European Peace Institute / News

On April 23rd, IPI together with the Office of the President of the General Assembly, cohosted an interactive discussion in advance of the UN General Assembly high-level event to commemorate the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace on April 24th, during which member states will discuss prevailing challenges and renew commitments to a rule-based world order and the multilateral system.

The international rule-based order is challenged on multiple fronts. The weakening of commitments to a rule-based international order is evident in a variety of contexts, as a profound mistrust permeates the system. Part of the answer to the deficit of trust lies in connecting multilateral processes to the interests, concerns, and perspectives of the people. The 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly has been grounded in the theme of making the multilateral system and the UN “relevant to all people.” This aspiration is central to the drive to increase collaborative efforts, build trust, and inspire a recommitment to multilateralism.

IPI and the Office of the PGA fostered a conversation that took stock of factors that may have contributed to the waning credibility of the multilateral system, as well as recent innovative practices to enhance its legitimacy. Participants sought to agree upon ways to lay the foundation for a more trusted, people-centered multilateralism.

The event took place at the United Nations.

Opening remarks:
H.E. Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly

Speakers:
Amb. Donald Steinberg, Executive Director, Mobilizing Men as Partners for Women, Peace and Security
Dr. Cecilia Nahón, Executive Director, Model G20 Initiative, American University; and former Ambassador of Argentina to the U.S.
Prof. Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, Professor of International Affairs and Program Director, The New School
Mr. Richard Gowan, UN Director, International Crisis Group
Ms. Giovanna Kuele, Member of Steering Committee, Together First and Researcher at the Igarape Institute

Moderator:
The Honorable Kevin Rudd, 26th Prime Minister of Australia; President, Asia Society Policy Institute; and Chairman, IPI Board of Directors

When the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) deployed in 2007, the AU and the UN Security Council expected that the United Nations would eventually take over from the AU force. But while a UN peacekeeping operation remains a theoretical option for the council, its prospects have diminished. Instead, the focus of Somali and international efforts has shifted to planning for AMISOM to transition directly Somali security forces without an interim UN mission.

This issue brief outlines the factors behind this shift in intentions, including the new Somali administration’s commitment to assuming responsibility for security, a general agreement that the time had come for an exit strategy, and the Security Council’s reduced appetite for peace operations. It also lays out the objectives, approaches, and status of implementation of the Somali Transition Plan.

Despite steady progress, there is still a long way to go in implementing this plan. Reforms are encountering resistance from vested interests, and al-Shabab poses an ongoing threat. Any sustainable transition from AMISOM must be a long-term project that includes not just a military handover but also political decisions on security and the structure of the state. It also depends on aligning national priorities and international efforts and the willingness of all security actors in Somalia to work together in a pragmatic, transparent, and coordinated way.

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On Thursday, April 25th, IPI is hosting a speaker series event featuring H.E. Mr. Pedro Serrano on the topic of the relationship between the European Union and state actors in the Sahel.

Remarks will begin at 10:15am PST / 1:15pm EST

Pedro Serrano is Deputy Secretary General for Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and Crisis Response at the European External Action Service (EEAS) since November 2015.

Previously, Mr. Serrano was principal advisor on external relations to the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy. Mr. Serrano was the first head of delegation/ambassador of the EU to the United Nations in New York after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon.

Since 2003, Mr. Serrano has held numerous positions in the CSDP, including as director for civilian crisis management at the General Secretariat of the council. Prior to 2003, Mr. Serrano served as a Spanish diplomat in numerous positions including at the UN headquarters, and in Cuba and Tanzania.

This event will be moderated by Mr. Jake Sherman, Director of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations at IPI.

On Wednesday, April 24th, IPI is hosting the next event in its “Leading for Peace: Voices from the Field” series, featuring Abdoulaye Bathily, Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on Madagascar, who will share his reflections on the country’s efforts to achieve peace, stability, and a successful democratic transition. He will provide insights into Madagascar’s ongoing electoral process and identify lessons from recent efforts to support and sustain political dialogue, including through partnerships with regional organizations like the African Union and the Southern African Development Community.

