European Peace Institute / News

Photos

jQuery(document).ready(function($){$("#isloaderfor-xmyfhp").fadeOut(300, function () { $(".pagwrap-xmyfhp").fadeIn(300);});});

IPI in partnership with the French Ministry of Armed Forces, cohosted the 2024 Peacekeeping Observatory Annual Workshop on May 29, 2024. The full-day workshop focused on the implementation of recommendations from the New Agenda for Peace that pertain to peace operations. This hybrid event convened over fifty participants, including UN personnel, member states, and other experts from civil society organizations.

Held at a critical moment of reflection on the future of peace operations, the workshop provided an opportunity for participants to deliberate on efforts to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of missions in today’s political environment and ahead of the Summit of the Future, to be held on September 22 and 23, 2024, in New York.

The workshop was divided into four sessions:

Session 1: Understanding Resolution 2719: What Comes Next for the UN and AU?

This session featured experts from the UN/African Union (AU) Partnerships Team in the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), the Permanent Observer Mission of the AU to the UN, and civil society organizations. Participants discussed the impact of Security Council Resolution 2719 on peace operations and the UN–AU partnership. The discussion highlighted the need for enhanced coordination and strategic alignment between the UN and the AU, the importance of flexible and adaptive mechanisms to support AU-led peace operations, and joint efforts in political, financial, and operational planning to ensure effective implementation and oversight.

Session 2: Lessons Learned from the Support Office Model

During this session experts examined the work of the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) as a model for UN support to AU-led missions, with a focus on its operational support to the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS.) It featured key contributions from Assistant Secretary-General and Head of UNSOS Aisa Kirabo Kacyira and her senior adviser, as well as other independent experts. The dialogue highlighted the significance of UNSOS in enhancing the logistical and operational effectiveness of ATMIS through robust partnerships, joint strategic planning and trust-building with key stakeholders. However, participants also recognized that challenges such as unmet expectations, limited financing, and the lack of alignment of military and political strategies persist and necessitate a continuous focus on collaboration, accountability, and adaptable support frameworks for future missions.

Lunch Session: Briefing on Negotiations around the Pact for the Future and Language on Peace Operations

Within this session, representatives of the permanent missions of Namibia and Germany to the UN briefed the attendants on negotiations around the Pact for the Future with a focus on the language on peace operations. The briefers highlighted areas of relative consensus among member states, including broad-based support for peace operations, as well as some areas that have been more politically difficult to negotiate. The briefers also reflected on the need for further peacekeeping reforms to address future peace and security challenges. In addition, they highlighted the importance of ensuring peace enforcement is undertaken in service of a political process and ensuring sustainable and adequate financing and support.

Session 3: Strengthening the Institution of UN Peacekeeping

The final session recognized the need to fortify UN peace operations as an important tool for collective security, alongside growing efforts to support partner-led operations. It emphasized the need for UN peacekeeping structures to adapt to contemporary challenges through innovative approaches and modern technology and to learn from past failures. Participants called for strengthening the tools the UN has at its disposal to address threats in multiple domains and the need to rebuild trust with local populations.

As part of the 2024 Peacekeeping Observatory project, IPI is publishing a series of issue briefs on UN peace operations and the New Agenda for Peace, including “Implementing Resolution 2719: What Next for the UN and AU?” authored by Jenna Russo and Bitania Tadesse; “The Support Office Model in Somalia: Lessons Learned and Implications for Future Settings,” authored by Paul Williams; and “The Protection of Civic Space in UN Peacekeeping Operations,” authored by Lauren McGowan.

The Peacekeeping Observatory is a multiyear IPI project examining emerging issues and challenges in peace operations. It is funded by the French Ministry of Armed Forces.

Event Video 
Photos

jQuery(document).ready(function($){$("#isloaderfor-jvfngm").fadeOut(300, function () { $(".pagwrap-jvfngm").fadeIn(300);});});

The Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN, in partnership with IPI, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Mozambique to the UN, the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the UN, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), hosted a policy forum on May 20th on “25 Years of POC and the UN Security Council: Challenges and Opportunities.”

This year marks 25 years since the Security Council first recognized the protection of civilians (POC) as a matter of international peace and security. Since then, POC has become widely institutionalized within the council’s work, as well as the UN more broadly, elevated as a core issue on the council’s agenda, and designated as a priority among mandated peacekeeping tasks.

At the same time, POC continues to face significant challenges resulting from flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws (IHL/IHRL), including by some UN member states. These violations not only have devastating consequences for civilians in conflict settings but are also a symptom of an erosion of the normative frameworks that underpin the international system. This erosion calls into question the role of the UN Security Council in protecting and upholding such norms, especially as in some cases council members have been directly or indirectly involved in violations.

