Print
See related documents
Resolution 1716 (2010) Final version
Involving women in the prevention and solution of unresolved conflicts in Europe
1. The Parliamentary Assembly regrets
that in areas of Europe where there are unresolved conflicts, as
in other conflict and post-conflict zones in the world, women are
too frequently ignored in the crisis management, peace negotiation
and reconstruction processes.
2. There are still numerous active or “frozen” conflicts in Europe.
Whether these be in Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh), Cyprus, Georgia
(South Abkhazia and Ossetia), Moldova (Transnistria) or Serbia/Kosovo,
the Assembly intends to remain ready to contribute to dialogue,
reconciliation and the search for peace. It has to be recognised
that it is still exceptional for women to be included and for gender
issues to be taken into consideration in these political processes.
3. The Assembly considers it essential for the issue of equality
between women and men to be taken into account in the context of
conflict prevention, management and resolution. Women face particular
difficulties in conflict and post-conflict situations. They are
the main victims of these conflicts and are exposed, both during and
after them, to gender-based violence, such as sexual violence. They
are too frequently treated as passive victims and confined to the
stereotyped roles that they have been allocated by society. Women
therefore remain on the margins of political discussions that nevertheless
affect their daily lives and safety.
4. The Assembly believes that with regard to conflict prevention
and resolution women are an underused resource which needs to be
mobilised by member states and the international community. It is
convinced that including a gender perspective, and in particular
greater female participation, in decision making in public and political
life in connection with conflict prevention, management and resolution,
would give a fresh impetus to the process of dialogue and to the
mediation efforts of member states and the international community, including
the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly.
5. Bearing in mind its Resolutions
1385 (2004) on conflict prevention and resolution: the
role of women and 1670
(2009) on sexual violence against women in armed conflict,
the Assembly welcomes the adoption by the United Nations Security
Council of Resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008) on women, peace
and security, which invite the international community to promote
women’s role in conflict prevention and resolution and, in particular,
combat sexual violence against women in armed conflicts.
6. The Assembly therefore invites the member states of the Council
of Europe to:
6.1. acknowledge that
women must be fully involved in conflict prevention and resolution
and in the crisis management process;
6.2. comply with United Nations Security Council Resolutions
1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008) as soon as possible by:
6.2.1. adopting
national action plans to implement the United Nations resolutions;
6.2.2. establishing effective mechanisms, particularly at the
parliamentary level, to monitor the undertakings entered into by
each member state;
6.3. combat all forms of gender-based violence that impede
the effective participation of women in public life by:
6.3.1. punishing
all forms of violence against women committed by belligerents or
public authorities;
6.3.2. establishing special programmes to protect and rehabilitate
victims of gender-based violence;
6.3.3. enforcing zero tolerance of any form of gender-based violence,
including that of making use of the sexual services of the victims
of human trafficking, by military or civilian personnel involved
in intervention, peace keeping or crisis management;
6.3.4. if they have not yet done so, signing and/or ratifying
the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in
Human Beings (CETS No. 197);
6.4. include a gender perspective in intervention, peace keeping
and crisis management operations, particularly by:
6.4.1. taking
account of the specific needs of women and girls during repatriation
and resettlement operations, and in post-conflict situations, recovery,
rehabilitation and reconstruction;
6.4.2. taking account of proven gender competence when recruiting
staff to work in conflict and crisis zones;
6.4.3. making it obligatory for officials and diplomats involved
in conflict resolution and prevention to receive training in issues
relating to and the promotion of equality between women and men
in the areas concerned;
6.4.4. monitoring, at the highest level, the incorporation of
a gender perspective into all peace and security-related activities;
6.5. encourage active policies to empower women in areas of
unresolved conflict in Europe, in particular by:
6.5.1. promoting
arrangements to permit appropriate – at least 40% – female participation
in decisions relating to any peace process;
6.5.2. supporting, at local level, women’s peace initiatives
as well as conflict resolution processes involving women in all
the mechanism for implementing peace agreements.
7. In the framework of the follow-up on the Forum on Early Warning
in Conflict Prevention (Strasbourg, 24-25 September 2009), the Assembly
decides to promote gender mainstreaming in its programme and working methods
and in particular to:
7.1. ensure
a balanced participation of women and men in Assembly activities
carried out to promote dialogue and reconciliation in unresolved
conflict areas in Europe;
7.2. take account of the specific situation and expertise of
women in topics considered or case studies;
7.3. arrange systematic hearings of representatives of women’s
organisations in connection with all activities related to the prevention
and resolution of conflicts.