Women, Peace and Security

Guidelines for the Norwegian Foreign Service (2023–2030)

Introduction

Norway’s fifth National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security[1] sets out the government’s policy for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325, related resolutions and the broader women, peace and security (WPS) agenda nationally and internationally. These guidelines are a tool to help the Norwegian Foreign Service in translating policy into practice, and focus particularly on Norway’s international efforts.

UN Security Council Resolution 1325

Security Council Resolution 1325 was groundbreaking when it was adopted in 2000. This was the first time that the UN’s supreme body for peace and security adopted a resolution recognising that women and men are affected differently by war and conflict, and that women have important roles to play in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Women’s participation in all matters related to peace and security is crucial to international peace and security. Women must be protected against violence in conflict situations, and participation is key to protection. A Security Council resolution is legally binding on all UN Member States. The Member States and the UN’s own bodies are therefore obliged to:

increase women’s participation in and influence on processes relating to peace and security at all levels;

protect women and girls and their rights in conflict situations:

integrate a gender perspective into international missions and operations;

integrate a gender perspective into the UN’s work relating to conflict, peace and security.

The National Action Plan (NAP) focuses on three thematic priorities: peace processes and implementation of peace agreements; security policy and operations; and humanitarian efforts, protection of civilians and protection of human rights. In these guidelines, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) sets out ambitions and resources for implementing the action points in the NAP where the MFA is defined as a lead Ministry. The general action points for the MFA are to:

integrate the women, peace and security agenda and a gender perspective into Norwegian peace and security efforts;

support action to strengthen women’s participation and influence in international peace and security efforts;

play a leading role in developing, integrating and implementing the women, peace and security agenda internationally;

promote mutual learning by intensifying the exchange of experience and competence-building activities with other countries that have reached different stages in the development and implementation of WPS NAPs.

The entire Norwegian Foreign Service, in particular those sections and missions dealing with priority countries[2] , multilateral organisations and/or the three thematic priorities, have a responsibility to implement the women, peace and security agenda in accordance with the National Action Plan and these guidelines.

Norway’s international efforts on women, peace and security take many forms:

We are involved in normative processes in multilateral forums, including negotiations on resolutions and other texts, and open and closed meetings, to influence concrete measures. The UN is the main body in this context, but NATO, the OSCE, the African Union and other regional organisations are becoming increasingly important. The normative work is put into effect through strong WPS mandates and continual efforts to create accountability within multilateral organisations.

We pursue an active political dialogue with authorities in various countries and engage broadly with civil society. Norway emphasises accountability based on international obligations and states’ own commitments. Knowledge about national and local conditions is important. What commitments has a country taken on? What needs and priorities do women’s groups emphasise?

We provide financial support. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs administers funding for WPS-related efforts under a number of budget items, including those for international organisations and civil society. As a key donor to multilateral organisations, we use our leverage to advance the WPS agenda, and to support and hold UN agencies and missions accountable for fulfilling their WPS obligations.

We support and provide funding for local, Norwegian and international civil society organisations working on peace and security. Funding may be provided directly from the Ministry, through Norad or locally through our missions. We maintain active relationships with civil society actors to understand their priorities and needs, and to support platforms for advocacy and influence.

We support and use research to ensure an evidence-based approach to implementation of the resolutions, and the realisation of the objectives on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Women’s participation in political processes and in peace and security efforts are closely related topics and interdependent. Norway’s international efforts to support women’s political participation are described more fully in the Action Plan for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Foreign and Development Policy for 2023–2030.[3]

Integrating an intersectional gender perspective

Women are not a homogeneous group, but include people of different sexual orientation, ethnicity, functional ability, socio-economic background, age and religion. LGBT+[4] people are often disproportionately affected by the consequences of conflict and are frequently excluded from peace and security work. This is why an intersectional gender perspective must be integrated into all our work related to peace and security.[5] This approach also underlies these guidelines, even where only women are explicitly mentioned.