The purpose of this event was to take stock of the council’s engagement with POC over the past 25 years and assess opportunities for it to further strengthen POC norms amid contemporary political and security challenges. This conversation took place as the international community prepares to mark the 75th anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, presenting an opportune moment for wider reflection on the fundamental principles of IHL/IHRL that underpin the POC agenda.

Speakers:
Naz K. Modirzadeh, Professor of Practice, Founding Director, Program on International Law and Armed Conflict, Harvard Law School
Laetitia Courtois, Permanent Observer and Head of Delegation, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Hichem Khadhraoui, Executive Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
Edem Wosornu, Director, Operations and Advocacy Division (OAD), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Moderator:
Adam Lupel, Vice President and COO, International Peace Institute

Closing remarks:
H.E. Pascale Christine Baeriswyl, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN

IPI’s Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) team, in partnership with the Gender and Security Sector Lab (GSS), hosted a virtual research workshop on “Analyzing the Effectiveness of Institutional Training for Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) in Peacekeeping.” This May 17th event and related research are part of the Gender and Peace Operations Project, a multi-year initiative of the IPI WPS program funded by the Government of Canada’s Elsie Initiative.

One of the ways that the UN seeks to combat SEAH is through training. This research project seeks to understand how training at the national and international level (completed in-academy, in-service non-academy, pre-deployment, or during deployment) on topics related to gender and SEAH can influence perceptions (and potentially behavior) of military and police while deployed in UN peace operations. This discussion will support an upcoming report co-authored by IPI and GSS on the effectiveness of training for SEAH in peacekeeping.

To better understand the relationship between institutional training and SEAH, the researchers will employ a series of statistical tests, using cross-national survey responses from security personnel from ten different countries and twelve security institutions. This data was collected using the Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations (MOWIP) methodology for barrier assessments of military and police. With this data, the researchers will evaluate whether surveyed personnel who have engaged in different types of training (general gender or WPS training, training on the prevention of SEA, gender training for leadership, institutional harassment training, or specialized gender training on preventing sexual violence or civilian protection) have 1) different knowledge of gender mainstreaming policies and practices, such as UNSCR 1325; 2) different views of the integration and participation of women in peacekeeping; and 3) different beliefs and perceptions of SEAH.

Over 30 people attended the research workshop, with participation from civil society, academia, peace operations and training personnel, as well as various UN entities, including the Office of the Special Coordinator on Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (UN-OCSEA). The policy paper for this project will be released towards the end of 2024.

Photos

jQuery(document).ready(function($){$("#isloaderfor-lbhtri").fadeOut(300, function () { $(".pagwrap-lbhtri").fadeIn(300);});});

This May 8th roundtable discussion, the final in a series of three sessions in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Singapore, focused on the topic of small states and their role in global governance relating to new and emerging issues such as cybersecurity, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and outer space.

These frontier domains pose both immense opportunities for development and potential risks that could further widen divides between and within countries. Small states must work together to build multilateral governance frameworks, rules, and norms that allow them to effectively manage the challenges posed by these issues, while not stifling innovation and growth. At the same time, they must find ways to level the playing field in the development and deployment of new technologies, so that all can benefit equitably, especially the small states themselves.

To guide the conversation, participants considered the following questions:

• What are the particular challenges faced by small states in dealing with emerging technologies, and are there existing avenues in the UN or other multilateral platforms that can help them to address these?
• What important elements ought to be considered in establishing governance frameworks and norms vis-à-vis frontier issues, that would help to build the most conducive environment for small and developing states to best harness the potential and opportunities of technologies?
• How can small states best contribute to growing global conversations on frontier issues and project their voices in these efforts, and how can they support each other in their endeavors?

The event was co-organized in collaboration with the Permanent Missions of Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Namibia, New Zealand, Samoa, Senegal, Switzerland, and Qatar.

Discussions will be captured in a final report to be prepared at the conclusion of the roundtable series.

Photos

jQuery(document).ready(function($){$("#isloaderfor-mtwgri").fadeOut(300, function () { $(".pagwrap-mtwgri").fadeIn(300);});}); Download Meeting Note

In recent years, the ten elected members of the Security Council (E10) have come to play a more prominent role, exerting increased influence in the council’s working methods, thematic issues, and some country files. The contributions of the E10 are particularly felt during times of constrained political space among the council’s permanent members (P5), as currently seen. In such cases, the ability and willingness of the E10 to work together across areas in which they have common interests has helped to spur the council’s work. Because gains made by the E10 are often based on the efforts and innovations of individual member states, experiences must be shared with incoming and future elected members to maintain momentum.

