Motion for a resolution | Doc. 11753 | 13 October 2008

Involving women in the prevention and solution of unsolved conflicts in the Council of Europe area

Signatories: Ms Krista KIURU, Finland, SOC ; Mr John AUSTIN, United Kingdom ; Mr Lokman AYVA, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Ms Ingrida CIRCENE, Latvia, EPP/CD ; Mr Giuseppe GALATI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Ms Sinikka HURSKAINEN, Finland, SOC ; Mr Juha KORKEAOJA, Finland, ALDE ; Mr Jaakko LAAKSO, Finland, UEL ; Mr Markku LAUKKANEN, Finland, ALDE ; Mr Aleksei LOTMAN, Estonia, UEL ; Mr Andrew McINTOSH, United Kingdom ; Ms Nursuna MEMECAN, Turkey, ALDE ; Mr José MENDES BOTA, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Ms Christine MUTTONEN, Austria ; Ms Kristiina OJULAND, Estonia ; Ms Antigoni PAPADOPOULOS, Cyprus ; Mr Indrek SAAR, Estonia, SOC ; Ms Doris STUMP, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Tuulikki UKKOLA, Finland, EPP/CD ; Ms Karin S. WOLDSETH, Norway

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The recent conflict between Georgia and Russia has brought to our attention the need for coherent preventive and focused actions by the international community with regard to unsolved conflicts, in particular in the Council of Europe area.

In its recent recommendation, the Assembly has called for the development of an Action Plan by the Committee of Ministers and concrete measures to respond to crises between member states of the Organisation. The United Nations, in its Recommendation 1325, has also called for the strengthening of the role of women in conflict situations, and encouraged member states to develop national action plans.

It is important that all parties to armed conflict fully respect international law applicable to the rights and protection of women and girls as civilians.

Women and young girls are often seen only as victims of conflict situations but their role as active participants in preventive actions as well as in the conflict solution process has not been put to sufficient use. Women can and should, however, play an active and constructive role and this unutilised resource should therefore be mobilised. The gender perspective needs to be taken more into consideration in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.

The impact of armed conflict on women and girls, the role of women in peace building and the gender dimensions of peace processes and conflict resolution needs to be studied, in particular with reference to humanitarian law and the Council of Europe’s main principles.

We, the undersigned, propose that the Assembly examine and identify specific measures and tools by which the participation of women in the solution of unsolved conflicts in Europe can be enhanced.

Women should not only be seen as victims, but also as active participants and actors. Therefore, special attention should be given, inter alia, to the following aspects:

• the incorporation of a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations;
• the inclusion of the gender component in the field of operations;
• support for gender-sensitive training efforts;
• the special needs of women and girls during repatriation and resettlement and for rehabilitation, reintegration and post-conflict reconstruction;
• support to local women’s peace initiatives and indigenous processes for conflict resolution that involve women in all of the implementation mechanisms of the peace agreements;
• the protection of and respect for human rights of women and girls, particularly as they relate to the constitution, the electoral system, the police and the judiciary.