Transcript Inclusive Security: Women Waging Peace

Women and decision –making
in post-conflict transitions
Case Studies from Timor Leste and the
Solomon Islands
Sherrill Whittington
Consultant
Gender, Governance and Peacebuilding
post-conflict transitions
Many post-conflict situations provide a unique opportunity
to introduce a more inclusive political framework to
advance women’s participation
Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, South Africa and Timor
Leste, have greater female political participation than
more highly developed countries such as the United
States, France and Italy.
Lessons learned from the 2000-2002 transition period in
Timor Leste can be used as a model for other states in
the Asia-Pacific region, particularly the Solomon Islands
women in post-conflict elections
This phenomenon of a high return of women in elections in
many post-conflict transitions raises a number of key
questions:
why and how is conflict an impetus to increased female
representation?
whether such outcomes make a difference to overall
transitional developments?
what processes and mechanisms have to be put in place to
ensure longer-term sustainability of these results?
and how lessons learned and good practices can be applied
elsewhere?
Security Council resolution 1325
Women, Peace and Security,
… peace is inextricably linked to equality between women
and men…maintaining and promoting peace and security
requires equal participation in decision-making[1].
This applies to all decision-making from peace
negotiations and peace accords, reconstructing or
constructing systems of governance, security, rule of law,
electoral, constitutional reform and developments.
[1] United Nations Security Council, 24 October 2000
Governance
To ensure that it upholds gender equality as a basic tenet,
there has to be:
a key policy-making mechanism strategically placed in
government to influence decision-making,
a critical mass of women in representational institutions,
and a strong civil society component working with
decision-makers to promote women’s rights.
democratic elections
central elements of peace-building are democratic elections
and constitutional reform,
an inclusive, rights-based approach essential to promote
gender equality and non-discrimination.
peace-building must be a participatory process that does
not reconstruct what has failed, but develops a new
paradigm for security, rule of law and governance,
guaranteeing the protection of women’s human rights.
Timor Leste: An Inclusive Model
If women in Timor Leste were to have an integral role in nationbuilding following independence, it was essential that there be
mechanisms and processes during the transitional period from
2000-2002.
There had to be an office in the transitional government which
could evolve into a national machinery for women, supported by
a cohesive and representative network of women’s
organizations,
and ultimately a critical mass of women representatives in the
first freely elected Constituent Assembly.
Women’s rights and the principle of gender equality had to be
guaranteed by the Constitution.
First Congress of Women of Timor
Loro Sa’e.
The Congress convened in June 2000 by an umbrella mechanism,
REDE, representing women’s organisations in East Timor, the first
post-conflict gathering of women to discuss the most important issues
in the reconstruction of their country.
Congress statement highlighted that although there”…has been a
small increase in women’s participation in the socio-economic and
political spheres, women’s absence from decision-making continues to
result in the absence of a gender perspective.”
Platform for Action called for mechanisms to ensure transparency and
accountability in government; a consultative process in constitution
building; and the need for resources to be available to empower women
in public decision-making and at all levels of the new government.
Gender Affairs Unit
The Gender Affairs Unit was in the United nations Transtional
Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), initially located in the
Governance and Public Administration ,later part of the National
Planning and Development Agency, had as its key focus
ensuring the mainstreaming of the principle of gender equality in
the transitional government of East Timor.
After independence, the Unit evolved into the Office for the
Promotion of Equality, the women’s national machinery in the
Prime Minister’s department, continuing the structure and many
of the functions, programmes and activities put in place during
the transition.
Quotas and the Elections
In March 2001, the East Timorese Women’s Network
(REDE) submitted a proposal to the National Council,
requesting that the Electoral Regulation for the election
of the Constitutional Assembly include a quota of at
least 30 percent women in the Assembly.
This quota reflected the overall 30%quota of women’s
representation in public life and was a key area of their
Platform of Action developed at the First Women’s
National Congress.
Quotas and the Elections
The National Council and the United Nations
Department of Political Affairs rejected the proposal,
because it contravened the United Nations definition of
a ‘free and fair’ election.
Thus, the 2001 Electoral Regulation did not include any
clause on affirmative action regarding quotas to ensure
women’s participation in the electoral process.
The rejection was met with strong reaction from the
East Timorese women’s groups based who protested
and advocated for action.
Affirmative action measures
Affirmative action measures introduced to guarantee democratic
principles of participation and place women in winnable positions on
party lists, as well as incorporate women’s concerns into their party
platforms.
Incentives, such as parties being allotted twice as much broadcast
time if the additional time was used for women candidates, were
offered.
Reinforced by training workshops by the United Nations Transitional
Administration’s Gender Unit and UNIFEM, to prepare women to be
candidates, with more than 250 potential women candidates
participating from every district, and representatives from all major
political parties as well as NGOs.
Key mechanisms
Women’s Electoral Caucus developed from the workshops; provided
follow-up support to women candidates, and economic and moral
support to independent women candidates throughout the campaigning
period, on election day, as well as assistance to those who were
elected to the Constituent Assembly.
Gender equity working group formed by the Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) and U.N Gender Unit, to ensure that women fully
participated in the process, not only as candidates and voters, but also
as electoral administrators. IEC informed women at every level about
job opportunities with the IEC.