IPI is working to capture the experiences of outgoing elected members after their council terms end. While some member states undertake internal reviews of their council terms, they are not usually shared externally, which prevents their experiences from benefiting future council members.

To help the process of gathering lessons learned, IPI hosted a closed-door roundtable on April 30th, focusing on Brazil’s council term from 2022 to 2023. Some of the questions under discussion included:

• What were Brazil’s main goals on the council and what strategies did it use to achieve these goals?
• What were the key barriers and enablers to Brazil achieving its objectives while on the council?
• How did dynamics among the P5 and E10 affect Brazil’s work specifically and the work of the council more broadly during this time?
• What political and other events took place during this time and how did they affect the council’s work? What methods were utilized by Brazil and other council members to deal with these events?
• Did the council’s working methods change during this time? If so, how? What were the implications of these changes?
• In what ways, if any, did Brazil seek to “pass the baton” on issues it championed while on the council?
• What are the insights of the experience as a non-permanent member that may be broadly applicable to other E10 and what are more specific to Brazil?
• What are the perspectives/insights of Brazil as an E10 country in serving as president of the Security Council?

A meeting note summarizing the discussion can be found here>>

On April 24th, IPI hosted a Global Leaders Series event featuring H.E. Dennis Francis, President of the UN General Assembly. The conversation between IPI President Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein and H.E. Dennis Francis took place on the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace and highlighted how the work of the UN General Assembly is evolving to meet and address the global crises facing us today.

The interview addressed the principles needed for practical multilateralism efforts and highlighted past examples of its success. The conversation also posed the question, how can those working outside of the UN encourage and contribute to supporting effective international cooperation?

Dennis Francis currently serves as the 78th President of the UN General Assembly. He has had a career spanning approximately 40 years in the Diplomatic Service of Trinidad and Tobago, earning distinction as his country’s longest-serving ambassador. Before demitting office as Director of Multilateral Relations, he served as Senior Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on all multilateral-level matters, including climate change and the negotiations on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Event Video 
Photos

jQuery(document).ready(function($){$("#isloaderfor-brchpi").fadeOut(300, function () { $(".pagwrap-brchpi").fadeIn(300);});}); Download the Report

In advance of the Security Council’s open debate on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), IPI, together with the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the UN, co-hosted a policy forum on April 17th on the topic of “Preventing and Responding to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: Examining the Use of UN Sanctions.”

The purpose of this policy forum was to consider how sanctions have been used in response to CRSV. The discussion examined the relationship between the annual reports of the secretary-general on CRSV and sanctions designations and provided recommendations to enhance complementarity.

The policy forum also launched the IPI publication “UN Tools for Addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: An Analysis of Listings and Sanctions Processes,” written by Jenna Russo and Lauren McGowan. The event and publication were made possible with generous support from the government of Denmark.

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Christina Markus Lassen, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN

Speakers:
Lauren McGowan, Policy Analyst, International Peace Institute
Tonderai Chikuhwa, Senior Policy Adviser, UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict
Natascha Hryckow, Associate Fellow, Global Fellowship Initiative of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, and Former Coordinator for the UN Panel of Experts on Somalia (VTC)
Francesca Cassar, Africa, Economic and Development Coordinator, Permanent Mission of Malta to the UN
Pauline Brosch, Policy Specialist, Protection and Transitional Justice, UN Women

Moderator:
Jenna Russo, Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute

Since the Security Council first recognized conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) as a threat to international peace and security in 2008, the UN has developed an increasing number of pathways to prevent and respond to such crimes. One of these is the annual report of the secretary-general on CRSV, which includes an annexed list of perpetrators who are credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of CRSV violations in contexts on the agenda of the Security Council. In addition, perpetrators of CRSV may also be designated in UN sanctions regimes. Yet while both of these processes aim to prevent and respond to CRSV, they are not always coherent with one another.

This paper analyzes the relationship between the annual reports of the secretary-general on CRSV and sanctions designations to provide recommendations to enhance their complementarity. It provides an overview of the CRSV annual report and the process for listing parties. It then focuses on designations in sanctions regimes for crimes related to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including the level of coherence between the reporting of the secretary-general and designations in sanctions regimes. Next, the paper analyzes the reporting and political barriers that inhibit more regular designations for SGBV in sanctions regimes. Finally, it provides recommendations to the UN and member states on how to improve the coherence, coordination, and effectiveness of these processes, including the following.

For member states:

• Explicitly list SGBV as a criterion within all sanctions regimes for contexts where sexual violence may be taking place.
• Prioritize utilizing existing SGBV-related criteria as appropriate with available evidence.
• Provide additional resources for panels of experts.
• Increase coherence between the parties listed in the annual reports on CRSV and the individuals and entities designated in sanctions regimes.
• Organize an annual field visit for sanctions committees to the context in question.
• Create a standing capacity within the UN to engage with designated parties, with the aim of encouraging compliance and facilitating de-listing.

