Commission on the Status of Women from a peace perspective

Following the Agreed Conclusions of the 58th Commission on the Status of Women held in New York last month Zarina Khan reflects on what this means for gender and peace in the post-2015 development framework, and how CSW will help to set the scene for future negotiations.

Every year in March, following International Women’s Day, the world’s governments gather in New York for the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW): a UN meeting dedicated to the promotion of women’s empowerment and gender equality.

CSW brings a hive of activity to the UN headquarters for two weeks, from civil society side events to intense governmental negotiations to active lobbying of delegations; all the while the Commission is tasked with producing a set of Agreed Conclusions that establish the international community’s commitments to advancing gender quality and the empowerment of women. For 2014, governments came together to discuss the challenges and achievements in implementing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for women and girls. Discussions on the importance of peace for achieving gender equality featured strongly in the negotiations this year.

As we near the expiration of the MDGs in 2015, CSW presented a valuable opportunity to evaluate their effectiveness for women and girls on a global scale, and to start considering what this means for the new post-2015 development framework. Saferworld has already set out evidence to demonstrate that conflict and violence have been some of the most important factors obstructing progress on the MDGs to date, and this is particularly true for women and girls. A growing body of evidence highlights the relationship between the levels of conflict, gender inequality and the lack of development progress.

We wanted to see the Agreed Conclusions acknowledge that conflict has held back progress in implementing the MDGs for women and girls and hindered progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. As we set out in our recent briefing, Saferworld also wanted to see the Conclusions recommend that the post-2015 development framework have a standalone, transformative goal on gender equality with a target on eliminating violence against women and girls. This is not only because these issues are deserving of attention in their own right but also because they are vital to building more peaceful societies. 

It should be said that CSW does not always reach agreement. The memory of failing to find consensus in 2012 remained fresh in the minds of many delegations, and it was established early on in the fortnight that a repeat of that failure would set a weak precedent for the post-2015 process. Despite tense negotiations and conflicting priorities for some delegations, member states reached consensus on the Agreed Conclusions just before midnight on the final night of CSW.

This agreement sets a strong platform for future discussions on gender equality in the post-2015 framework, and the text itself contains a number of positive references that can help to frame upcoming negotiations on gender, peace and post-2015:

1. Reference to UN Security Council resolutions  1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013) and 2122 (2013) on Women, Peace and Security; [paragraph 9]
   
2. Deep concern that discrimination and violence against women and girls continues to occur in all parts of the world and that that all forms of violence against women and girls are impediments to the development of their full potential as equal partners with men and boys in all aspects of life, as well as obstacles to the achievement of the MDGs; [paragraph 30]
   
3. Commitment to eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in public and private spaces, through multi-sectoral and coordinated approaches to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, bearing in mind the importance for all women and girls to live free from violence, to address the structural and underlying causes of violence against women and girls through enhanced prevention measures, research and strengthened coordination and monitoring and evaluation; [paragraph 42. A l]
   
4. Commitment to adopt measures to implement and monitor the MDGs for women and girls in armed conflict and post-conflict situations, and women and girls affected by violent extremism, and ensure women’s effective participation at all levels and at all stages and in peace processes and mediation efforts, conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and recovery; [paragraph 42. B ss]
   
5. Commitment to take measures to ensure women’s full, equal and effective participation in all fields and leadership at all levels of decision-making in the public and private sectors; [paragraph 42. E iii]
6. Recommendation for member states to build on the lessons from the implementation of the MDGs as the new post-2015 development agenda is being shaped, urging states to tackle critical remaining challenges through a transformative and comprehensive approach and for gender equality, the empowerment of women and human rights of women and girls to be reflected as a stand-alone goal and to be integrated through targets and indicators into all goals of any new development framework. [paragraph 43]
   
   

The above is firm recognition from member states that peaceful societies are vitally important to gender equality and development, and that conflict and insecurity (including violence against women and girls) must be prevented in order to see any further progress on the MDGs. The commitment to address the structural underlying causes of violence against women and girls further highlights the necessity of conflict prevention and peacebuilding, as conflict often worsens levels of such gender-based violence. The Agreed Conclusions also reaffirm significant aspects of the women, peace and security agenda such as the importance of women’s participation in conflict prevention.

The Conclusions articulate a link between women’s participation in decision making, their security and successful development. These issues and their interconnectedness must be taken forward beyond the MDGs. Furthermore, the recommendation to integrate gender equality throughout the new framework will help to address inequalities in all arenas. This provides a comprehensive framework to address forms of inequality which may cause or exacerbate violent conflict and instability, thus demonstrating the interdependence of gender equality and peace.

As we approach the start of the formal negotiations on the post-2015 development framework, we must ensure this year’s CSW Agreed Conclusions are robustly integrated and represented. The document represents international consensus on the shortcomings of the MDGs, especially in ensuring peace and equitable development for women and girls, and we must continue to remind member states of their agreement that conflict and insecurity present major barriers to gender equality and sustainable development. It should be used as a progressive starting point alongside other reports, consultation findings and regional positions that will all feed into the new development framework, which must champion transformative goals on gender equality and peaceful societies in order to ensure that, in achieving long-term development, no one is truly left behind.

Zarina Khan is UK Advocacy Officer for Saferworld.

Find out more about our work on gender, peace and security.

Read more abour Saferworld's work on the 2030 Agenda.

“The document represents international consensus on the shortcomings of the MDGs, especially in ensuring peace and equitable development for women and girls”

Zarina Khan