1 Peace processes and implementation of peace agreements

Norway works to ensure that both women and men are involved in peace and reconciliation processes in which Norway is engaged, whether at the negotiating table or during implementation. Norway is committed to preparing the ground for inclusive processes that safeguard rights regardless of gender in the early stages of conflict resolution efforts. Norway seeks to ensure that peace agreements include the human rights of all women and men and take into account their different needs and priorities. The Section for Peace and Reconciliation has two thematic priorities for its work on conflict resolution and peace process: women, peace and security, and transitional justice. The section has its own strategy for following through on its WPS commitments. More information about the strategy, experience gained from processes and dilemmas can be shared with missions on request.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will:

promote inclusive peace processes and work systematically to encourage more women to take part in peace processes, dialogue initiatives and work

on de-escalation and ceasefire agreements, both at grassroots level and in

formal processes;

ensure a good gender balance in Norway’s own delegations to peace negotiations and to international meetings where peace and security work is discussed, and promote relevant Norwegian and international candidates for roles in the UN and other international forums for peace and security;

take a strategic approach to promoting gender issues in negotiations and peace processes, build bridges between civil society and the parties to negotiations, and work systematically to ensure that there are inclusive structures for the implementation of peace agreements;

in connection with the implementation of peace agreements, facilitate women’s participation and seek to ensure that women’s rights, needs and priorities are safeguarded, and that any provisions on women’s rights in the agreement are implemented in practice;

contribute to the protection of women peacebuilders and human rights defenders who are taking part or have taken part in peace processes and peace efforts in which Norway is involved.

Gender-sensitive conflict analyses, including actor analyses

Some basic questions we should ask:

How does the conflict affect people differently depending on gender, age, and other intersectional factors?

Whose human rights and critical needs are particularly at risk or unmet within the conflict context?

Who has set the agenda, and to what extent and in which way do the agenda items address gender-specific concerns and needs?

Who represents the parties and other actors involved, and how inclusive is this representation? What are their political or ideological standpoints on gender equality and women’s rights?

Who is not included, why, and how may this affect the outcomes?

Who are the key agents of change driving progress, particularly in terms of promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment, and who are the spoilers?

What are the gendered risks of violence faced by participating actors and how do the different actors need to be protected?

In peace processes in which Norway is involved, we will:

Endeavour to ensure a good gender balance in our own teams and among our special representatives.

Carry out gender-sensitive conflict analyses, including actor analyses, and ensure that the results are incorporated into key decision/making processes.

Create a strategy for ensuring women’s participation and integrating a gender perspective in dialogue with the parties during peace negotiations.

Offer technical assistance and expertise to help peace mediators, facilitators, the parties and women’s organisations integrate a gender perspective into peace negotiations and facilitate women’s inclusion in processes.

Advance women’s influence in early dialogue initiatives, negotiations and decision-making processes by

emphasising the importance of international commitments to ensure women’s participation and rights, and highlighting the national and international benefits of following up these commitments;

raising the parties’ awareness of the benefits of inclusion;

urging the parties to include women in their delegations;

identifying women’s groups that could play a role if dialogue initiatives evolve into a peace process;

supporting and facilitating inclusion mechanisms, linking these with the formal process; supporting consultations for civil society, and ensuring that civil society’s views are presented, discussed and taken into account in decision-making processes;

when necessary, providing practical and logistical support (for example within transport and security) to facilitate women’s participation.

Support the role of civil society, women’s organisations, women human rights defenders and peace builders in implementing and monitoring peace and reconciliation processes and as actors that can hold the parties accountable for following up their commitments.