For the UN Secretariat and panels of experts:

• Establish a platform for regularly coordinating and sharing information between the office of the special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict and panels of experts.
• Institute more structured handover processes between incoming and outgoing members of panels of experts.
• Provide more robust training on SGBV for panels of experts.
• Strengthen CRSV expertise and capacity within the Security Council Affairs Division.

The establishment of a new Loss and Damage Fund and Funding Arrangements at COP27 and the Fund’s operationalization and initial capitalization at COP28 were milestones in the UN climate regime. The World Bank engaged in the Transitional Committee (TC) process as a potential host and trustee for the Fund, a member of a new “High-Level Dialogue,” and a direct provider of loss and damage (L&D) support. The implementation of the Fund and Funding Arrangements—the mosaic—is the first big test of the World Bank’s commitment to evolving its policies, practices, and relationships.

This paper discusses the World Bank’s engagement with loss and damage, including the context of broader reforms aiming to modernize the Bank, such as the Bank’s Evolution Roadmap, which identifies three guiding elements for the Bank’s evolution: a new mission and vision, a new playbook, and new resources. One of the key components of the Bank’s evolution is the introduction of climate-resilient debt clauses (CRDCs) or “pause clauses.” Pause clauses feature prominently in recent initiatives to reform the international financial architecture, such as Bridgetown 2.0, the Africa Climate Summit’s Nairobi Declaration, and the Vulnerable Twenty Group’s (V20) Accra-Marrakech Agenda.

The paper also discusses the debate over the World Bank’s hosting of the Fund and the set of conditions and safeguards, determined by developing countries, that the Bank would have to meet in order to host the Fund. Finally, the paper discusses priority actions for the High-Level Dialogue, including resource mobilization, institutional protocols, and the losses and damages of the future.

Event Video 
Photos

jQuery(document).ready(function($){$("#isloaderfor-qnmcmr").fadeOut(300, function () { $(".pagwrap-qnmcmr").fadeIn(300);});});

The upcoming Summit of the Future is an opportunity to turbocharge efforts toward a more peaceful, secure, and sustainable world. Discussions on revitalizing the work of the General Assembly and the Security Council reform can further serve as avenues toward a more relevant, coherent, efficient, democratic, and representative United Nations.

IPI, together with the Permanent Missions of Estonia, Guyana, Kenya, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the UN co-sponsored an event at UN Headquarters on April 4th, bringing together high-ranking UN officials, Permanent Representatives, experts, and representatives of non-governmental organizations and civil society to discuss how to reinforce the multilateral world order with the UN and the UN Charter at its core. In particular, participants addressed the following key questions:

• How do we overcome a situation when the Security Council falls short of fulfilling its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security?
• How can the role of the General Assembly in matters pertinent to international peace and security further evolve when the Security Council is unable to act?
• How can small- and medium-sized states reinforce the multilateral order with the UN and the UN Charter at its core?

Opening remarks:
H.E. Dennis Francis, President of the UN General Assembly

Speakers:
H.E. Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
H.E. Inga Rhonda King, Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the UN
H.E. Martin Kimani, Permanent Representative of Kenya to the UN
H.E. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN
H.E. Burhan Gafoor, Permanent Representative of Singapore to the UN
Mr. Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy, Executive Office of the Secretary-General

Moderator:
Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, International Peace Institute

This paper discusses the growing potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities of UN peace operations. Fast-moving changes in the cyber capabilities of state and non-state actors, the changing nature of asymmetric warfare, and the positioning of the UN in relation to global and regional geopolitics are increasingly placing peace operations in the crosshairs of complex cybersecurity threats. In parallel to these external trends, internal trends in missions’ intelligence, surveillance, and data management technologies also make them more vulnerable to cyber threats. At the same time, there are opportunities for missions to leverage cybersecurity infrastructure to support the implementation of their mandates, including in the areas of mediation and political settlements and the protection of civil society actors.

The paper provides an overview of the cyber threats facing peace operations and opportunities to leverage cybersecurity tools for mandate implementation. It also documents the operational and policy challenges that have arisen and the Secretariat’s efforts to address them. It concludes with several recommendations for the UN as peace operations seek to operate in an increasingly fraught political and cybersecurity environment:

• The Secretariat should develop cross-cutting operational concepts and guidance for cyber threat assessments.
• The Secretariat should articulate its understanding of its duty of care for staff privacy and develop operational guidance and expertise for mitigating threats to privacy.
• When facilitating political processes, peace operations should consider whether cybersecurity measures will be equally effective in deterring hacking attempts by all parties to ensure they do not exacerbate “information asymmetries.”
• The UN should explore the boundaries around missions evading or obstructing surveillance or intrusion activities by host states to secure their operations.
• The Secretariat should mitigate the volume of data exposed to cyber threats, including by deploying UN-owned and UN-operated intelligence and surveillance devices when possible.