Remarks will begin at 10:15am PST / 1:15pm EST

Mr. Bathily was appointed by the Secretary-General as his Special Adviser on Madagascar on April 27, 2018, where he has since worked with both Malagasy and international actors to create a peaceful and credible environment for the December 2018 presidential elections. Until 2016, Mr. Bathily served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Office for Central Africa (UNOCA). Before that, he served as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA) in Mali from 2013 to 2014. Prior to his international engagements, Mr. Bathily was a senior minister for the presidency from 2012 to 2013 and a member of Senegal’s Parliament from 1998 to 2000, during which time he served as deputy speaker. For more than thirty years, Mr. Bathily has taught history at the University Sheikh Anta Diop in Dakar. He holds a Doctorat d’Etat from the University of Dakar and a PhD from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

The event will be moderated by Dr. Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser for IPI.

UN peacekeeping missions are facing cash-flow problems and financial strains due to the late payment and withholding of assessed contributions. Since the inception of UN peacekeeping, the financing of missions has been a challenge, with periods of calm followed by periods of crisis. The UN has been particularly vulnerable to withheld and late payments from its biggest financial contributors. This has an impact on missions’ effectiveness and the ability of troop-contributing countries to deploy.

This paper examines how member-state contributions to peacekeeping are calculated, historical and current financing challenges faced by peacekeeping missions, and ideas for placing UN peacekeeping on a firmer financial footing. It recommends reevaluating some of the rules and regulations that govern the management of UN peacekeeping. It specifically recommends:

• Creating a cash reserve for peacekeeping: A new reserve fund or the relaxation of restrictions to use of the existing reserve fund could help manage liquidity problems.
• Consolidating peacekeeping accounts: Consolidating the accounts for missions would significantly improve cash management and operational flexibility by allowing the Secretariat to borrow between the accounts of different missions.
• Streamlining budgeting: Aligning the billing process with the budget period would reduce bureaucracy, reducing the burden on both the Secretariat and member states.
• Incentivizing budgetary discipline: Allowing some flexibility on the crediting of savings to member states could improve liquidity and incentivize missions to be more disciplined in their spending.
• Encouraging prompt payments: To encourage member states to meet the deadline for payments, they could be penalized for making late payments or given positive incentives to pay on time.

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On Thursday, April 18th, IPI together with Monash University and Griffith University are cohosting an event entitled “Policy, Promise, and Pitfalls: Women, Peace and Security in 2020.”

Remarks will begin at 3:15 pm PST / 6:15pm EST

In October 2020, the global community will mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of UNSCR 1325, the UN Security Council’s first resolution dedicated to Women, Peace and Security (WPS). This penultimate year before the anniversary is an important time to take stock and engage with what the international community has achieved toward the WPS agenda and where further action should be taken. It is a time to be creative in assessment and analysis of the issues, institutions, and locations where WPS implementation could improve international peace and security.

The evening’s discussion will bring together the WPS community to discuss the intersection of policy and promise toward achieving the transformational potential of the WPS agenda. This includes the collective obligations of civil society, governments, and the UN.

Opening remarks:
H.E. Mr. Olof Skoog, Permanent Representative of the Mission of Sweden to the United Nations
Dr. Jacqui True, Professor of Politics & International Relations and an Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Monash University

Speakers:
Ms. Nahla Valji, Senior Gender Adviser, Executive Office of the Secretary-General
Ms. Ray Acheson, Director, Reaching Critical Will

Moderator:
Dr. Sarah Taylor, Senior Fellow, International Peace Institute

The international rule-based order has come under threat on multiple fronts. If it continues to deteriorate into an older model based on power politics, small states—by definition vulnerable in a world where only might makes right—are most at risk. This makes them natural defenders of the international order that protects them.