Seek to ensure that preventing and combating sexual and gender-based violence are part of peace and reconciliation processes and peace agreements, and that the rights of survivors of sexual violence – women, men, girls and boys, and children born of war – are safeguarded. This can be done at several levels. It is important to take a comprehensive approach, for example by supporting

preventive measures and mechanisms for monitoring abuse;

transitional justice processes, justice and security sector reforms and states’ ability to hold perpetrators accountable;

civil society efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence and support survivors:

zero tolerance of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) by UN, NGO and INGO personnel, including grant recipients in particular.[6]

The Norwegian Network of Women Mediators

The network[7] consists of approximately 60 women with experience from peace processes. Some of them are experts in process design, the inclusion of women in peace processes, strategic communication in peace processes, national dialogue or transitional justice, while others have experience from UN Peacekeeping and work with civil society. The network can be drawn on to support missions in advocacy work and to share experience with governments or civil society. Resources have been allocated to cover travel and accommodation expenses if it is not possible for the relevant mission to cover these expenses. Contact the Section for Peace and Reconciliation for more information.

When Norway supports the implementation of peace agreements, we must seek to ensure women’s participation and influence and the protection of human rights.

To contribute to this, we will:

Maintain the same focus on women’s participation in the implementation phase as in the negotiating phase. This means that we must work for women’s participation in committees and mechanisms for following up and monitoring agreements, in justice and security sector reforms, and in transitional justice processes.

Support civil society organisations and women's groups that have or may play a role in the implementation phase.

Endeavour to ensure that clauses in peace agreements that address women’s rights are respected, and that clauses pertaining to women’s rights and needs are implemented in practice.

Ensure that an intersectional gender perspective is integrated into conflict analyses carried out by donor groups, the UN and other partners. Consider whether Norway also needs to conduct a conflict analysis.

Develop a simple WPS strategy forNorway’s work in support of the implementation of each specific peace agreement.

Endeavour to ensure that disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programmes do not have negative consequences for any groups regardless of gender or age and that they take into account the specific needs of female ex-combatants. Seek to ensure that these programmes have positive effects for all groups. This also applies to work on the reintegration of child soldiers.

Promote gender perspectives in reintegration programmes. These must take into account the different roles women and girls may have in a conflict, and what challenges they may face when they reintegrate into communities. Conflict prevention measures should be included in these programmes.

Advocate the provision of secure facilities for women and girls in camps, and the adaptation of any training that is provided to the needs of women and girls, in both practical (security, child care provision) and social terms.

Support integration of the gender perspective and women’s participation into justice and security sector reform:

women must be guaranteed due process and access to the legal system;

women’s rights and gender equality must be included in reforms to ensure both safety and security and opportunities for women to work in justice and security institutions;

discriminatory laws should be identified, and support for efforts to amend them should be considered.

Work to end impunity for sexual and gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). This can be done for example by supporting the improvement of legislation and the capacity of the justice sector to deal with cases of sexual violence.

Support transitional justice processes and alternative methods for reparation and justice. These must include mechanisms that ensure satisfactory protection of women’s rights to access to the courts, legal assistance etc.

Support measures that involve men and boys in awareness-raising work aimed at combating sexual and gender-based violence in conflict situations. At the same time, it is important to remember that men and boys can also be victims of sexual violence in conflict situations and that the number of unreported cases is high. Victims of forced recruitment as soldiers and child soldiers may be of any gender or age.

Monitor the situation for women human rights defenders and peacebuilders and assess what freedom of action and security is available to active and high-profile women. They play key roles during the implementation phase, and political and financial support for their work should be considered.

Seek partners who are engaged in combating sexual and gender-based violence in conflict situations. It is important to be aware that the problem is not restricted to sexual violence and abuses committed by armed fighters, and that domestic violence may be exacerbated in conflict situations.

Support measures to strengthen the gender perspectives in prevention of violent extremism. Such measures may include mobilising women’s organisations in combating violent extremism locally, regionally and globally, and measures to protect women’s lives, health and rights as part of the fight against violent extremism.

No one represents everyone

Women have varying agendas and priorities. A woman who engages in politics cannot be expected to represent the experience and opinions of all women.

When we are involved in facilitating peace processes, conflict prevention, the implementation of peace agreements, peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts, we must take a broad approach to inclusion and the gender perspective.

Examples of relevant issues:

National women’s organisations do not always represent women’s needs and challenges at the grassroots level. Is there a national women’s association of different organisations in the country? What do different organisations agree about and where are the main disagreements? Is it necessary to consult more actors?