Download

Since the first feminist foreign policy (FFP) was adopted by Sweden in 2014, sixteen countries have either published an FFP or announced their intention to do so. Some proponents of FFPs have indicated that these policies can be a way to democratize and transform multilateralism, integrating feminist approaches and principles into multilateral institutions and leading to more inclusive and equitable outcomes. This requires seeing FFPs as not just a “women’s issue” but also as a way to reinvigorate an outdated and inequitable system through transformational change and the interrogation of entrenched power dynamics, including in areas such as trade, climate, migration, and disarmament.

One obstacle to realizing the potential of FFPs is that there is no single definition of feminist foreign policy. Part of the challenge is that there are many interpretations of feminism, some of which reflect a more transformative, systemic approach than others. Ultimately, there is no single way to “do” feminism, and approaches to FFP should, and will, vary. If FFP is to survive and grow, it will encompass contradictions and compromises, as with all policymaking, and civil society and member states will have to collaborate to advance feminist principles in the multilateral arena.

To explore the future of FFPs, the International Peace Institute, in partnership with the Open Society Foundations and in collaboration with the co-chairs of the Feminist Foreign Policy Plus (FFP+) Group, Chile and Germany, convened a retreat on Feminist Foreign Policy and Multilateralism in July 2023. Drawing on insights from the retreat, this paper discusses five ongoing debates that FFP-interested states should meaningfully engage with:

• Militarization, demilitarization, and the root causes of violence;
• Global perspectives and postcolonial critiques;
• The branding and substance of FFPs;
• The domestication of FFPs; and
• Accountability and sustainability.

Download

On March 25th, IPI hosted a Global Leaders Series event featuring H.E. Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark who will present the priorities of Denmark’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2025-2026.

Minister Rasmussen currently serves as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark. Prior to this appointment, he served as Prime Minister of Denmark between April 2009 – October 2011 and then again between June 2015 – June 2019. Minister Rasmussen also served as Denmark’s Minister for Finance (2007–2009) and Minister for the Interior and Health (2001–2007). He began his parliamentary career as Vice-chairman of the Liberal Party in 1998, becoming Chairman of the Liberal Party in 2009, and has been aa Member of the Folketing for The Moderates in Zealand greater constituency since 2022, Member of the Folketing for Outside the parliamentary groups in Zealand greater constituency (2021–2022), and Member of the Folketing for The Liberal Party (1994–2020). He holds a Master of Laws from the University of Copenhagen.

Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice President and COO of IPI, provided opening remarks.

Event Video 
Photos

jQuery(document).ready(function($){$("#isloaderfor-ekjtaj").fadeOut(300, function () { $(".pagwrap-ekjtaj").fadeIn(300);});});

IPI in partnership with the Life & Peace Institute and the Permanent Missions of the Republic of Kenya, Norway, and Sweden to the UN, cohosted a policy forum on March 21st assessing lessons learned from Kenya’s Peacebuilding Architecture Review.

The pursuit of peace, a foundational goal at the establishment of the UN in 1945, requires member states to assume primary responsibility for conflict prevention through initiatives that are nationally owned and people-centered, respect human rights, and enhance inclusivity and social cohesion. Its implementation requires a constant refreshing of peacebuilding and conflict prevention and resolution methods. This year, determining a way forward on these issues will be key to the impact hoped for in the Pact for the Future.

In 2023, in line with the push for national governments to take the lead in “identifying, driving and directing priorities, strategies, and activities for peacebuilding and sustaining peace,” the Government of Kenya commissioned a review of its national peacebuilding architecture. The initiative was spearheaded by the National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management and assisted by an Independent Panel of Advisors (IPA), with support from the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office and other partners. Resulting from the highly consultative process involving Kenyans from diverse backgrounds, the IPA submitted to Kenya’s political leadership a report with a comprehensive set of observations and recommendations, structured around four pillars: (1) defining a national agenda for peace, (2) promoting political inclusion, (3) enhancing conflict prevention and resolution, and (4) proposing a new institutional architecture for peacebuilding. By pursuing an independent assessment that values the insights and contributions of local peacebuilders and civil society, Kenya demonstrates national ownership and leadership.

The audience heard from the IPA reflecting on its experiences on the review journey and the key findings and recommendations, with a particular emphasis on partnership opportunities in the implementation phase.