How can small countries serve as effective champions of the rule-based order and international law? This paper explores this question by looking at the role of small states on the UN Security Council. The council, with its five veto-wielding permanent members, is perhaps not an obvious place to look at the role of small states. Nonetheless, it presents critical opportunities, as well as difficult challenges, for small states.

This paper concludes that small states on the Security Council are well-placed to provide an important, credible voice with moral authority to remind all member states of their obligations under international law, reaffirm normative commitments to compliance, and advocate for a recommitment to a multilateral, rule-based international order. Perhaps not since the founding of the United Nations has that voice been more necessary for all to hear.

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The Secretary-General of Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Women, H.E Hala Al-Ansari, called on women and men alike to work together in achieving equal participation of women in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “We need to carry out our responsibilities as humans, rather than separate genders,” she said, adding that women do not need to solely rely on men to empower themselves.

Addressing a large audience of women in leadership, ambassadors, government officials, dignitaries, religious leaders, and media gathered at IPI MENA on April 11, 2019, Al-Ansari emphasized the progress made by Bahraini women in policy, public and private sectors, noting that “Bahrain is ranked first in the Arab world and 47th globally according to the World Bank’s Human Capital Index, and fourth in the Gulf and 43rd globally according to the UN Human Development Report 2018.”

The event was opened by IPI MENA Policy Analyst Dalya Al-Alawi, and moderated by IPI MENA Director Mr. Nejib Friji, who noted that the work of the SCW is in line with the SDGs and IPI goals related to women’s leadership and the promotion of women at all levels of decision-making, political involvement and peacemaking.

In response to a question by Mary Justine Todd, Founder of Women’s Crisis Care International, about SCW initiatives regarding domestic and sexual violence, Al-Ansari cited progress regarding legislation and law enforcement steps and called for additional preventative measures as well as the streamlining of gender equity in all layers of society. “We must go to the root of domestic and sexual violence and change the mindset of how the genders express themselves, beginning with education, institutions and teaching the skills of peaceful relations from kindergarten to high levels of education,” she said.

Answering a question from Yemen’s Ambassador to Bahrain, Dr. Ali Hassan Al Ahmadi, on whether women’s quotas would be envisaged as a means of inclusion and advancement, Hala Al-Ansari stressed that these allocations are not always true measures of progress. She called for greater accountability in the field of women’s advancement through the implementation of evaluation mechanisms in the public and private sectors.

Responding to Fatema Al Kooheji, Chairperson of the Shura Council’s Senate for the Women and Children Committee, on the role of the media in women’s advancement and participation, Al-Ansari noted the relative progress of the media concerning women’s issues. Still, she called for further development in media’s approaches to assessment, coverage, analysis of gender equity, women’s participation in line with the SDGs. She highlighted the important role of media, adding that it is crucial to convey an accurate and constructive message. However, she noted that media should “neither draw a bleak picture nor over-exaggerate women’s achievements.”

Speaking to the media, Hala Al-Ansari vowed a partnership with IPI MENA on gender-based equal opportunities’ future projects.

On Tuesday, April 16th, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of Estonia to the UN are cohosting a policy forum event on “A Necessary Voice: Small States, International Law, and the UN Security Council.”

Remarks will begin at 10:15am PST / 1:15pm EST

The international rule-based order is facing high-risk challenges on multiple fronts. What is at stake in the weakening of this order, and what are the paths forward? Among UN member states, small countries are most at risk if the international system further deteriorates into an older model of a world order based on power politics and zero-sum games. As such, they should also be predisposed to defend the order that protects them.

In a system dominated by large powerful states, can small states serve as effective champions of the rule-based order and international law? One place to begin to answer this question is the UN Security Council, a body that presents both critical opportunities and difficult challenges for small states. Given these opportunities and challenges, what role can small states play in defending international law on the Security Council?

Panelists will discuss these questions and more. This event will launch the IPI policy report, “A Necessary Voice: Small States, International Law, and the Security Council,” produced in partnership with the Government of Estonia.

Speakers:
H.E. Mr. Sven Jürgenson, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Estonia to the UN
H.E. Mr. Luis Homero Bermúdez Álvarez, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Uruguay to the UN
Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice President, International Peace Institute
Dr. Lauri Mälksoo, Professor of International Law, University of Tartu (Estonia)
Dr. Kristen Boon, Associate Dean, Professor of Law, Seton Hall Law School

Moderator:
Ms. Jimena Leiva Roesch, Senior Fellow, International Peace Institute

“The two state solution I do profoundly believe is the only way,” IPI President Terje Rød-Larsen told a World Economic Forum gathering in Jordan on April 7th assessing the difficulties facing the stalled peace process in the Middle East. He added, “By force of history, it will happen, but it might take a very long time.”

Describing himself as both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli, he said, “I think the one state solution would be a disaster for the Palestinians and a disaster for the Israelis.”

Mr. Rød-Larsen made his remarks in a panel discussion on the eve of elections in Israel in which the possibility of annexation of the West Bank and movement towards a unitary Israeli state has come up for debate.

He was speaking in response to a question from Børge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, who asked, “Is the two state solution dead?”

Others on the panel were Saeb Erekat, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization of the Palestinian National Assembly; Dalia Dassa Kaye, Director, Center for Middle East Public Policy, RAND Corporation USA, and Michael Herzog, International Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Israel.

As part of his long career as a diplomat and peacemaker, Mr. Rød-Larsen served from 1999 to December 2004 as UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, holding the rank of Under-Secretary-General.

Watch full event video:

On Thursday, April 11th, IPI is hosting a Global Leaders Series presentation featuring H.E. Mr. Khaled H. Alyemany, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Yemen.

Remarks will begin at 10:15am PST / 1:15pm EST

In January 1991, H.E. Mr. Khaled H. Alyemany joined the foreign service as the editor of private publications at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of Press and Information. He subsequently served as an expert in the Foreign Minister’s Office overseeing Yemeni-African relations and as the assistant and private secretary in the Foreign Minister’s Office overseeing Yemeni-American relations (USA, Canada, and Cuba), as well as counterterrorism.

H.E. Mr. Alyemany served in four oversees posts: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1997- 2000); Washington DC, USA (2000-2003), where he was a political and press officer; London, UK (2005-2009), as deputy chief of mission; and New York, USA (2009-2010), as the chief negotiator during Yemen’s chairmanship of the “Group of 77.” Between 2011 and 2013, he served in Sana’a as deputy director, and then as director, of the Foreign Minister’s Office. In 2013, he returned to New York as a deputy permanent representative until he was confirmed as a permanent representative in December 2014. He served as the deputy president of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2015, and deputy chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Bureau in the United Nations from 2016 until his appointment as foreign minister in May 2018.

Speaker:
H.E. Mr. Khaled H. Alyemany, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Yemen

Moderator:
Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice President, International Peace Institute

On Tuesday, April 9th, IPI together with the Office of the President of the General Assembly, the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office, the United Nations Population Fund, Peace Direct, and Interpeace, are cohosting a policy forum to discuss the role of young people as drivers of peace and how international actors can advance meaningful participation and inclusion of young people.

Remarks will begin at 10:15am PST / 1:15pm EST

Meaningful political, social and economic inclusion is a complex and core issue at the heart of the Youth Peace and Security agenda. The challenge, however, is what constitutes meaningful political inclusion and participation of young people, and how can this be undertaken to prevent violence and sustain peace.

Contributing to sustaining peace, and preventing the outbreak, continuation, escalation and recurrence of violence requires expansion of young people’s roles and engagement in formal and informal political processes and institutions. It demands attention to improve young people’s roles in decision-making processes that directly impact their lives, and their relationships with their communities and the state.

