Events

Vancouver: Gender and UN Peacekeeping / Peacebuilding, February 26, 2007

On Monday, February 26^th, 2007, the UNA-Canada Peacekeeping Project and the UNA-Canada Vancouver Branch held a forum in Vancouver on Gender and UN Peacekeeping/Peacebuilding at Simon Fraser University. This event was funded by DFAIT, DND Security and Defence Forum and CIDA. This was the eight public dialogue in a series organized to mark the 50th Anniversary of UN Peacekeeping.

The event consisted of two components. The afternoon session was closed to policy-makers, academics, experts, etc who formed a high-level consultation team on the topic to come up with concrete findings and recommendations (21 people).

In the evening, a public event was open to civil society and general public (about 100 people attended) with 2 panel speakers, and extensive time for discussion among the public. This fulfilled the UNA-Canada mandate to facilitate dialogue among the Canadian public, as well as provide an education value through the panelists.

Panelists for Public Dialogue:

Senator Mobina Jaffer, Canada's former Special Envoy to the Sudan and former Chair of the Canadian Committee of Women Peace & Security
Cheshmak Farhoumand-Sims, researcher, educator & activist on Afghanistan & women.
Kathryn Gretsinger, CBC radio broadcaster, Moderator.

Overview of Discussion

The participants of the closed experts’ roundtable and the panelists of the public dialogue event discussed Gender and UN Peacekeeping/Peacebuilding. The understanding of the gender dimension of conflict is essential if peacekeeping and peacebuilding are to succeed in the long-term. The problem, however, is that programmes are often ‘gender blind,’ meaning that they do not take into account the different experiences of women and men, resulting in the implementation of narrow policies.

In the last decade, the UN has made numerous efforts to mainstream gender perspectives in all aspects of UN peace operations and incorporate a gender dimension to international policies. However, gaps remain visible, including challenges regarding gender training and challenges regarding the advancement of women in UN peace support operations. Examples of UN or mission-based barriers include sexism and nepotism in UN hiring processes; limited opportunities for advancement to higher ranks; sexual harassment by superiors, colleagues and local authorities; cultural barriers, as evidenced by the cultural attitudes toward women outside Europe and North America; discrimination regarding women’s dependency status, as women are often discouraged from bringing their families; and urgency and length of required commitment.

Sample of Recommendations

The importance of partnering with local communities of wome
The need to bring a gendered approach to the institution of peacekeeping
Involving the Diaspora within Canada in cultural training and in foreign missions
Caution that our policies may be perpetrating systems of oppression against women, in attempts to respect cultural sensitivities
The need for increased civilian peacekeepers (particularly women)
The need for an increased % of Canada’s funding to go to women-specific programs
The need to increase Canadians’ awareness of Resolution 1325.

Media coverage of the events included: