CANADA'S ACTION PLAN NATIONAL - Gender Equality: A Foundation for Peace - 1325 National Action Plans
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Gender Equality:
A Foundation for Peace
CANADA’S
NATIONAL
ACTION PLAN
2017-2022
For the Implementation of the
UN Security Council Resolutions
on Women, Peace and Security
Cover photos: Top: UN / Evan Schneider; Middle: UN / Albert González Farran; Bottom: DND/CAF / Cpl Jay Ekin Global Affairs Canada 125 Sussex Drive Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2 Canada Telephone: 1-800-267-8376 (toll-free in Canada) 613-944-4000 (in the National Capital Region and outside Canada) If you are deaf or hard of hearing, or if you have a speech impediment and use a text telephone, you can access the TTY service from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time by calling 613-944-9136 (in Canada only). Fax: 613-996-9709 Website: www.international.gc.ca Email: info@international.gc.ca © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2017 Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre L’égalité des genres : un pilier pour la paix Paper: FR5-129/2017 978-0-660-23699-5 PDF: FR5-129/2017E-PDF 978-0-660-23697-1 Printed in Canada
LETTER FROM THE MINISTERS
If we want global peace and security, we We must see women as survivors, not victims,
must involve women in every aspect of of conflicts; women can lead us from conflicts
it—from conflict prevention, peacemaking and prevent conflicts. The stories of women
and humanitarian assistance to post-conflict in conflict situations are both heartbreaking
recovery and statebuilding. and inspirational. We must harness their
resilience, their determination and their
Many women are courageous defenders of
innovative solutions to end conflict.
human rights and fearless negotiators for
peace—and yet women are rarely positioned The path to peace needs empowered women
to prevent, manage and end conflict. because:
The reasons are clear: in conflict settings, • Where women are included in peace
women face particular threats. They must processes, peace is more enduring.
often defend themselves against sexual
• Where women are included in the
and gender-based violence. Sexual and
economy, economic growth is greater.
reproductive health services can be hard to
find. Women human rights defenders are • Where women are included in
harassed, detained—even murdered. Women governance, states are more stable.
have been sexually exploited and abused
• Where women are included in security,
by peacekeepers and other international
everyone is safer.
personnel who are supposed to protect
them. • Where gender equality is upheld,
societies are more peaceful.1
Today’s status quo—marked by unequal
power relations and discriminatory social The 2030 Agenda‘s Sustainable
norms, practices and legal systems—keeps Development Goals recognize the solid
women and girls from influencing processes link between peace, respect for human
that profoundly affect them. rights, economic development, inclusive
governance and institutions, and gender
As well, the nature of conflict has changed;
equality.
civilians, humanitarian workers and civilian
infrastructures are deliberately targeted. The United Nations Security Council
Humanitarian crises can last for decades, and (UNSC) Resolution 1325 and subsequent
so can displacement. Many conflicts are also resolutions on Women, Peace and Security
linked to violent extremism and ideologies (WPS) address women’s challenges in
that subjugate women and girls. conflict situations and women’s potential to
influence global peace and security. Canada’s
National Action Plan (the Action Plan) is the
Government of Canada’s response to these
resolutions.
1.
Valerie M. Hudson et al., Sex and World Peace, 2012.
i
The Action Plan is at the heart of Canada’s Canadians want more gender equal and
Feminist Foreign Policy that includes its stable societies, and we will focus our
Feminist International Assistance Policy and resources to make that happen. We hope
Defence Policy. The 2017-2022 Action Plan the 2017-2022 Action Plan inspires our
will help implement these policies with an international partners to work with us to
integrated, whole-of-government approach support women in creating an inclusive and
to our engagement in fragile, conflict and peaceful world.
post-conflict settings.
The Hon. Chrystia Freeland The Honourable Harjit Singh Sajjan
Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of National Defence
The Honourable Maryam Monsef The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould
Minister of Status of Women Minister of Justice and Attorney General
of Canada
The Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau The Honourable Ralph Goodale
Minister of International Development Minister of Public Safety and
and La Francophonie Emergency Preparedness
The Honourable Ahmed D. Hussen
Minister of Immigration, Refugees
and Citizenship
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
01 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
02 THE CONTEXT FOR ACTION
03 Women as peacemakers
04 Barriers to achieving peace
04 Canada’s own challenges: Learning from our experience
06 The Global Agenda for Women, Peace and Security
07 The Global Agenda for Women, Peace and Security and
the Sustainable Development Goals
08 CANADA’S VISION FOR WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY IN
THE INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT: GENDER EQUALITY AS A
FOUNDATION FOR PEACE
10 THE NEW ACTION PLAN: CLEAR, COMMITTED, STRONG
10 Objectives for the Action Plan
11 Action Plan partners
11 Taking action
14 Accountability, monitoring and review
17 Indispensable collaboration with civil society
17 CONCLUSION
18 DEFINITIONS
iii
ABBREVIATIONS
CAF Canadian Armed Forces
CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination against Women
DND Department of National Defence
GBA+ Gender-based Analysis Plus
IRCC Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
OSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
PS Public Safety Canada
PSOPs Peace and Stabilization Operations Program
RCMP Royal Canadian Mounted Police
SDG Sustainable Development Goal
SWC Status of Women Canada
UNSC United Nations Security Council
WPSN-C Women, Peace and Security Network – Canada
WPS Women, Peace and Security
iv
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Canada is committed to gender equality, to Partners for the Action Plan describe in
empowering women and girls around the separate implementation plans how they will
world and to promoting their human rights contribute to the following objectives:
and well-being. Canada is also committed
• Increase the meaningful participation
to preventing and responding to conflicts to
of women, women’s organizations
help build a more peaceful and prosperous
and networks in conflict prevention,
world. The Women, Peace and Security
conflict resolution, and post-conflict
(WPS) agenda is at the intersection of these
statebuilding.
commitments. Implementing a whole-of-
government approach to advance the global • Prevent, respond to and end impunity
WPS agenda is a priority for Canada. for sexual and gender-based violence
perpetrated in conflict and sexual
Recognizing the important role of civil society
exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers
in advancing the WPS agenda internationally,
and other international personnel,
the government is increasing its support
including humanitarian and development
to local women’s groups and movements,
staff.
working toward achieving gender equality
and the human rights of women and girls. • Promote and protect women’s and girls’
human rights, gender equality and the
Harmful practices and social norms, including
empowerment of women and girls in
among women, that uphold gender
fragile, conflict and post-conflict settings.
hierarchies and other intersecting forms of
marginalization and exclusion or condone • Meet the specific needs of women and
violence are often exacerbated during girls in humanitarian settings, including
conflict. Canada recognizes that women the upholding of their sexual rights and
and men must be equally committed to access to sexual and reproductive health
changing attitudes, behaviours and roles to services.
support gender equality. This is why Canada’s
• Strengthen the capacity of peace
Feminist Foreign Policy requires engaging
operations to advance the WPS agenda,
men and boys, alongside women and girls, as
including by deploying more women and
agents and beneficiaries of change in peace
fully embedding the WPS agenda into
and gender equality.
CAF operations and police deployments.
Canada’s National Action Plan (the Action
A Theory of Change illustrates how specific
Plan) 2017-2022 contains the Government of
actions contribute to these objectives and to
Canada’s specific commitments to advance
meeting Canada’s commitments under the
the WPS agenda.
UN Security Council’s resolutions on WPS.
Lead partners for the Action Plan are Global
In developing the 2017-2022 Action Plan, the
Affairs Canada, the Department of National
Government of Canada has consulted with
Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed
civil society, in particular the Women, Peace
Forces (CAF), and the Royal Canadian
and Security Network-Canada (WPSN-C).
Mounted Police (RCMP). Supporting partners
This input has been invaluable, and the
are Public Safety Canada (PS), Status of
Government of Canada is committed to
Women Canada (SWC), Immigration,
strengthening this collaboration.
Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and
the Department of Justice.
1
THE CONTEXT FOR ACTION
Two billion people live in countries • Women and girls must be perceived
affected by fragility, conflict and violence.2 as survivors, standing as leaders and
Overcoming insecurity and achieving agents of peace for their families and
sustainable peace are daily concerns for communities, not as victims.
these communities. Women and girls suffer
• Grassroots organizations and movements
disproportionately in these conflict settings
mobilize for peace and push for gender
but remain almost entirely excluded from the
equality. They need our support to drive
processes that build peace.3
this change.
Canada knows that, given the opportunity,
• Peace operations create conditions for
women and girls can play vital roles in
peace and protect civilians. Their capacity
establishing and maintaining peace.
must be strengthened to address the
Women’s active participation in conflict
needs of the most vulnerable and more
prevention, resolution and post-conflict
particularly those of women and girls.
statebuilding in particular presents unique
and pivotal opportunities to create gender Canada has renewed its Action Plan to
transformative solutions—and, ultimately, achieve these aims.
more inclusive, gender equal and peaceful
societies.
Despite achievements by the UN, its Member
States and other actors on the WPS agenda, “What we really want to do
a gap remains between words and action.4 is to hear and bring the
Closing this gap represents a unique messages of women—women
opportunity for Canada to increase the in decision making, women
well-being of women and girls in conflict- who bear the brunt and carry
affected states, contribute to sustainable
the burden of many of the
peacebuilding, and decrease the threats to
international security. But it also requires tragedies that we see—to
a more ambitious approach than the see how we can come out
Government of Canada took under its of this, how we can be a
previous plan. constructive partner in finding
It requires Canada to identify the barriers the solutions to sustainable
to women’s participation and seek the
opportunities in conflicts, humanitarian
development. ”
settings, peace operations and statebuilding Deputy Secretary-General Amina J.
Mohammed, 20 July 2017, in Abuja as part of
to challenge the status quo—to transform a first-ever UN-African Union trip focused on
harmful gender relations and empower women, peace and security
women:
2.
World Bank Group, Fragility, Conflict and Violence program publication (2017)
3.
Between 1992 and 2011, women represented only 4% of signatories to peace agreements and 9% of peace negotiators.
UN Women Facts and Figures: Peace and Security, citing “Women’s Participation in Peace Negotiations: Connections Between Presence
and Influence,” October 2012, p. 2-3.
4.
The gaps are well documented in UN Women: Preventing Conflict, Transforming Justice, Securing the Peace: A Global Study on the
Implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2015).
2security beyond the interests of combatting
parties, they increase community buy-in, and
PHOTO: Master Corporal David Hardwick, DND/FAC
they help address the root causes of conflict.
In post-conflict states, up to 40% of
households are headed by women,7 making
women highly attuned to their community’s
reconstruction needs. Evidence shows
that “with access to income generation
and economic security as a result of just
peace agreement outcomes, women tend
WOMEN AS PEACEMAKERS to be quicker to invest in child welfare and
education, to build food security, and to
Canada knows that women, as well as men, rebuild rural economies, greatly contributing
are full members of their society and must to longer term stability.”8
actively participate in the negotiations,
reconciliation and reconstruction within their We also know there is a connection between
communities required as a result of conflict. women’s participation in peace operations
and the effectiveness of these missions. In
Women’s participation in conflict resolution, fact, women and men alike are more likely
as negotiators or mediators for example, to report sexual and gender-based incidents
makes peace agreements more durable. In of violence when they can speak to women
fact, when women fully participate in peace officers.9 Moreover, women are better able to
processes, agreements are 20% more likely reach out to all members of the population to
to last at least two years and 35% more understand their concerns and the dangers
likely to last 15 years.5 Research also shows they face. Yet, there are still few women in the
that women have organized and performed UN’s Formed Police Units, comprising 7%,10
mass action campaigns in favor of peace and women military personnel in UN missions
agreements more than any other group, remain the exception, comprising 3%.11
pressuring parties to start negotiations and
sign peace deals.6 This and other evidence shows that when
women are put in key roles in peace
Because men and women experience conflict operations, peace processes and military
and understand peace differently, women deployments, the effectiveness of the missions
bring a different perspective to resolving and processes increases considerably.
conflict and building peace. They broaden
and deepen the discussion on peace and
5.
Laurel Stone, “Annex II, Quantitative Analysis of Women’s participation in Peace Processes in Marie O’Reilly, Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, and
Thania Paffenholz, “Reimagining Peacemaking: Women’s Roles in Peace Processes,” New York: International Peace Institute, June 2015.
6.
Thania Paffenholz, Nick Ross, Steven Dixon, Anna-Lena Schluchter and Jacqui True, “Making Women Count - Not Just Counting Women:
Assessing Women’s Inclusion and Influence on Peace Negotiations,” Geneva: Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative (The Graduate
Institute of International and Development Studies) and UN Women, April 2016 p. 35.
7.
“Governance, Natural Resources and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding” ed. by Carl Bruch, Carroll Muffett, Sandra S. Nichols, Routledge, 2016.
8.
Preventing Conflict, Transforming Justice, Securing the Peace: A Global Study on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council
resolution 1325 (2015)., p. 42.
9.
UN Women:“Progress of the World of Women: In Pursuit of Justice”, 2011, p. 59 ff.
10.
UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Gender Statistics by Mission: for the month of April 2017. The majority of police officers
serving in United Nations peace operations are deployed as part of a Formed Police Unit.
11.
UN Security Council (2016). Report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security, S/2016/822, p. 7.
3BARRIERS TO ACHIEVING weak and fragmented. Violent extremism,
prolonged humanitarian and migration
PEACE crises, and the effects of climate change
While recognizing women’s potential, threaten women’s and girls’ security and
Canada cannot ignore the impacts that livelihoods even further.
conflicts and fragility have on women and Canada launched its Feminist International
girls. Assistance Policy to reduce poverty and
Women and girls face multiple and build a more peaceful and sustainable world.
intersecting forms of discrimination. Canada knows that investing in gender
Discrimination based on gender is frequently equality and the rights of women and girls is
compounded by discrimination based on the most effective way to reduce poverty and
other identity factors such as ethnicity, race, inequality and to prevent conflict and achieve
religion, age, sexual orientation and ability. peace.
This is often exacerbated during conflict
when discrimination against particular groups CANADA’S OWN CHALLENGES:
of women and girls can take on a violent
form. LEARNING FROM OUR
For example, sexual and gender-based
EXPERIENCE
violence is often used as a tactic of war. In Although Canada is not a fragile or conflict-
various instances, women human rights affected state, women in Canada face a
defenders are harassed, detained and variety of challenges including gender-based
murdered. Access to justice can be non- violence. Indigenous women and girls in
existent, or at best more dangerous than particular face intersecting discrimination
usual, making the chances for long-term and violence based on gender, race,
reconciliation more difficult. socioeconomic status and other identity
Almost half of the countries with the highest factors, as well as underlying historic causes—
child marriage rates are also the least in particular the legacy of colonialism and the
peaceful countries.12 In June 2017, Canada devastation caused by the residential school
co-sponsored a resolution on Child, Early system. While Indigenous women make up
and Forced Marriage in Humanitarian 4% of Canada’s total number of women, 16%
Settings at the UN Human Rights Council. It of all women murdered in Canada between
noted that the incidence and risk of child, 1980 and 2012 were Indigenous.
early and forced marriage is exacerbated in
The government has committed to a renewed
humanitarian settings due to various factors,
relationship with Indigenous peoples in
including insecurity and the use of forced
Canada. It wants to right the wrongs of the
marriage as a tactic in conflict.13 Maternal
past and address current issues and concerns.
mortality more than doubles in conflict or
The government has accepted the Calls to
post-conflict situations.14 Targeted gender
Action outlined in the Final Report of the Truth
equality efforts in response to conflict remain
and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
12.
Girls not brides citing UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children report 2016 and the Global Peace Index 2017
13.
United Nations Human Rights Council, Thirty-fifth session, 6–23 June 2017, Resolution on Child, early and forced marriage in
humanitarian settings.
14.
UN Women calculations based on data from Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group estimates and birth estimates of the
Population Division’s World Population Prospects, cited in the SG report, S/2014/693, p. 27
4“Canada is built on the
ancestral land of Indigenous Nevertheless, much work remains to be done
before Indigenous peoples in Canada have
peoples— but regrettably, it’s
adequate housing, quality education and
also a country that came into safe drinking water, before they no longer
being without the meaningful face discrimination, and before Indigenous
participation of those who were women and girls no longer have to fear for
there first. . . . For Indigenous their physical safety.
peoples in Canada, the
It is a priority for Canada to address these
experience was mostly one of challenges and to learn from our own
humiliation, neglect, and abuse. experience. Canada will continue to work to
Of a government that … sought advance reconciliation and to protect and
to … eradicate their distinct promote the rights of Indigenous peoples
languages and cultures, and to here at home. Globally, in the context of this
Action Plan, Canada’s learning experience
impose colonial traditions and
with the consequences of colonialism and
ways of life. … And for many the continued challenges faced by First
Indigenous peoples, this lack of Nations, Inuit and Métis will help improve
respect for their rights persists Canada’s capacity to respond to challenges
to this day. ” faced by women and girls abroad.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s address to the
72th Session of the United Nations General
Assembly
Canada launched It’s Time: Canada’s
Strategy to Prevent and Address
Gender-Based Violence, a whole-of-
and confirmed its intention to adopt without government approach to prevent
qualification the United Nations Declaration and address this form of violence
on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. A review nationally. Budget 2017 included
of Canadian laws and policies is underway to $100.9 million over five years, and
ensure that the government recognizes and $20.7 million per year ongoing,
respects Indigenous rights. To address the to implement It’s Time. This will
disproportionately high rate of missing and include the Gender-Based Violence
murdered Indigenous women and girls and Knowledge Centre within Status
to meet Indigenous organizations’ and others’ of Women Canada. The Centre
call for action, the government established will better align existing resources
the independent National Inquiry into Missing across government and support the
and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. development and sharing of research
Efforts to improve the child and family welfare and data to enable more coordinated
system and housing conditions for Indigenous action on gender-based violence.
peoples in Canada are other examples that
reflect the government’s intention to achieve
true reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and
Métis.
5THE GLOBAL AGENDA
FOR WOMEN, PEACE AND
PHOTO: Bert Hoferichter / Alamy Stock Photo
SECURITY
Decades of effort, largely driven by civil
society, have produced a legal framework
and a set of international norms—the WPS
agenda—that address the situation of women
and girls in conflict.
and its additional protocol on children in
The resolutions adopted by the UN Security armed conflict, the Geneva Conventions
Council that form this agenda—starting and their additional protocols, and other
with Resolution 1325 in 2000—reaffirm the international human rights and humanitarian
important role of women in preventing and law instruments, as well as by the UN Security
resolving conflicts, in peace operations, Council’s complementary efforts for the
in humanitarian response, in post-conflict protection of civilians in armed conflict.
reconstruction, and in counter-terrorism and
Canada has been among the strongest
countering violent extremism. The resolutions
proponents internationally of the WPS
guide the UN and Member States in:
agenda and has a long history of advocating
• Empowering women and girls in efforts for and supporting gender equality, of
to prevent, end, and recover from armed promoting the empowerment of women
conflict; and and girls, of calling for the protection of
their human rights, and of fighting sexual
• Ensuring respect for women’s and girls’
and gender-based violence, including in
human rights, including urging the
conflict settings. Canada was instrumental in
development of measures to prevent and
the adoption of the Bejing Declaration and
address rape and other forms of sexual
Platform for Action in 1995 and in bringing
and gender-based violence.
the issue of sexual violence against women
An important element of the agenda is to the UN’s attention. It was a leader in the
the international legal framework. It clearly drafting of the Rome Statute—that clearly
establishes that rape and other forms of defines rape as a war crime—and in the
sexual violence may constitute war crimes, establishment of the International Criminal
crimes against humanity and acts of Court. Canada voted for resolution 1325
genocide, as defined by the Rome Statute when it was a non-permanent member of
of the International Criminal Court and the the Security Council in 2000 and has co-
jurisprudence developed by the International sponsored subsequent resolutions of the
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Security Council on WPS.
International Criminal Tribunal for the former
In 2000, Canada formed the Group of
Yugoslavia, and other ad hoc tribunals.
Friends on Women, Peace and Security, an
The WPS agenda is also informed by informal group of 53 UN member states. This
the Beijing Platform for Action, the Group, currently chaired by Canada, shares
Convention on the Elimination of all forms information and best practices, and conducts
of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), periodic joint advocacy in the UN context.
the Convention on the Rights of the Child
6Bert Hoferichter / Alamy Stock Photo
Canada keeps the advancement of WPS at Development and security go hand in
the top of the international agenda through hand. As the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable
its work in international forums such as the Development reminds us, “there can be no
UN, the Organization for Security and Co- sustainable development without peace and
operation in Europe (OSCE), the International no peace without sustainable development.”
Organisation of La Francophonie, the
The WPS agenda aligns with the 2030
Commonwealth, the North Atlantic Treaty
Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals,
Organization (NATO), the G7 and the
in particular, Gender Equality (SDG5) and
Global Coalition against Daesh. Canada will
Peace and Justice (SDG16). The 2030
continue to play a leading advocacy role at
Agenda recognizes that full human potential
the UN on advancing the WPS agenda, and
and sustainable development cannot be
engage with key UN agencies and a wide
fully achieved if one half of humankind are
range of Member States.
denied their human rights and opportunities.
Building and sustaining peace in fragile and
THE GLOBAL AGENDA conflict-affected contexts requires rapid
and flexible interventions, as well as longer-
FOR WOMEN, PEACE term efforts to address the root causes of
AND SECURITY AND THE instability.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
GOALS
Advancing the Sustainable Development
Goals by 2030 is a priority for Canada, and
the government is committed to taking
a leadership role in this global agenda.
7CANADA’S VISION FOR WOMEN, PEACE
AND SECURITY IN THE INTERNATIONAL
CONTEXT: GENDER EQUALITY AS A
FOUNDATION FOR PEACE
Canada’s feminist agenda recognizes the role
of civil society in advancing, promoting and
“Women’s rights are human protecting human rights. This is why Canada
will support the full participation of local
rights. That includes sexual women’s organizations to advance the WPS
and reproductive rights … agenda in areas such as peace negotiations,
These rights are at the core conflict prevention, humanitarian action,
of our foreign policy. To that and peacebuilding. This includes support
to gender-responsive local and Indigenous
end … Canada’s first Feminist processes for conflict resolution. Local
International Assistance women’s organizations know the realities and
Policy… will target women’s needs in the field and therefore play a key
rights and gender equality. role in advancing human rights while helping
We will put Canada at the to build communities.
forefront of this global effort. ” Canada’s feminist approach involves men
and boys as partners in transformative
Minister Freeland’s address to Parliament on
change. Men and boys can be powerful
Canada’s foreign policy priorities on June 6,
2017 actors in preventing gender-based violence
and the marginalization of women and girls,
as well as in creating opportunities for them.
Canada’s feminist approach challenges the
normalization of harmful gender relations.
Canada’s vision for WPS is part of the
It is based on the understanding that
Government of Canada’s feminist agenda,
addressing root causes of gender inequality
which prioritizes gender equality and
requires the transformation of power
the rights of women and girls at its core.
relations associated with discrimination,
Evidence shows that reducing gaps in
coercion and violence in Canada and abroad.
gender equality increases a society’s level of
peace.15 Evidence also shows that if given the The Government of Canada has already
opportunity, women—in all their diversity—can moved decisively in this direction. Canada’s
generate positive outcomes for their families, Feminist Foreign Policy, including its
their communities and their countries. International Assistance Policy, puts women
Creating these opportunities means and girls—gender equality, empowerment
challenging the discrimination women and and human rights—at the centre of decisions
girls face—recognizing that inequalities exist on humanitarian action, development
along intersectional lines—and designing our assistance, and peace and security
programs and policies accordingly. interventions. Indeed, integrating gender
into our whole-of-government security
15.
Valerie M. Hudson et al., Sex and World Peace, 2012.
8Armed Forces, and to address sexual
misconduct in its ranks, as outlined in the
The Government of Canada’s Defence Policy, are telling examples of
feminist commitment is evident the interconnectedness between the WPS
in many recent announcements, agenda and what we do at home. These
including: $650-million commitment measures will allow Canada to deploy more
to sexual and reproductive health effectively and allow us to lead by example.
and rights; $150 million in funding
In addition to Global Affairs Canada and the
for local women’s organizations; and
Department of National Defence, the RCMP
the publication of the Chief of the
is a core partner for the implementation of
Defence Staff’s directive on UNSCR
the Action Plan. The RCMP is committed to
1325 that calls for the implementation
placing the WPS agenda at the centre of
of the resolution across the Canadian
its international efforts, such as in the areas
Armed Forces, including in planning
of deployments, capacity building and
and deployment activities.
recruitment.
The 2017-2022 Action Plan embeds the
engagements is critical: from early warning feminist approach into the way Canada
tools; to natural disaster responses; to works on peace and security. This approach
defence and security capacity building; is based on the conviction that all people
to peace operations; and to post-conflict share the same fundamental human rights
stabilization. and that all people should be given the
same opportunities to build and develop
Canada’s Feminist International Assistance their communities while working toward
Policy has committed to significantly sustainable peace.
increasing programming that will advance
gender equality and empower women
and girls. At least 95% of all Global
Affairs Canada’s bilateral international Women accounted for 24% of
development investments will specifically Canadian police deployed to peace
target or integrate gender equality and operations in 2015-2016, exceeding
the empowerment of women and girls by the UN goal of 20%. Meanwhile,
2021-22 (15% targeted and a further 80% women accounted for 13.5% of the
integrated). A significant portion of that Canadian Armed Forces personnel
funding will go to fragile and conflict-affected deployed to UN and NATO
states. operations. The Chief of the Defence
Staff set a target of increasing the
With the intention to ensure a comprehensive number of women in the Canadian
and integrated approach, Canada also works military from 15% to 25%, which will
to include gender-based initiatives in its make more women available for
trade and climate change negotiations. deployment to international peace
Canada’s new Defence Policy—Strong, operations.
Secure, Engaged—with its focus on gender
equality and diversity, is also part of this
feminist approach. The government’s efforts
to recruit more women into the Canadian
9THE NEW ACTION PLAN: CLEAR,
COMMITTED, STRONG
Clear objectives, committed partners and • Prevent, respond to and end impunity
strong targets are the essential ingredients to for sexual and gender-based violence
driving transformative change over the next perpetrated in conflict and sexual
five years. exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers
and other international personnel,
The 2017-2022 Action Plan goes beyond
including humanitarian and development
its predecessor: it is a high-level guiding
staff.
policy that is comprehensive, detailed and
collaborative. It uses a Theory of Change that • Promote and protect women’s and girls’
illustrates how specific actions contribute human rights, gender equality and the
to each objective. The Theory of Change empowerment of women and girls in
will evolve as contexts change. To ensure fragile, conflict and post-conflict settings.
Canada’s flexibility and responsiveness
• Meet the specific needs of women and
to realities and needs in the field, the
girls in humanitarian settings, including
implementation plans of each partner
the upholding of their sexual rights and
department will be updated whenever
access to sexual and reproductive health
required.
services.
Canada’s ambition lies in maintaining a
• Strengthen the capacity of peace
high commitment to the full breadth of
operations to advance the WPS agenda,
the WPS agenda and in bringing domestic
including by deploying more women and
and international tools to bear on the
fully embedding the WPS agenda into
achievement of five objectives.
CAF operations and police deployments.
OBJECTIVES FOR THE ACTION
PLAN
Guided by UN Security Council resolution “The continued operational
1325 and subsequent UN resolutions on excellence of our military also
WPS, the Government of Canada Action Plan requires that it reflect Canada
partners will implement the following high- in all its diversity, that it be
level objectives: inclusive, and that it provide
• Increase the meaningful participation at all times and in all ranks a
of women, women’s organizations respectful environment for
and networks in conflict prevention,
conflict resolution, and post-conflict
women. ”
statebuilding. Minister Sajjan
10PHOTO: UN / El Fasher
ACTION PLAN PARTNERS Therefore, they will contribute to the
empowerment, inclusion and protection of
Global Affairs Canada, the Department of women and girls around the world.
National Defence and the Canadian Armed
When Canada engages in a conflict-affected
Forces, and the Royal Canadian Mounted
state or region, partners will work together—
Police play a central role on Canada’s behalf
more than ever before—to ensure their
in conflict-affected states. These departments
individual efforts are not just complementary,
will continue their work as the lead partners
but fully leveraged to add up to more than
on the 2017-2022 Action Plan and will build
the sum of their parts.
on their work under the previous Action Plan
in strengthening their collaboration in the
field. TAKING ACTION
Four supporting partners are joining the Lead partners have made commitments in
2017-2022 Action Plan: Public Safety Canada, the following three areas:
Status of Women Canada, Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and the • Political leadership and diplomacy;
Department of Justice. • Programming; and
Supporting partners mainly focus on • Capacity to deliver results.
domestic policy and programs, but they also
work on issues of global importance—such as
migration, justice sector reform, combatting
violent extremism and resettlement of
refugees from conflict-affected states.
11The Theory of Change illustrates how the • Zero tolerance for sexual exploitation
various commitments by the lead and and abuse by peacekeepers and other
supporting partner departments contribute international personnel, including
to the Action Plan’s five objectives. humanitarian and development staff.
Separate implementation plans define
• More women to assume leadership roles
specific activities and will serve as public
in the UN and across the international
yardsticks against which all stakeholders can
peace and security architecture.
measure how Canada is advancing the WPS
agenda. The implementation plans will be Canada will also help ensure that the WPS
regularly reviewed and, whenever possible, agenda evolves globally to respond to the
augmented during the period the 2017-2022 changing nature of conflicts.
Action Plan is in effect.
Programming
Political leadership and diplomacy
The UN has called on Member States to
Canada is committed to integrating commit to the implementation of the WPS
gender into all of its policy and diplomatic agenda. This is why Canada will increase
engagements. Political leadership and its programming to advance the WPS
diplomacy are necessary to operationalize agenda by supporting projects in fragile
and enforce the normative and legal and conflict-affected states that target the
WPS frameworks. Strong leadership and rights, participation, empowerment and
diplomacy are also crucial in advancing the protection of women and girls, including
agenda and ensuring it reflects emerging support to local women’s organizations in
issues. those states. Canada will also ensure gender
analysis informs all projects through explicit
Canada strives to lead and strengthen
and deliberate steps and results that ensure
the rules-based international order from
that the interventions provide equitable
which Canadians benefit. As such, Canada
access and benefits, promote women’s
will exercise its diplomacy and political
equal participation in decision making, and
leadership, using all avenues and forums
consider the rights and particular interests of
at its disposal, including at the UN, NATO,
women and girls, as well as those of men and
OSCE, Commonwealth and La Francophonie,
boys.
to put the role of women and girls in
conflict-affected states at the centre of Canada’s $150-million Peace and
any discussions or decisions about those Stabilization Operations Program (PSOPs) will
situations and to strengthen international increase its commitment to gender-equality
norms. In addition to multilateral diplomacy, programming through dedicated WPS
Canada’s mission network will play a critical projects. Of all PSOPs investments, 95% will
role in both implementing and informing explicitly target or integrate WPS activities
Canada’s Action Plan. by 2021-22 (15% targeted and a further 80%
integrated). This will complement efforts
For example, Canada will advocate for:
that will be made across all Global Affairs
• The meaningful participation of women, Canada grant and contribution programs
women’s organizations and networks in in accordance with Canada’s Feminist
peace processes, as well as more women International Assistance Policy.
in international peace operations and
national security sectors.
12• Help increase the representation of
women in national security sectors in
“As part of its new feminist fragile and conflict-affected states and in
international peace operations.
agenda, Canada will be
investing in grassroots women’s Capacity to deliver results
organizations to ensure that
Partners of the Action Plan will increase
more women are involved in their capacity to deliver results by building
peacebuilding. It is crucial for expertise and dedicating more efforts to
countries and regions that are showing leadership.
seeking peace to be inclusive. All policies and programming will use
The resolution of conflicts Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+),
cannot be achieved by leaving an analytical tool used throughout the
women on the sidelines. Government of Canada to assess how diverse
Canada will do its part by groups of women, men, and gender-diverse
calling for more women leaders people may experience policies, programs
and initiatives—WPS efforts included. GBA+
and women’s organizations to reminds all decision makers that policies
be at the centre of any peace- must be assessed through a feminist
building efforts. ” lens, based on all identity factors, such as
gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual
Minister Bibeau
orientation and ability.
Programming to advance the WPS agenda
will, for example: Operation HONOUR is the name
of the Canadian Armed Forces
• Help women to better understand their mission to eliminate harmful and
legal rights and improve their access to inappropriate sexual behaviour from
justice. Canada will also help increase the the Canadian military. This mission is
capacity of governments—notably their based on the following principles:
police and judicial systems—to strengthen
laws and services and hold perpetrators • Every woman and man who serves
of sexual and gender-based crimes to their country deserves to be treated
account. with dignity and respect—anything
less is simply unacceptable; and
• Ensure that emergency humanitarian
funding includes support for women’s • Any attitude or behaviour that
and girls’ sexual and reproductive health undermines the camaraderie,
needs, and raise the importance of this cohesion and confidence of serving
targeted assistance with international members threatens the long-
partners and at international events in the term operational success of the
humanitarian system. Canadian Armed Forces.
13Canada will also for example:
• Strengthen gender and WPS training,
including on gender-based violence, for “The thousands of women
government personnel. across Canada who dedicate
• Recruit more women to the Canadian
themselves to keeping our
Armed Forces. country safe inspire us all
with their leadership, skill and
• Increase the number of women deployed
in multilateral peace operations and
strength. Every day they push
other stabilization efforts. the boundaries, and lead the
way in achieving excellence.
Supporting women’s participation in
Canada’s own institutions is key to delivering
It’s only by accepting and
on the WPS agenda, both because celebrating the contributions
this enables more women to deploy of all people that we can
internationally, and because we should lead achieve our greatest success.
by example. When women have the
In the Canadian Armed Forces, as outlined opportunity to share their
in the Department of National Defence talents and expertise without
Policy, women will be supported by the a ‘glass ceiling’ everyone
promotion of a culture of leadership,
respect and honour. The CAF will strive to
benefits. ”
eliminate harmful behaviour and ensure a Minister Goodale
work environment free from harassment
and discrimination. It will do this by fully
implementing the 10 recommendations of
the Deschamps report through Operation ACCOUNTABILITY,
HONOUR. To ensure that CAF members
are best able to execute their duties in
MONITORING AND REVIEW
peace operations, they are provided pre- The Minister of Foreign Affairs is responsible
deployment training on human rights, for Canada’s implementation of the
protection of civilians, WPS, conflict- international WPS agenda and for ensuring
related sexual violence, child protection, that implementation across government is
sexual exploitation and abuse, and human aligned with the government’s foreign policy
trafficking. priorities. Global Affairs Canada, through
PSOPs, coordinates the whole-of-government
The RCMP will strengthen its pre-deployment
Action Plan efforts.