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Andreas Løvold, Chargé d’affaires and Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN
Elizabeth Mary Spehar, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA)
Shamsa Abubakar, Deputy Chair for the Independent Panel of Advisors for the Peacebuilding Review

Speakers:
Raymond Omollo, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Interior and National Administration, Government of Kenya
Lesley Connolly, Team Leader, Global Policy, Life & Peace Institute
Rana Taha, Peace and Development Advisor, United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, Kenya
Sheikh Abdullahi Abdi, Independent Panel of Advisors for the Peacebuilding Review

Moderator:
Jenna Russo, Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute

Closing remarks:
H.E. Martin Kimani, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya to the UN
H.E. Anna Karin Eneström, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN

Event Video 
Photos

jQuery(document).ready(function($){$("#isloaderfor-jidtuy").fadeOut(300, function () { $(".pagwrap-jidtuy").fadeIn(300);});}); Download the Report

IPI together with the Permanent Missions of Finland and The Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN cohosted a policy forum on March 20th on the topic of “Specialized Police Teams in UN Peace Operations: A Survey of Progress and Challenges.”

United Nations police (UNPOL) efforts to support peace and security around the world have evolved significantly in the past decade. As the roles and responsibilities of UNPOL have become increasingly multifaceted, specialized police teams (SPTs) have emerged as a useful complement to individual police officers (IPOs) and formed police units (FPUs). SPTs provide specific policing expertise and deliver project-based programming in line with their skill sets. For UNPOL, they also allow for more flexible, nimble, and agile responses to specific police development requests under the umbrella of existing field missions and arrangements.

SPTs are still described by many around UN policing as “new,” but more than thirteen years after their formal conceptualization, SPTs are now an established tool of UN policing in peace operations. Given the potential promise related to using SPTs, a more detailed assessment reflecting on these accumulated experiences is warranted. The event examined how SPTs have been used in a range of UN peace operations environments as well as the comparative advantages that SPTs offer in complement to IPOs and FPUs, including some of the challenges that need to be overcome to harness SPTs’ full potential in future deployments.

This policy forum launched an IPI publication on “Specialized Police Teams in UN Peace Operations: A Survey of Progress and Challenges,” written by Charles T. Hunt. The event and publication were made possible with generous support from the governments of Finland and the Kingdom of the Netherlands as part of IPI’s broader workstream on A4P+.

Opening remarks:
H.E. Lauri Voionmaa, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN
Jenna Russo, Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute

Speakers:
Charles Hunt, Professor of International Relations, RMIT University and Senior Fellow (Non-Resident) at United Nations University Centre for Policy Research
Dmitri Alechkevitch, Policy Adviser, Strategic Policy and Development, United Nations Police Division
Christine Fossen, Police Commissioner, UNMISS
Jon Christian Møller, Director, KPMG Advisory, Former Specialized Police Team Leader for Haiti

Closing remarks:
Peter Slort, Police Advisor, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN

Moderator:
Jenna Russo, Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute

.content .main .entry-header.w-thumbnail .cartouche {background: none; bottom: 0px;} h1.entry-title {font-size: 1.8em;}

There is increasing evidence of the gendered outcomes and secondary effects of epidemics and pandemics. Women make up a disproportionate share of the healthcare workforce, absorb much of the additional unpaid labor during health crises, and are exposed to increased gender-based violence and insecurity around sexual and reproductive healthcare during pandemics, among other effects. A gender-sensitive approach to health emergencies is essential for pandemic preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery.

Despite the World Health Organization’s (WHO) awareness of these impacts, it does not systematically consider them in its pandemic preparedness and response. WHO’s historical “add women and stir” approach is evident in the proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR), whose attention to gender focuses primarily on committee representation. Gender sensitivity is also limited in the drafts of the WHO Convention, Agreement or Other International Instrument on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (CA+), currently in development. Gender-inclusive language in the CA+ is essential for effective international coordination to prepare, prevent, respond to, and recover from health emergencies.

This paper examines the extent to which gender has been included in the zero-draft CA+ process through a desk review of the drafts that have been published (as of March 2024), focusing on explicit mentions of gender and women. The report documents the progress to date on integrating gender equality into the CA+ and offers the following recommendations for CA+ negotiators, WHO, and member states.

• Future drafts of the CA+ should have provisions that address a wider range of the gendered impacts of pandemics;
• WHO should develop an IHR/CA+ repository;
• INB negotiators should directly engage relevant UN entities to recommend methods of integrating gender into the CA+;
• States that claim to have a principled stance on gender equity should transparently champion gender-inclusive language; and
• The CA+ should consider and incorporate initial lessons learned from the implementation of the gender-inclusive language in the IHR’s Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of states.

Download

Over the past decade and a half, specialized police teams (SPTs) have emerged as an innovative complement to individual police officers (IPOs) and formed police units (FPUs) in UN police peacekeeping. In general, SPTs are comprised of police officers and civilian policing experts focused on “skills transfer” and capacity building through technical assistance and advice, training, and mentoring to host-state police in a specific area of police operations or administration.

This paper provides an overview of the benefits and challenges of SPTs as compared to IPOs. Some of the benefits include that SPTs are generally highly capable and meet high standards in specialized areas of policing, provide a more coherent and cohesive approach, and focus on objectives within a specific area. They also maximize capabilities by matching the work of officers to their skill sets, can be quick to deploy and adaptable, and maintain continuity by implementing longer projects. Moreover, SPTs facilitate relationship building with host-state police, use sustainable capacity-building approaches such as training of trainers, provide broader benefits to missions, and are more attractive to some police-contributing countries.

At the same time, several obstacles to greater effectiveness have emerged, including that SPTs confront high-level tensions over their development and administration, experience supply-side issues due to their reliance on voluntary contributions and shortages of specially trained officers and civilian experts, and are dominated by countries in the Global North. They also have inconsistent composition, plans, and modalities across and even within missions and phases; lack sufficient guidance on key operational aspects; and lack consistent and sufficient funding. Moreover, SPTs are disconnected from broader efforts, sometimes implement unsustainable programming that focuses on “quick wins,” and often lack adequate frameworks for monitoring and evaluation.

The lessons emerging from the experience of SPTs to date emphasize the need for innovation around deployment and implementation modalities for this specialized approach to capacity building. At the same time, they highlight the need for greater organizational flexibility and adaptability to empower and maximize the potential of SPTs.

IPI together with the Atlantic Council and the Malala Fund cohosted a high-level panel discussion on March 8th, addressing the deteriorating rights of girls, women, and individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities in Afghanistan while also highlighting ongoing efforts to ensure justice and accountability for these abuses—in particular, the momentum around efforts to recognize and codify the crime of gender apartheid. This event was co-sponsored by the Global Justice Center, Rawadari, Georgetown Institute of Women, Peace & Security, Malta, and Mexico.

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, they have implemented a range of laws, policies, and practices that systematically oppress women, girls, and LGBTQI+ persons, including 85 decrees focused on curtailing girls’ and women’s rights. Under an increasingly entrenched, institutionalized legal system that curtails freedom, stifles potential, and erodes dignity, victims and survivors have endured and resisted. Reflecting on the lived experiences of Afghan women, girls, and LGBTQI+ persons, the event promoted discussion on avenues for accountability for the crimes being perpetrated. One such avenue is the codification of the crime of gender apartheid under international and domestic law.

At the event, the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center publicly launched its initiative “Inside Afghanistan’s Gender Apartheid,” an interactive audio timeline that allows listeners to hear directly from Afghan women and girls about the profound and harrowing impacts of the escalating gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

Full coverage of the event is forthcoming.

Opening/Closing Remarks:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, President and Chief Executive Officer, International Peace Institute
H.E. Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Malta to the UN
H.E. Alicia Buenrostro Massieu, Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico to the UN

Speakers:
Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Laureate
Nayera Kohistani, Afghan Activist and Expert
Penelope Andrews, John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law & Director, Racial Justice Project, New York Law School
Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, Chair, UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls

Moderator:
Jomana Karadsheh, International Correspondent, CNN

Event Video 
Photos

jQuery(document).ready(function($){$("#isloaderfor-vvgsdl").fadeOut(300, function () { $(".pagwrap-vvgsdl").fadeIn(300);});});

In a timely discussion ahead of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women on March 6th, IPI, in partnership with the Nordic Africa Institute, cohosted a hybrid policy forum. Panelists assessed the role of the Elected 10 (E10) member states in influencing UN Security Council policy outcomes and outlined strategies and challenges for these non-permanent states to advance the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda within the council. Researchers, policymakers, and former and current members of the E10 highlighted successful efforts and opportunities for growth alike to promote the WPS agenda in the face of an increasingly challenging global context. The discussion was anchored in the principles of Resolution 1325 as speakers offered their insights around the themes of centering women’s participation in peace processes, the importance of national and regional context, and the need for innovative tactics to advance the WPS agenda.

Ireland and Norway shared their best practices and lessons learned as former E10 members, emphasizing the importance of implementation beyond rhetoric. Reflecting on Norway’s recent tenure on the Security Council, Permanent Representative of Norway Merete Fjeld Brattested identified three key ways that Norway worked on Women, Peace, and Security including mainstreaming WPS language into all Security Council products, supporting and strengthening cross-regional collaboration, and prioritizing the safe and meaningful participation of women civil society briefers in formal and informal meetings.

