilateral and multilateral relations with states and organisations outside the EU;
3. Considers the establishment of the European External Action Service (EEAS) an unique opportunity for reinforcing the role of the EU with respect to the implementation of UNSCR 1820 and 1325;
4. Urges the HR/VC and EU Member States to include reference to UNSCR 1820 and 1325 in each of CSDP Council Decision and mission's mandate and to make always sure that all CSDP missions has at least one Gender Advisor and an Action Plan on how to implement women, peace and security aspects; urges HRVC, EU Member States and Heads of Missions to make cooperation and consultation with local women's organisations a standard element of each mission;
5. Calls for the establishment of adequate public complaint procedures which would particularly help reporting sexual and gender-based violence; calls on the HR/VC to include a detailed reporting on women, peace and security in the six-monthly evaluation of CSDP missions;
6. Recalls the mass gang rape that took place from 30 July to 4 August, in the eastern Congo mining district, that at least 8300 rapes were reported last year in eastern Congo and that at least 1244 women reported being raped in the first quarter of 2010, which is an average of 14 rapes per day; urges both EU missions in RD Congo, EUPOL RD Congo and EUSEC RD Congo to make the fight against sexual violence and the participation of women the main priority in the context of the effort to reform the Congolese Security Sector;
7. Stresses the importance that the EU should appoint female police forces and soldiers in CSDP-missions on a larger scale; the contingent of female police officers within the UN-peacekeeping force in Liberia can be used as a model;
8. Points to the need for establishing a code of conduct for EU's personnel serving in military and civil missions which illustrates sexual exploitation as unjustifiable and criminal behaviour;
9. Calls for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and 1820 in the EU's country strategy papers and to mobilise more financial support for the participation of women from conflict-affected countries in European processes; calls on the HR/VC, the Commissioners for Development, Enlargement and Humanitarian Aid to make women, peace and security aspects and integral part of the planning and programming of the external financial instruments such as EIDHR, ICI, IPA, but especially DCI and IfS;
10. Emphasises that the European Commission should facilitate the access for small NGOs to subsidies of the European Instrument on Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR); recalls that at present many small women's organizations fail with the bureaucratic obstacle of application.
11. Calls on the Commissioner for development to support work by women's organisations in conflict-affected areas; urges the HR/VC to use the long term component of the Instrument for Stability (IfS) for allocating funding in support of women's participation in peace, security and reconciliation related processes and to earmark allocations for women, peace and security in all short term measures financed under Art. 3 of the Instrument for Stability;
12. Takes the view that EU Delegations should inform civil society organizations such as local women organizations, about their engagement in conflict regions and consult civil society organisations in the process of policy-planning;
13. Calls for an immediate increase in participation by women in all the initiatives aimed at finding solutions to conflicts, including as mediators, negotiators and in the implementation of conflict resolution measures;
14. Calls on the HR/VC to initiate an annual week in which women leaders are consulted and which could complement the UN Global Open Day for Women and Peace followed by EU Delegation reports and follow-ups;
15. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the UN Special Representative on sexual violence in armed conflicts and to the newly appointed Head of the UN Gender Entity (UN Women).