Minorities and indigenous peoples often face challenges in gaining access to political processes. Evaluate whether they require assistance to amplify their voices and participate effectively in decision-making processes.

Evaluate the inclusion of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes and the activities of women’s organisations. Assess the extent to which their needs and problems are addressed within the broader framework of women’s rights and empowerment. Consider consulting with disability rights organisations and advocacy groups to ensure their voices and concerns are adequately represented.

Recognize the specific challenges faced by women refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), including a heightened risk of violence, lack of access to essential services, and displacement-related vulnerabilities. Does the planning and implementation of our work take into account the specific needs and experiences of women in these situations?

Lesbian, bisexual and trans women are often at greater risk of sexual violence and abuse. What does this mean for how we plan our work?

2 Security policy and operations

In all operations and missions, one of the goals is to ensure the security and safety of the whole population. This is best achieved by making a gender perspective the basis for the actions of the organisation and personnel, for how personnel are selected for participation in operations and missions, and for their contribution to competence building.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close cooperation with other ministries where relevant, will:

ensure that Norwegian military and civilian personnel have a sound knowledge of the women, peace and security agenda, including how to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence and to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH);

integrate a gender perspective into the planning, implementation and evaluation of education, training, exercises, operations and missions nationally and internationally, when applicable;

play a part in developing the international framework for women, peace and security in international forums, and in implementing UN and NATO policy and operational guidelines relating to women, peace and security;

promote understanding of conflict-related sexual violence through multilateral forums, and advocate international action to prevent, respond to and prosecute conflict-related sexual violence;

include women and integrate a gender perspective into national efforts to prevent and combat violent extremism;

promote the integration of a gender perspective and women’s participation in counterterror efforts and in the prevention of violent extremism internationally;

build and share knowledge about the links between the women, peace and security and climate, peace and security agendas, and seek to ensure that a gender perspective is an integral part of the basis for making decisions in national and international forums;

seek to ensure coordination of work on the women, peace and security and climate, peace and security agendas, and that they are dealt with as two interconnected and cross-cutting issues in Norway’s multilateral and international cooperation on peace and security;

Work towards greater participation and more direct influence by women and girls on national and international decision-making processes relating to climate and environment.

Support the UN’s work on climate, peace and security internationally, regionally and at country level, and advocate the integration of a gender perspective and women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in this work.

The UN Secretary-General’s annual report to the Security Council

Every year the UN Secretary-General presents a report to the Security Council on the fulfilment of WPS obligations. The report forms the backdrop to an open debate in the Security Council on women, peace and security, which is usually held in the last week of October. The report contains useful information about the status of the UN’s and Member States’ efforts in this area, the UN’s ambitions, identified challenges and opportunities. The Secretary-General also presents an annual report on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), and the Security Council holds an open debate on the topic, usually in April.

The meetings of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March each year include a number of WPS-related side events, some of them country-specific.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the African Union (AU) often hold debates on the same issue during the same periods, and we should aim to make concrete and meaningful contributions to these debates when possible.

To contribute to the achievement of these goals, we will:

Endeavour to ensure that peace operations have strong mandates that take account of security needs regardless of gender and that strengthen women’s position.

Promote and implement the WPS agenda in relevant forums under the UN, NATO and the OSCE, including meetings, debates and side events, as well as in text and budget negotiations, in close dialogue with secretariats and other countries’ representatives. Work on these issues by other regional organisations, such as the African Union and ASEAN, is also worth following up closely.

Support the development and implementation of WPS policy and guidelines in the UN, NATO, the OSCE and other relevant multilateral and regional organisations.

Promote women’s participation and leadership in peace operations, for example by

proposing Norwegian women for international missions and operations, including in leading positions;

supporting other countries’ efforts to increase the proportion of women in their teams;

supporting research to increase knowledge about women’s participation in operations and missions and thus ensuring that the action we take has a sound basis and is relevant;

raising the profile of women who are or have been on international missions and operations, and inviting women with this experience to participate in relevant forums and discussions.