The Youth, Peace and Security agenda, laid out in Security Council Resolution 2250, and the Independent Progress Study on Youth Peace and Security debunks negative assumptions about youth in peace and security, underlines the capacity youth have to participate in meaningful peacebuilding and nonviolent action in their communities and countries and highlights several recommendations on how to advance inclusion broadly. As member states and the United Nations move towards implementation of the youth agenda and recommendation, it is important to reflect what work is being done by young people on the ground, how they want to work with international actors as well as what meaningful inclusion means to them and what accountability looks like in this implementation.

Welcoming remarks:
Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice President, International Peace Institute

Opening remarks:
H.E. Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President, UN General Assembly
Mr. Dereje Wordofa, ASG and Deputy Executive Director, UNFPA

Speakers:
Mr. Moussa Tolo, President, Allô Gouvernance
Ms. Saran Keita, President, Peace and Security Network for Women, Mali
Mr. Graeme Simpson, Director, Interpeace USA
Ms. Vanessa Wyeth, Senior Political and Public Affairs Officer (Peacebuilding), Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations

Moderator:
Mr. Jake Sherman, Director of the Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute

Comprehensive leadership training is necessary to ensure that peace operations are effective and that senior leaders are prepared for both the daily challenges and the inevitable crises of peacekeeping. A gender perspective is of central importance to such training. However, gender considerations—from gendered conflict analysis to recognition of who is in the room when decisions are made—remain poorly understood at a practical level, including among senior mission leaders.

This issue brief discusses what it means to apply a “gender perspective” and the importance of such a perspective for senior leaders to effectively implement mission mandates. It provides an overview of existing gender-related training and preparation techniques for senior leaders, including gaps. It concludes with a series of recommendations on how trainings and approaches to senior leadership training can better reflect these considerations:

• The current status of gender training for senior leaders should be assessed.
• Facilitators of trainings should ensure that their curricula address and respond to a peacekeeping workspace dominated by men.
• Facilitators should be aware that leaders often think they do not need training.
• Trainings for senior leaders should be designed to reflect the complexity of implementing women, peace, and security obligations in a mission.
• Efforts to ensure gender parity in senior mission leadership should be strengthened.
• Gender advisers should be included as formal members of a mission’s crisis management team and play an active role in decision-making bodies.
• Facilitators should understand the gender dimensions of a given training scenario and be aware of the gender balance among participants.
• The UN should develop resources for leaders, including key documents and guidance on understanding the gender dimensions of their mission.

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On Friday, March 29th, IPI together with the University of Johannesburg are cohosting a policy forum on Nigeria and South Africa: Regional Dynamics in a Changing World. Professor Adekeye Adebajo will offer his analysis on regional challenges and opportunities following the presidential elections in Nigeria and ahead of the parliamentary elections in South Africa. Professor Sarah Lockwood will offer commentary following Professor Adebajo’s remarks.

Remarks will begin at 10:15am PST / 1:15pm EST

Nigeria and South Africa have led many conflict-management initiatives over the last twenty-five years. Both account for at least 60 percent of the economy of their respective sub-regions in West and Southern Africa. The success of political and economic integration in Africa thus rests heavily on the shoulders of these two regional powers.

Professor Adekeye Adebajo will also provide insights into the history of the two countries and the relations between them, as well as discuss further findings and reflections following the publication of his most recent book of essays entitled The Eagle and the Springbok: Essays on Nigeria and South Africa.

Dr. Adekeye Adebajo was the director of the Africa Program at the International Peace Institute in New York from 2000 to 2004 and served on UN missions in South Africa, Western Sahara, and Iraq. He was the Executive Director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution from 2004 to 2018. He is currently a Professor at the University of Johannesburg and Director of their Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation.

Professor Sarah Lockwood is a political scientist currently completing her PhD in African Studies and Government at Harvard University.

Speaker:
Prof. Adekeye Adebajo, Director, Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation, University of Johannesburg

Discussant:
Prof. Sarah J. Lockwood, Presidential Scholar, Harvard University, Senior Consultant, Menas Associates

Moderator:
Amb. John Hirsch, IPI Senior Adviser

On Thursday, March 28th, IPI is hosting a Distinguished Author Series event featuring Robert Kagan, author of The Jungle Grows Back: America and Our Imperiled World. The conversation will be moderated by IPI Senior Adviser for External Relations Warren Hoge.

Remarks will begin at 3:20pm PST / 6:20pm EST

Recent years have brought deeply disturbing developments around the globe, from declining democracy to growing geopolitical competition. American sentiment seems to be leaning increasingly toward going it alone or withdrawing in the face of such disarray. In The Jungle Grows Back, America and Our Imperiled World, Robert Kagan issues an urgent warning that such a unilateral retreat by America would be the worst possible response, one based on a fundamental misreading of the world. Contrary to those who believe that there is an “end of history”—that progress is inevitable and the relative freedom, prosperity, and general peace the world has known for the past seventy years will continue naturally—the historical norm has always been toward chaos. Should the United States continue to withdraw as a global power, Kagan argues, the anarchic international system will undermine and overwhelm the liberal world order as we know it. In short, the jungle will always grow back, if we let it.

On Wednesday, March 27th, IPI is hosting a speaker series event featuring H.E. Mr. Paul Kehoe and H.E. Mr. Inia Seruiratu on the topic of “Implementing Action for Peacekeeping: Troop Contributing Countries as key stakeholders.”

Remarks will begin at 10:15am PST / 1:15pm EST

The presentations will be followed by a moderated panel discussion, which will include H.E. Ms. Geraldine Byrne Nason, Permanent Representative of the Mission of Ireland and H.E. Mr. Satyendra Prasad, Permanent Representative of the Mission of Fiji.

H.E. Mr. Paul Kehoe was appointed Minister with Responsibility for Defence in June 2017. He previously served as the Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the Prime Minister and the Department of Defence. Mr. Kehoe has also been a Parliamentarian for County Wexford since he was first elected to the Dáil in May 2002.

H.E. Mr. Inia Batikoto Seruiratu is a Fijian politician and member of the Parliament of Fiji for the Fiji First Party. He is the Minister for Defence and National Security of Fiji and, since January 2019, also serves as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Keynote speakers:
H.E. Mr. Paul Kehoe, Minister for Defence of Ireland
H.E. Mr. Inia Seruiratu, Minister for Defence, National Security & Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Fiji

Moderator:
Mr. Jake Sherman, Director of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute

On Friday, March 22nd, IPI together with the Geneva Water Hub (a global center of the University of Geneva) and UNICEF are cohosting a policy forum event on Water in Armed Conflicts.

Remarks will begin at 10:15am PST / 1:15pm EST

Armed conflicts affect access to safe water in several ways: destruction of and damage to water facilities, attacks against power plants providing energy to water supply networks, and the collapse of water treatment plants and sewage systems are some of the examples. Water supply systems fail, supply lines are deliberately sabotaged, or water resources are poisoned to intimidate civilians. It takes months to repair and restore essential service infrastructure once it has been damaged. In the meantime, civilians are displaced, agricultural activities are brought to a halt, and epidemics can spread. Various organizations are increasingly bringing into the spotlight the severe consequences of armed conflicts on access to water for the civilian population.

At this policy forum, experts will present and discuss the Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure and the UNICEF Advocacy Alert to stimulate international cooperation to overcome the obstacles posed by armed conflicts to accessing water.

Opening remarks:
Hon. Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister, Australia, Chair of the IPI Board of Directors

Speakers:
H.E. Dr. Danilo Türk, Former President of the Republic of Slovenia, Chairman of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace and Lead Political Advisor of the Geneva Water Hub
Prof. Laurence Boisson de Chazournes, Faculty of Law, University of Geneva, Full Professor, Geneva Water Hub and Member of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace
Ms. Sandra Pellegrom, Head of Development, Humanitarian Affairs and Human Rights, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN
Mr. Hamish Young, Chief, Humanitarian Action and Transitions Section, UNICEF

Moderator:
Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice President, International Peace Institute

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“Progress has been made thanks to these women who have never shut up, who will never shut up,” said the President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, speaking to a roundtable of 18 female diplomats at IPI. More than one year into the Secretary-General’s gender parity strategy, the ratio of female to male diplomats at the United Nations has increased. But while the number of women in multilateral leadership positions is improving, serious barriers to their full participation in this arena remain.

Progress towards gender equality and these remaining barriers were the focus of a March 11th IPI event, co-hosted with the Permanent Mission of Estonia to the UN, and entitled “Women in Diplomacy: Creating Transformative Change.”

To introduce the discussion, President Kaljulaid recalled that 15 years ago, 20 percent of Estonian heads of mission were women. This number has now increased to 40 percent. In spite of the obstacles to equality, she insisted, “we can never let go” in the battle for gender equality. She also noted that freedom of the press had allowed women to actively and publicly demand equality, in turn propelling more Estonian women into politics and high-level posts.

María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, the President of the UN General Assembly, recalled the enormous changes she had witnessed in her career. When she was appointed minister of foreign affairs of Ecuador, she said that out of 85 ambassadors, there were only three women. These women often were not permitted on missions, because they had families, she explained. The government, in response, passed ministerial codes that allowed for the promotion of women diplomats into higher positions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, taking action to eliminate references to the physical appearance or marital status of applicants, and basing selection process exclusively on professional and academic profile.

“It is important that everything is put into writing so it stays part of cultural and institutional architecture,” she said, reflecting on a time when women with sufficient experience and training were not given opportunity because they were expected to take care of children. In 2018, the Foreign Ministry presented a written “Policy for Gender Equality” to promote gender equity in diplomacy.

Ms. Espinosa Garcés addressed a number of ways in which women are currently represented in the multilateral community. She highlighted the disparity among key figures, including that out of 21 vice presidents of the General Assembly, only one is female, and one out of six chairs of committees is a woman. She shared some of the ways she strives for gender equality in her own work, including by objecting when offered a place on panels solely made up of men, and by making sure that 60% of the UN facilitators she appoints are female.

“It’s not only about optics and form and numbers, it is about making a difference in the way we exercise leadership,” she said. “We have a lot to do to break stereotypes to share the message” that women’s participation makes a positive difference in decision-making.

Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed urged the women at the table to continue sharing their personal experiences. Drawing insights from their own careers, she said, could help support younger generations in achieving more effective solutions. “Things are changing,” she continued, “the intergenerational transition is difficult.” Exchanging strategies for catalyzing change within networks of women leaders could, she indicated, “give the next generation the tools to deal with it.”

As international civil servants, women in diplomacy have a “huge job to do from the inside out” to achieve gender parity in the workplace, said Ambassador Mohammed. And to do it, “We need to have women in decision-making roles in the Secretariat.” It is also “incredibly important that men are seen as partners and collaborators” in this process, she said. She concluded, “I think women in positions of leadership will help us get much further than we’ve ever been.”

IPI Senior Fellow Sarah Taylor moderated.

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Wednesday, March 13, 6:15pm EST
Film Screening: Women, War, and Peace II
This event will focus on two of the four films that make up the Women, War & Peace II PBS documentary film series: Wave Goodbye to Dinosaurs and A Journey of a Thousand Miles.

Watch Live Register to Attend

Thursday, March 14, 1:15pm EST
Feminist Leadership at the UN
This event will amplify perspectives on progress as well as remaining challenges to removing barriers to gender equality and feminist leadership at national, regional and global levels.

Watch Live Register to Attend

Wednesday, March 20, 1:150m EST
Mobilizing Male Allies for Women, Peace and Security
The Male Allies for Women, Peace and Security initiative will be launched in an event during the month of CSW.
Watch Live Register to Attend Further Reading

Policy Reports and Issue Briefs:

• Women’s Struggle for Citizenship: Civil Society and Constitution Making after the Arab Uprisings
• The SDGs and Prevention for Sustaining Peace: Exploring the Transformative Potential of the Goal on Gender Equality
• ICM Policy Paper: Women, Peace, and Security
• Reimagining Peacemaking: Women’s Roles in Peace Processes
• Building Peace and Development in the Sahel: Enhancing the Political Participation of Women and Youth

Global Observatory Articles:

• Women’s Issues: What Are They?
• Libya Talks Embody Missing Participation of Women in Peace Processes
• Why Women, Peace, and Security? Why Now?
• UN Peacekeeping: Where is the Gender Expertise?
• Without Prioritization of Peace and Women’s Leadership, WPS in Peril
• Five Frequently Asked Questions on the Inclusion of Women in Peace Processes
• What Does the New Women, Peace, and Security Index Measure?
• Fighting Violence Against Women in Politics: the Limits of Legal Reform
• In Tunisia’s March Toward Women’s Rights, Finish Line Is in Sight
• Tunisia’s New Protections for Women: A Legislative Revolution and Missed Opportunity
• UN Peacekeeping: Where Are All the Women?
• Gender Equality Over a Barrel: How the Gulf’s Oil Dependence Holds Back Women
• Women, Tribal Leaders Key to Rebuilding Libyan State
• Investing in Inclusion: Women, Peace, and Development in Africa
• Sexual Violence Against the Rohingya: Q&A with Razia Sultana
• Conflict, Peacebuilding, and Perspectives in Colombia: Q&A with Charo Mina-Rojas
• Women, Peace, and Politics at the UN Security Council

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On Thursday, March 14th IPI together with the International Center for the Research on Women, the Feminist U.N Campaign and Save The Children and are cohosting a policy forum to discuss Feminist Leadership at the UN.

Remarks will begin at 10:15am PST / 1:15pm EST

Secretary-General António Guterres took office in January 2017 amid unprecedented public and member state demand for feminist leadership of the United Nations. Member states coalesced in platforms advocating for such shifts in leadership, and the Feminist UN Campaign emerged from that political moment. Now, two years into the SG’s term, the 63rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) presents an ideal background for member states, civil society and the Executive Office of the Secretary-General to be in conversation about the current state of feminist leadership and progress advancing gender equality at the UN.

The Women, Peace and Security lens provides a useful case study for measuring progress in this regard. Despite two decades of women, peace and security policy development and commitments, women’s participation at “all levels of decision-making” lags due to structural barriers, lack of access to political arenas, and even threats to women who attempt to participate in these processes. In efforts to build and sustain peace, there remains widespread neglect of local-level women peace builders’ expertise, and formal peacemaking efforts continue to be resistant to women’s meaningful participation and rights implementation. However, member states and the UN have taken steps to address barriers to women’s leadership, such as in highlighting national-level feminist policies and launching a UN-wide gender parity strategy. The election of a new Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2016 provided an important opportunity to ensure that the United Nations implements an agenda that puts gender equality and women’s rights at the heart of everything it does.

This event will amplify perspectives on progress as well as remaining challenges to removing barriers to gender equality and feminist leadership at national, regional and global levels, including discussion with experts from member states, UN leadership, and civil society.

Opening remarks:
Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice President, International Peace Institute

Speakers:
Ms. Nahla Valji, Senior Gender Adviser, Executive Office of the Secretary-General
Ms. Lyric Thompson, Feminist UN Campaign Coordinator
Ms. Nora O’Connell, Associate Vice President, Public Policy and Advocacy, Save The Children
Member state Representative (TBC)

Moderator:
Dr. Sarah Taylor, Senior Fellow, International Peace Institute