The Irish Government’s new plan to tackle violence against women in countries affected by conflict was warmly welcomed last Friday by Mary Robinson and the Irish Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence, a coalition of human rights groups, development organisations and government departments.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, and Mary Robinson launched the plan at an event organised by the Consortium in Iveagh House. Susan McKay of the National Women’s Council also spoke at the launch. The Consortium published a report on Sierra Leone, pointing to it as a case study of how the Government and NGOs could work together to tackle gender-based violence.
The plan, which maps out how Ireland will implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325, ensures that supporting women affected by conflict is at the heart of Ireland’s foreign policy, shaping our approach to peacekeeping, development aid and diplomacy.
UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security was adopted in October 2000. It requires all UN member states to better protect women’s human rights in conflict situations. They must also ensure that women are centrally involved in any peace process. The resolution calls on governments to develop national action plans to show how they will implement the Resolution.
Angela O'Neill De Guilio, Chairperson of the Consortium said: “Women and girls are particularly vulnerable in warzones. They are often singled out for systematic sexual violence and suffer most from the destruction of communities and livelihoods that happen during and after conflicts.
“Despite this, when the fighting stops, the particular needs of women are often ignored. More must be done to ensure their participation in peace negotiations and to protect them from attack.”
The Consortium launched a briefing paper on Sierra Leone, providing a case study of how gender based violence could be addressed in a post-conflict situation.
Mary Robinson said: “Sierra Leone experienced more than a decade of civil war. Tens of thousands of people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. Ninety-four per cent of families displaced by the fighting reported sexual assaults.
“This paper shows how the Irish Government and Irish NGOs are working with the government and people of Sierra Leone to assist communities devastated by the civil war and gender-based violence.
“It demonstrates how we can work together to change the lives of a generation of women scarred by an extremely bitter conflict. This kind of co-operation will be increasingly important as the Government implements the national action plan.”
Angela O'Neill De Guilio continued: “When fully implemented, Ireland’s national action plan will help protect women in conflict and post-conflict situations. It will assist them with the support and resources they need to take back control of their lives, and it will help guarantee them a place at the negotiating table.
“We hope other countries will follow the model used by Ireland to develop this plan, which was, crucially, based on advice and recommendations from women who have been affected by conflict, and informed by the peacekeeping experience of the Irish Defence Forces. This helps ensure the plan is realistic and aimed at meeting the real needs of these women,” she said.
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