Work to ensure that the UN, NATO and the OSCE integrate a gender perspective into their work and implement relevant gender policies.

Support the multilateral collaboration aimed at protecting women, children and men from sexual and gender-based violence, for example by working for more cooperation in vulnerable regions between international organisations such as the UN and Interpol.

Support preventive measures in the security sector, such as the development of and procedures to uphold the code of conduct on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).

Engagewith relevant actors in peace operations as regards WPS issues. In the case of UN, NATO or OSCE operations in which Norway takes part or to which it contributes substantial support, our missions should consider

establishing and maintaining contact with the leadership of the operation about women’s participation and men’s and women’s roles in the operation;

asking what is being done to implement mandated WPS tasks, including on conflict-related sexual violence, and what practical measures are being taken to prevent sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

Maintain close contact with Norwegian representatives on operations and missions. This includes:

encouraging and supporting WPS-related work by our representatives in operations and missions;

for diplomatic and consular missions, taking steps where relevant and possible to facilitate regular contact with those deployed on operations and missions, thus strengthening Norway’s voice in dialogue with host country authorities and with the leadership of operations, and making Norway’s contribution as coherent, goal-oriented and consistent as possible.

Women, gender and violent extremism

Undermining women’s rights is a common goal of most extremists — including far-right extremists.

Sexual and gender-based violence can be a significant part of extremist violence, often employed as a tool for coercion and control.

Many violent extremist groups limit, distort or exploit men’s and women’s gender roles strategically.

Some women join terrorist groups, serve as foreign fighters and recruit others to these groups. Addressing this necessitates a gendered approach that considers the unique motivations and pathways of female recruitment.

Many women are influential peacebuilders who prevent and resolve conflicts, even in the face of violent extremism.

Recognition of these facts must underpin our efforts to prevent and combat violent extremism.

3 Humanitarian efforts, protection of civilians and protection of human rights

Norway’s humanitarian efforts are rights-based. The gender perspective is to be integrated into all our humanitarian efforts, and special priority is to be given to women’s rights and participation. Norway’s efforts in humanitarian crises must safeguard human rights and be adapted to meet different needs and priorities regardless of gender and age. The National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and the Humanitarian Strategy provide guidance for this work.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will:

maintain efforts to ensure compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights, and play a part in holding the parties to conflicts accountable;

promote women’s participation in planning and implementing the humanitarian response, and help to ensure that women’s voices are heard;

work to prevent and combat sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict, post-conflict situations and during humanitarian crises in peacetime;

continue efforts to ensure that a gender perspective is integrated into work on arms control and humanitarian disarmament, for example through follow-up of the political declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA);

seek to ensure that women human rights defenders in conflict and post-conflict situations have access to protection mechanisms through the UN and civil society;

promote the participation of women human rights defenders in multilateral forums and international meetings on peace and security, and work towards stronger guidelines for protecting participants and preventing reprisals.

To ensure that a gender perspective is integrated into our work, we will:

Seek to ensure that people who are affected by a humanitarian crisis have an influence on the humanitarian response, regardless of their gender.

Make sure that human rights are safeguarded in the humanitarian response regardless of gender. This includes sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Work on the basis of the ‘Do no harm’ principle. This also means that humanitarian efforts must be designed so that they do not exacerbate existing conflicts, create new ones or result in discrimination, including gender-based discrimination.

Expect recipients of Norwegian humanitarian funding to carry out intersectional needs analyses, which should form the basis for how humanitarian efforts are implemented. We should be particularly aware of the needs of:

refugees and internally displaced persons,

women of reproductive age,

children born of war,[8]

persons subjected to discrimination of different kinds, for example on the basis of age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnic and religious identity, socio-economic situation or disability.

Expect humanitarian organisations that receive Norwegian support to report on how the WPS agenda is integrated into all parts of the planning, implementation and evaluation of efforts in crises and conflicts.