All objectives and activities of IEC Voter Education, Training and
Public Information Units, included gender sensitive timing for all
training activities; development of materials that avoided sexist
messages or images; creation of texts to empower women; and special
training for women’s groups on electoral issues.
Outcome of 2001 Elections
A remarkable 27% return of women to the Constituent Assembly,
one of the highest, not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but
globally.
a new East Timorese government was of eleven ministers , with
two women appointed to ministerial portfolios of Justice and
Finance, a third was given the position for Vice-minister for
Internal Administration.
Two women Advisers were appointed in the Office of the Chief
Minister, one for the Promotion of Equality, the other for Human
Rights.
.
Constitutional and legal framework
Working group on Women and the Constitution composed of several
civil society organisations was formed and organised consultations
with women’s groups all over the country on basic issues affecting
women in East Timor.
A Women’s Charter of Rights in East Timor was agreed, written by
East Timorese women representing different districts and
organisations ;
The Charter was presented to the Members of the Constituent
Assembly tasked with drafting of the first Constitution just after the
elections.
The Gender Constitutional Working Group monitored the drafting
process and advocated for the ‘Women’s Charter of Rights’.
Consolidation
The Office for the Promotion of Equality (OPE) has received
bilateral and multilateral support, particularly from Ireland Aid,
UNFPA and UNIFEM.
UNIFEM implemented a ‘Programme on Enhancing Rural
Women’s Leadership and Participation in Nation Building’, to
empower communities in rural areas.
The Timor-Leste Government passed an electoral law in 2003
providing two seats on each village council specifically for women
and enabled women to stand for any other positions, including
village chief. At the village elections in May 2005, 90 women were
elected as Councilors, an average of three women per village
Consolidation
Oxfam Australia and UNIFEM also supported four preparatory
regional congresses that led up to the Second National East
Timorese Women’s Congress, held from 27-31 July 2004.
Oxfam’s support, which paid for transportation, food and
documentation, was a critical factor in enabling the regional
congresses to go forward, filling a vacuum in donor involvement
and thereby allowing the women’s network REDE Feto to reach
out to its members at the grassroots level – women who felt the
greatest impact from the conflict.
The Solomon Islands Transition
Despite the integral role women played in bringing about an
end to hostilities they were not represented at the peace
negotiations, in October 2000 in Townsville ;
Regional Assistance Mission for the Solomon Islands
(RAMSI) July 2003 not regarded Security Council
resolution 1325 as relevant, with no gender adviser
appointed nor a gender unit established in the Mission.
No key coordinating mechanism during this transitionary
period to further women’s rights, and facilitate the
inclusion of women’s priorities in planning and decisionmaking
Current Challenges
The challenge now is to strengthen all areas of women’s
representation:
the Women’s Development Division in the Ministry of
Home Affairs;
capacity building and support of the key women’s civil
society network, the Solomon Islands National Women’s
Council,
and the election of women into the Solomon Islands
Parliament, which is currently one of six Pacific island
countries without female representation.
Policy and Machinery of
Government
Before 2001 elections Women’s Development Divisionunder the
Ministry of Women, Youth and Sports Development headed by
the Minister, Hilda Kari, the only women parliamentarian;
Minister’s failure to be re-elected in the 2001 elections WDD was
relegated to the Home Affairs Ministry and now extremely
marginalised from key policy and decision-making areas of
government.
No capacity to formulate, implement and monitor national
strategies for gender equality and empowerment of women, to
facilitate mainstreaming of gender equality national policy,or
oversight of legislative reform.
Women and the Electoral Process
No women in 50-member National Parliament or in any
of the Provincial Assemblies.
In order to redress this, preparations for the forthcoming
elections, scheduled for the middle of next month, have
been undertaken by the Solomon Islands National
Council of Women (SINCW) with support from AUSAID
and UNIFEM.
Funding for Campaigns
Raising sufficient funding to participate in elections is
extremely difficult. Difficult to compete for funding against
males.
Fifteen women candidates. According NCW General
Secretary Ella Kauhue, one of the biggest challenges is
enough money to support campaigns, especially since
women want to run a clean campaign and neither give nor
receive bribes.
Some women candidates have withdrawn because of the
increasing demand for money by their supporters – a
request which they could not afford.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Crucial window for women to consolidate gains made
during struggle and period of conflict, to embed their values
and priorities into national reconstruction :
a blueprint for a plan of action for post-conflict empowerment
of women be developed with mechanisms and processes
agreed to and supported by multi and bilateral actors;
Regional fund should be established to train and support
potential women candidates, and to provide civic and
electoral education;
Conclusions and Recommendations
Good practices and lessons learned should be collated
and incorporated into training and resource packages,
with expertise available to provide immediate
assistance to women decision-makers and those
aspiring to political office;
There should not be a situation as is currently in the
Solomon Islands where there was only short-term, nonsustainable support, and the National Council of
Women is without resources and expertise to support
female candidates on the eve of the elections;
Conclusions and Recommendations
CAPWIP should be enabled to play a key role during
these transitions, by being a key facilitatory mechanism
for women from the Solomon Islands for example, being
able to learn from experiences in Timor Leste and
Bougainville;
A database of good practices from the Asia-Pacific region
and elsewhere, of expertise and resources that can be
called upon to support women in their quest for leadership;