courses for Canadian law enforcement
officers participating in peacekeeping Ministers of Action Plan partners are
operations—just one of the ways in which it accountable for delivering on their respective
will further advance the WPS agenda. These implementation plans. All partners commit
types of law enforcement contributions are to integrating the Action Plan into corporate
essential to advancing the principles of WPS planning and reporting regimes and to
and to enacting the change at home and tracking and reporting progress through their
abroad that will ultimately lead to gender- contributions to the annual progress reports.
equal societies.
14The implementation of the Action Plan will will meet with the Action Plan Advisory
be coordinated in several ways, as described Group, as a minimum, in connection with
below. the preparation or tabling of progress
reports. WPS champions are:
PSOPs Advisory Board
• Global Affairs Canada: The Director
The PSOPs Advisory Board, a whole-of- General of PSOPs, who is also Canada’s
government forum at the Director General National Focal Point globally for WPS
level, brings together departments and implementation.
agencies involved in Canada’s peace
• Department of National Defence and
operations and coordinates government
the Canadian Armed Forces: A General
policy on the Action Plan and Canada’s
Officer, who is designated by the
role in implementing the WPS agenda.
Deputy Minister of National Defence
and the Chief of the Defence Staff and
WPS champions
who will also be the GBA+ Champion.
Each lead Action Plan partner has
• The Royal Canadian Mounted Police:
identified a WPS champion. These
The Assistant Commissioner of Federal
individuals will act as key resources on the
Policing Special Services.
agenda in their respective departments.
The champions are responsible for
delivering on the implementation of
their commitments and for ensuring the
approach is coherent. WPS champions
PHOTO: UN / Mark Garten
15Action Plan Advisory Group Progress Reports
The Action Plan Advisory Group will Canada will continue its practice of
advise PSOPs—as coordinator of the annual, public progress reporting and
Action Plan—as well as the PSOPs Advisory will table reports every September. This—
Board on the implementation of the together with an independent mid-term
Action Plan. review and summative evaluation—will
enhance the dialogue with civil society
The Group will comprise civil society
and parliamentarians on Canada’s role in
experts and government officials and will
implementing the WPS agenda.
be co-chaired by a PSOPs official and a
representative of civil society through the Implementing the Action Plan is part of
Women, Peace and Security Network- the government’s broader commitment to
Canada (WPSN-C). The Group will meet results and delivery, through which each
regularly throughout the Action Plan’s department reports on key priorities in
life cycle to exchange experiences and their yearly reports. The Prime Minister
best practices, discuss challenges and also holds stocktaking exercises with
develop innovative solutions related to government ministers on his priorities;
the implementation of the Action Plan. the Action Plan is part of the Prime
The Group will also engage with staff from Minister’s commitment to gender equality
Canadian embassies abroad and women’s and diversity.
groups’ leaders to learn from experiences
from the field.
The Group will improve progress Canada’s approach to international
monitoring by means of a continuous assistance is based on evidence that
dialogue between civil society experts advancing gender equality is both the
and government officials who are right and the smart thing to do: Giving
responsible for implementing the everyone the same opportunities in
Action Plan. WPS Champions will attend life helps reduce poverty and increase
meetings as defined in the Group’s terms economic growth and increases
of reference. stability world-wide, including for
Canadians.
The terms of reference will be developed
jointly by the government and the
WPSN-C. The Group will be established
Moreover, progress reporting will allow
within the first six months of the launch of
Action Plan partners to update their
this Action Plan.
implementation plans based on the
Together, the PSOPs Advisory Board annual review:
and the Action Plan Advisory Group will
• Where targets are not being met,
ensure the Action Plan implementation
barriers will be identified and
is strategic, coordinated, and responsive
addressed.
to new challenges. Monitoring will also
involve continuous consultation with • Where targets have been met, new and
local women’s organizations that are more ambitious targets can be set.
beneficiaries of Canadian programming
and advocacy.
16• Where contexts have changed, so too The Government of Canada has consulted
will Canada’s political, diplomatic and with civil society in developing this Action
programming strategies. Plan, in particular with WPSN-C. On-going
engagement with these dedicated experts,
as well as consultations specifically on the
INDISPENSABLE Action Plan renewal, have been invaluable in
COLLABORATION WITH CIVIL moving the government’s policies forward.
SOCIETY Recognizing the crucial role of civil society,
Canada announced $150 million in funding for
Recognizing the crucial role of civil
local women’s organizations that will facilitate
society, Canada will support local women’s
programming in a range of sectors, including
organizations and movements that advance
reconciliation and conflict prevention. This new
women’s rights. To amplify women’s
funding is essential to enable transformative
voices around the world, Canada will also
change on the ground and to amplify women’s
collaborate with Canadian civil society and
voices around the world.
women’s organizations at the grassroots
level to find new and innovative ways to work The government will strengthen and formalize
together. Canada’s Policy for Civil Society this collaboration through the establishment
Partnerships for International Assistance — A of the Action Plan Advisory Group, described
Feminist Approach will guide these efforts. above, whose members will monitor progress
and discuss emerging issues.
CONCLUSION
The 2017-2022 Action Plan is a equality and inclusive peace processes build
comprehensive plan to support women’s more stable societies—a precondition for a
full participation in peace and security peaceful world for everyone: women, men,
efforts, to prevent, address and fight girls and boys.
impunity for conflict-related sexual violence,
The rights of women and girls cannot be
and to consolidate women’s and girls’
compromised. Canada will lead.
empowerment and advance gender equality,
including in the world’s most dangerous and
complex conflicts.
An expanded government partnership,
enhanced capacity and robust collaboration
“Turning aside from our
with civil society will enable Canada to responsibilities is not an
make a greater impact in achieving these
objectives.
option. ”
Minister Freeland’s address to Parliament on
The empowerment of women and girls in Canada’s foreign policy priorities on June 6,
efforts to prevent, end and recover from 2017
armed conflict benefits us all. Gender
17DEFINITIONS
Child, early and forced marriage (CEFM): include political, societal, security, economic,
The term “child marriage” refers to a and environmental aspects. (Source: the
marriage in which at least one of the parties OECD)
is a child. According to the Convention on the
Gender refers to the roles, behaviours,
Rights of the Child, a child is “every human
activities, and attributes that a given society
being below the age of eighteen years
may construct or consider appropriate for
unless under the law applicable to the child,
men and women. It can result in stereotyping
majority is attained earlier”. “Early marriage”
and limited expectations about what women
is often used interchangeably with “child
and men can and cannot do (e.g. femininity
marriage” and refers to marriages involving
and masculinity). Gender is different from
a person aged below 18 in countries where
sex, which refers to the biological and
the age of majority is attained earlier or upon
physiological characteristics that define men,
marriage. Early marriage can also refer to
women and intersex persons.
marriages where both spouses are 18 or
older but other factors make them unready Gender equality refers to equal rights,
to consent to marriage, such as their level of responsibilities and opportunities for women,
physical, emotional, sexual and psychosocial men and gender-diverse people. Equality
development, or a lack of information refers to the state of being equal while equity
regarding the person’s life options. A forced refers to the state of being just, impartial
marriage is any marriage that occurs without or fair. However, equality of opportunity by
the full and free consent of one or both of itself does not guarantee equal outcomes for
the parties and/or where one or both of the women, men and gender-diverse people.
parties is/are unable to end or leave the
Gender mainstreaming means ensuring
marriage, including as a result of duress or
that gender perspectives and attention to
intense social or family pressure.
the goal of gender equality are central to
(Source: the April 2014 report on Preventing all activities, such as policy, programming
and eliminating child, early and forced and advocacy, and in all phases: planning,
marriage by the Office of the High implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Commissioner for Human Rights)
Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) is an
Disarmament, demobilization and analytical tool used by the Government of
reintegration (DDR) refers to the process Canada to assess how diverse groups of
of disarming soldiers or other fighters, women, men and gender-diverse people
disbanding their military units, and helping may experience policies, programs and
them integrate socially and economically into initiatives. The “plus” in GBA+ acknowledges
society by finding them civilian livelihoods. that the analysis goes beyond biological
(sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences.
Fragility is characterized as the accumulation
We all have multiple identity factors that
and combination of risks combined with
intersect to make us who we are; GBA+ also
insufficient capacity by the state, system,
considers many other identity factors, like
and/or communities to manage, absorb,
race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion,
or mitigate its consequences. This situation
age, and mental or physical disability. The
of exposure to risk can lead to negative
Government of Canada committed to using
outcomes, including violence, armed conflict,
gender-based analysis in 1995, as part of
protracted political crises, and chronic
the ratification of the United Nations’ Beijing
underdevelopment. Risks and coping
Platform for Action.
capacity are measured in five dimensions to
18Gender-responsive policies or programs are Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV):
developed with the consideration of gender Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence
norms, roles and inequalities with measures perpetrated against someone based on
taken to actively address them. their gender expression, gender identity or
perceived gender. Specifically, GBV includes
Gender-sensitive indicates a cognitive
any act of violence or abuse that can result
awareness of gender differences, but
in physical, sexual or psychological harm or
appropriate action may not have been taken.
suffering. It affects every society and every
However, the terms gender-responsive
social class and occurs in both private and
and gender-sensitive are often used
public life. Whether the context is the use of
interchangeably.
rape as a tool of war, sex trafficking, intimate
Gender transformative interventions partner violence, female genital mutilation,
go beyond gender responsiveness and or other forms, GBV is a violation of human
specifically aim at transforming unequal rights in all cases. It is a disempowering force
gender relations to promote shared that erodes a person’s self-dignity, health
power, control of resources, decision and ability to participate in social, economic
making, and support for women’s and girls’ and political life. GBV is a barrier to gender
empowerment. equality, sustainable development and
peace. GBV is rooted in gender inequalities
Justice and security sector reform (JSSR),
and is intensified by other forms of
security sector reform (SSR) or security
discrimination, including racism, colonialism,
system reform (SSR) refers to reforming
disability, homophobia, transphobia and
or rebuilding a state’s security sector
poverty. It is often exacerbated in conflict
to establish effective, accountable and
settings.
representative security institutions that
carry out their legitimate functions in a Sexual violence is a prevalent type of GBV.
manner consistent with democratic norms Sexual violence in conflict includes rape,
and sound governance (i.e. good security sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced
sector governance). The term “security pregnancy and forced sterilization or
sector/system” includes the military, police, abortion. The international legal framework
and other institutions such as border clearly establishes that rape and other forms
management and correctional services, the of sexual violence may constitute war crimes,
judiciary, and legislative oversight bodies. crimes against humanity and genocide. Many
SSR is an important part of post-conflict states have laws that punish these acts, either
statebuilding. as the specified crimes or as ordinary crimes
under national law. The International Criminal
Multiple and intersecting discrimination:
Court in the Hague will in some instances
Individuals have layered identities based
have jurisdiction. Some international treaties
on intersecting identity factors such as
and, arguably, customary international
gender, ethnicity, race, religion, age, sexual
law, oblige states to either prosecute or
orientation and ability. The discrimination
extradite persons who commit war crimes,
they face is multidimensional and its various
crimes against humanity and genocide. The
components cannot be addressed separately.
international regime and many states agree
that amnesty cannot be granted for these
serious violations of international law.
19You can also read