Collect and disseminate best practice from the humanitarian organisations that have made most progress in integrating efforts to combat sexual violence against all genders into the planning of humanitarian efforts at the strategic and operational level.

Collect information and experience from representatives of civil society at country level who are advocating the inclusion of prevention, protection and response measures related to sexual and gender-based violence in the preparations for and implementation of international humanitarian efforts.

Give priority to protection against sexual and gender-based violence in our humanitarian response, and to life-saving support to survivors. The support must be based on the priorities and needs of the survivors, in all their diversity.

Use humanitarian diplomacy to provide a clear voice for protection against sexual and gender-based violence.

Be a driving force in ensuring that UN agencies comply with relevant guidelines for inclusion of the gender perspective and combating sexual violence in humanitarian efforts (see link to UNHCR’s tools under “Resources”).

Offer expertise and advice on the gender perspective and protection in field operations, including continuing to support the Protection Standby Capacity Project (ProCap) and the Gender Capacity Standby Project (GenCap).

Seek to ensure that donor cooperation and coordination at country level takes into account work on the WPS agenda in different phases of the response to crises and conflicts – from emergency aid to assistance and reconstruction in the medium and long term. This must include supporting, listening to, and protecting whistleblowers who report abuses within humanitarian organisations.

The different phases of a peacebuilding process are closely linked. Reconstruction and reconciliation are often immediately followed by both conflict prevention and new conflict resolution. Work to prevent and combat violent extremism has points of contact with all our work for peace and security. To build sustainable peace, women’s rights and gender equality must be given a central place in all phases and interconnected processes.

Checklist

Always consider how women are represented and visible in meetings and delegations.

Do women participate and who do they represent?

Do the women in our team have clear and active roles?

Do we call for participation by women in meetings and negotiations?

How do we follow up the issues women raise in discussions and negotiations?

How do we highlight women's contributions in social media?

Consider gender when analysing conflicts and actors, and when country strategies are being prepared. This includes considering

differences between men’s and women's participation,

the use made by the different political actors of gender roles and gender equality issues in their ideology and recruitment;

differences between the security situation for men and women and their opportunities to improve their situation themselves.

Make women, peace and security a permanent agenda item in conversations with all relevant actors: partners, the authorities, the UN and multilateral organisations, other countries and important individuals/organisations.

Be aware of the country’s commitments and its own goals, and hold the authorities accountable for following through on them.

Familiarise yourself with ratified conventions, NAPs and legislation relating to women and gender equality. Make active use of the reporting on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Pay close attention when the reports are being prepared and debated. Take note of recommendations and how they are followed up.

Support the authorities’ follow-up of national WPS commitments. If relevant, support the preparation of national commitments, such as WPS NAPs.

Familiarise yourself with the work done by other actors that monitor follow-up of the WPS agenda at the national level, for example the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders.

Join forces with other countries’ missions to formulate joint responses or follow up priority areas where necessary. Many voices are stronger than one.

Familiarise yourself with the mandates and obligations of the multilateral organisations in connection with WPS resolutions, and hold the organisations accountable for fulfilling them. Note that many regional organisations have their own WPS action plans.

Establish contact with the leadership of peace operations about matters relating to WPS, such as

women’s and men's role in an operation;

girls’ and women’s rights and position in the area of operations;

efforts to protect against, prevent and deal with sexual and gender-based violence.

Be particularly aware that Norwegians deployed on operations and missions can be an important resource for a mission and/or country team, and consider how the foreign service can support Norwegian personnel in international missions and operations.

Gain an overview of and engage with civil society, including local, Norwegian, diaspora and international organisations, and also women's organisations and networks and women human rights defenders.

Who are they? What are their views? Who do they represent? What challenges do they face? Who are potential allies and who represent forces opposed to women's rights?

What strategies do women use to create alliances with men and to overcome resistance?

Do Norwegian civil society organisations have established partners in the country?

Does Norway support regional organisations that have national or local members who could be useful contacts?

Call for active participation by women’s organisations, other relevant civil society organisations, national gender equality bodies and similar forums in dialogues and decision-making processes.