Permanent Representative of Ireland Fergal Mythen spoke from his experience as an initiating member of the Presidency Trio of Ireland, Kenya, and Mexico: “Shoehorning women, peace, and security into one week in October is tokenizing—there needs to be more implementation, more meaningful and sustained participation of women.” He highlighted the elements of a cross-regional approach and a commitment to action as essential to the successes of the Trio, but noted the inclusion of women in peace processes as an area with much more room for improvement.

Representing the perspective of current elected member of the E10 and newly elected co-chair of the Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace, and Security, Sierra Leone, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leone Roselynn Finda Senesi offered a lucid set of objectives and actionable items. Working from the foundational idea that, “women on the frontlines don’t want good rhetoric, they need action, accountability, and change,” her objectives include: an improved collaborative link between the African Union and WPS actors in the region; processes of accountability to increase the representation of women in peace processes; clear, specific, and decisive language on WPS; and strong support and protection of women civil society briefers.

The event provided an opportunity to share the findings of the Nordic Africa Institute’s multi-year research project, “Shattering Glass: How Elected Members of the UN Security Council Fight for Women, Peace and Security,” undertaken with the Peace Research Institute Oslo. The project assessed the dynamics, politics, and processes that affect the WPS agenda in the UN Security Council, posing the question: How do the members of the E10 advance the WPS agenda within the council?

Based on this research, Louise Olsson, Research Director, Global Norms, Politics and Society, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), commented on the examples provided by other panelists and presented insights on the broader structure of the Security Council and the opportunities therein to influence WPS outcomes. One of her conclusions was that as the WPS agenda becomes further integrated into the council, the individual profile, including the position, credibility, history, and interests, of an elected member state as they come into the Security Council is an important factor in their ability to advance WPS objectives. Another factor to consider in the further incorporation of WPS is the resulting parallel rise in resource demands.

Independent Consultant and former Director of Programmes, Futurelect, Sithembile Mbete, reflected on the role of South Africa as a three-time elected member of the Security Council. Illustrating the geographic and regional significance of an E10 member articulated by many panelists, she spoke of how the nexus between domestic and foreign policy concerns, the implication of South Africa’s national interests with the interests of the African continent, and its unique history has shaped its approach to foreign policy and the advancement of WPS in its terms within the Council. One of the innovations of the E10 that Dr. Mbete highlighted was the “reform by stealth” of the Security Council.

The event concluded with a question-and-answer session open to audience members and closing remarks from Angela Muvumba Sellström, Senior Researcher of the Nordic Africa Institute and Project Lead of “E10, WPS, and the UN Security Council.”

Opening remarks:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, President and CEO, International Peace Institute
Therese Sjömander Magnusson, Director, Nordic Africa Institute (NAI)

Speakers:
H.E. Merete Fjeld Brattested, Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN
H.E. Fergal Mythen, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the UN
Roselynn Finda Senesi, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the UN
Louise Olsson, Research Director, Global Norms, Politics and Society, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
Sithembile Mbete, Independent Consultant, former Director of Programmes, Futurelect
Pablo Castillo Díaz, Policy Specialist on Peace and Security, UN Women (virtual)

Moderator:
Phoebe Donnelly, Senior Fellow and Head of WPS, International Peace Institute

Closing remarks:
Angela Muvumba Sellström, Senior Researcher and Project Lead, “E10, WPS and the UN Security Council,” Nordic Africa Institute (NAI)

Although adaptation has historically received less attention than mitigation, finance, and more recently loss and damage, it remains a key aspect of climate action as we near the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C threshold. This paper discusses the agreement on a framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) as one of the most important outcomes of the twenty-eighth UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, providing an overview of and key takeaways from the document.

The final decision text contains language on long-term transformational adaptation, which was seen as a success by many developing countries. It also sets targets for a finalized list of thematic areas—a contentious subject and another success for many developing countries. These targets explain what success looks like, ultimately aiming for the high-level objective of well-being for people and planet, while leaving the details of achieving this objective to countries. The text also includes targets for the iterative adaptation cycle. In addition, there were a number of paragraphs on means of implementation, though many developing countries saw these as a failure, as they provide little new or significant language.

The next step will be to develop indicators for the targets in the GGA framework. Ideally, the negotiators should set the strategic direction of this process while leaving the selection of indicators to experts. It will be important to keep the list of indicators short, account for data gaps, and draw on existing indicators to the extent possible. While there is much work to be done to give life to the GGA framework adopted at COP28, it has the potential to be the new guiding light for climate action.

Download