Consider supporting women’s organisations and other civil society organisations. In this context, support for the following is particularly relevant:

participation in peace and reconciliation processes;

prevention of terrorism and violent extremism;

participation in the implementation of peace agreements,

collecting information and documentation that can form the basis for more targeted work;

survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, and also children born of war and survivors of human trafficking;

efforts for women refugees,

organisations that work with men and male gender roles, whether as victims, allies or abusers.

Monitor changes in the situation for women, particularly for women human rights defenders, politicians and activists, as they are at heightened risk of being subjected to threats and abuse. See also the guidelines for Norway’s support to human rights defenders.[9]

Include WPS messages in background updates, speaking points, reporting home and in dialogues with politicians, the political opposition, the civil service, civil society, the UN and the development banks.

Raise questions relating to WPS in dialogues with grant recipients working in countries affected by armed conflict, vulnerable to potential conflict or to the consequences of conflicts in neighbouring countries.

Include goals relating to the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2023–2030 in the mission’s annual work plan (virksomhetsplan). Consider whether it might be useful for the mission to have a separate WPS work plan.

The Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security

Main message

SCR 1325 (2000)

The first Security Council resolution to draw attention to how women are affected by conflicts. Focuses on the right to participate in peace processes, protection and the prevention of conflicts.

SCR 1820 (2008)

Recognises that conflict-related sexual violence is used tactically in armed conflicts, and emphasises the need for a response.

SCR 1888 (2009)

Holds peacebuilding forces responsible for protecting women and children against sexual violence, and asks the UN Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflicts. Pramila Patten is the third person to fill this role. She was appointed in 2017.

SCR 1889 (2009)

Emphasises the need for better planning and funding in order to ensure women’s participation in reconstruction and peacebuilding.

SCR 1960 (2010)

Focuses on accountability mechanisms to prevent sexual violence in conflict situations. Points to states’ responsibility to respect human rights, and states that impunity for abusers during armed conflicts is unacceptable. Allegations of sexual violence must be monitored and reported. Zero tolerance of sexual abuse committed by UN personnel.

SCR 2106 (2013)

This resolution calls for strengthening the work on prosecuting perpetrators of sexual abuse in conflicts. It also calls for monitoring, analysis and reporting mechanisms for conflict-related sexual violence.

SCR 2122 (2013)

Focuses on women as key contributors, not just as victims, in peacebuilding processes. Requests that participation be facilitated by giving support to grassroots women’s organisations and to improving women’s financial situation. Emphasises the need to get to grips with the fundamental causes of conflict. Also notes the need for access to all types of sexual and reproductive health services for women who become pregnant as a result of rape in war.

SCR 2242 (2015)

Identifies the need to include women in radicalisation and counter-terrorism strategies. Establishes the goal of doubling the proportion of women in peacekeeping forces in the next five years and strengthening the integration of gender equality into all phases of the planning and implementation of peacekeeping operations. Calls for peace mediators to be given training in including women in peace processes. The resolution calls for concrete measures to prevent UN personnel committing abuses while in service. The resolution also requests states to strengthen women’s access to justice, and calls for more financial support for implementation of the resolutions on women, peace and security.

Resources

The Government website pages on women, peace and security provide links to the National Action Plan, these guidelines, annual reports on WPS efforts and other resources: Women, Peace and Security - regjeringen.no

Relevant action plans and guidelines for the Foreign Service

A just world is an equal world (regjeringen.no) - Action Plan for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Norway’s Foreign and Development Policy (2023–2030)

Guidelines for dealing with reports of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment involving grant recipients in the Foreign Service - regjeringen.no

Norwegian guidelines for sexual and reproductive health and rights (regjeringen.no)

Norwegian guidelines for support to human rights defenders - regjeringen.no

UN and other international organisations

Women, Peace and Security | Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (un.org)

What we do: Peace and security | UN Women – Headquarters

Promoting women, peace and security | United Nations Peacekeeping

Gender | United Nations Peacekeeping

UN Team of Experts on Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict – United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict

UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict – United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict

Women are a target group for UNHCR’s work with refugees. Website includes links to handbooks, guidelines and relevant reports: Women | UNHCR

The Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund supports the work of women’s organisations on peace and reconciliation and humanitarian efforts: Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (wphfund.org)

UN Peacebuilding Fund Gender and Youth Promotion Initiatives: GYPI-en | PEACEBUILDING (un.org)

The UN The System-wide Strategy on Gender Parity: Strategy | UNITED for GENDER PARITY

Women, peace, and security | OSCE

NATO - Topic: Women, Peace and Security

Women, Peace and Security - ASEAN Main Portal

Civil society organisations

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has a separate project page including extensive information about women, peace and security, a list of resolutions, national and regional action plans (full text also available) and analyses of work on the women, peace and security agenda in the Security Council.

The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (NGO Working Group) is an umbrella organisation for a number of respected women’s and human rights organisations that work for the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda. They closely monitor the work of the Security Council, and are concerned with dialogue between the Security Council’s members and women who are directly affected by war and conflicts.

The International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) has developed the guideBetter Peace Tool with Norwegian support. It is available in several languages, and several animated films have been produced that are freely available on YouTube. The Better Peace Tool contains practical advice and tips about how to contribute to women’s participation and how to participate more actively in peace processes.

Women's Alliance for Security Leadership - ICAN (icanpeacework.org)

FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development

Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) focuses on gender-sensitive and survivor-centred accountability and truth-seeking transitional justice mechanisms in building lasting peace. The main pillars of its work are legal aid and empowerment, strategic litigation, advocacy and technical assistance.

Karama focuses on transitional justice, constitutional and legislative reform, political participation, and security sector reform in collaboration with local civil society partners in the Middle East and North Africa.

Other resources

2023 Women, Peace & Security Index (georgetown.edu), developed annually in cooperation between the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and the PRIO Centre on Gender, Peace and Security, is the first index to collate data on women's participation, access to the law and security.

PRIO Centre on Gender Peace and Security  

Women, Peace and Security Publications : Security Council Report

The Elsie Initiative Fund (elsiefund.org)

Nobel Women's Initiative (nobelwomensinitiative.org) 

The LSE Centre for Women, Peace and Security: LSE WPS

Global Network of Women Peacebuilders: Home – GNWP

Nordic Women Mediators: https://www.nordicwomenmediators.org

Global Alliance of Regional Women Mediators Networks: HOME - GLOBAL WOMEN MEDIATORS

Nordic Women Mediators

Fotnoter

1)
 Norway’s National Action Plan: Women, Peace and Security (2023-2030) - regjeringen.no

2)
 The list of priority countries will be dynamic and can be adjusted as conditions change. At the time of publication of these guidelines, the list was as follows: Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Jordan, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Palestine, the Philippines, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela and Yemen. Regional and multilateral forums will continue to be given priority. These include NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the EU, the Council of Europe, the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the UN.

3)
 A just world is an equal world (regjeringen.no) - Action Plan for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Norway’s Foreign and Development Policy (2023–2030)

4)
 LGBT+ is an inclusive term representing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender/transsexual people, plus people exhibiting variations in sex characteristics, intersex (I) people, those identifying as queer (Q) and others who do not fit the usual norms for gender and sexuality. The plus sign indicates that variations in sexual orientation (LGBQ), sexual identity (T) and sex characteristics (I) are all included.

5)
 The term intersectionality is used to explain how inequalities and discrimination based on different aspects of people’s identity, such as gender, ethnicity, religion, functional ability and social class can intersect and influence their living conditions and quality of life.

6)
 Guidelines for dealing with reports of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment involving grant recipients in the Foreign Service - regjeringen.no

7)
 Norway — Nordic Women Mediators

8)
 Children who are conceived through rape during armed conflict, and other children of war who have parents from opposite sides of a conflict.

9)
 Norwegian guidelines for support to human rights defenders - regjeringen.no