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On September 20th, the Governments of the United States and Sweden, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), and IPI hosted a high-level panel on “Advancing Climate Security in the Year of Implementation.”

The event highlighted ways climate security interventions at the local, regional, national, and international levels can be invested in and scaled, practical solutions to advance them, and the policies needed at the global level to raise ambition.

Speakers emphasized the geopolitical connection between the climate crisis and other conflicts. “Make no mistake, resolving the climate crisis is intricately related to the making of peace… Climate change is a threat multiplier, and those threats are multiplying,” said John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

Other discussions focused on inclusivity in climate negotiations, building connections between local and regional actors, and the prospect of a low-carbon economy. 

Opening Remarks:
Dr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President

Speakers:

Ms. Nisreen Elsaim, Chair of UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change
H.E. Ms. Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden
T.H. Mr. John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
Mr. Christian Guillermet-Fernández, Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs of Costa Rica
H.E. Ms. Aminath Shauna, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, The Republic of Maldives
Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

Moderator:
Mr. Dan Smith, Director of SIPRI

 

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On September 19th, Peace Direct hosted a discussion at the International Peace Institute on “Doing Aid Better: Actions to Support Local Leadership in Policy, Funding, and Practice.”

The conversation explored actions the international community can take to shift policy, funding, and practice in support of local civil society efforts and to change the power dynamics to ensure a meaningful seat at the table for local actors. “If it’s about us, without us, it’s not for us,” said Elana Aquino, US Executive Director of Peace Direct, speaking to the importance of localization. 

The conversation also addressed unequal aid funding flows and potential solutions, and concluded that successful localization efforts depend on international support. Speakers agreed that in order to build a new model of locally-led inclusive development, we must “build together,” engage in an open dialogue, and continue to challenge others in the sector.  

Welcome Remarks:
Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President

Speakers:
Samantha Power, Administrator, USAID
Lysa John, Secretary General, CIVICUS
Anita Kattakuzhy, Director of Policy, NEAR
Don Gips, CEO, Skoll Foundation

Moderator:
Elana Aquino, US Executive Director, Peace Direct

Closing Remarks:
Peter Laugharn, President & CEO, Hilton Foundation

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IPI together with the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the Permanent Missions of Denmark and Finland to the UN, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) cohosted the launch event “For Good Measure: Introducing the Multilateralism Index” on September 19th.

The index provides an evidence-based assessment of multilateralism by measuring changes in international cooperation over the period 2010–2020. By providing a qualitative assessment of the multilateral system, it serves as an analytic tool to inform decision-making and guide political attention.

While there is consensus that multilateralism is being challenged, the scope and magnitude of this crisis is unknown. Without an agreed set of metrics to track trends in multilateralism over time, we cannot have informed debates on what and where the greatest challenges lie.

The Multilateralism Index aims to fill this gap. The index measures participation, performance, and inclusivity across five key domains of multilateralism: (1) peace and security; (2) human rights; (3) environment; (4) global public health; and (5) trade.

The event provided an opportunity to present the key findings of the index and discuss concrete ways to create a stronger, more nimble multilateral system to meet the challenges of today and of the coming decades.

Welcoming Remarks:
The Honorable Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia, Chair of the IPI Board of Directors

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Jeppe Kofod, Foreign Minister of Denmark
H.E. Kai Sauer, Under-Secretary of State of Finland
Dr. Atsushi Sunami, President, Sasakawa Peace Foundation

Keynote Presentations:
Dr. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President and COO
Mr. Alex Vedovi, Research Fellow, IEP

Discussants:
Dr. Comfort Ero, President, International Crisis Group
H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa, President of 73rd UN General Assembly and former Foreign Minister of Ecuador

Moderator:
Dr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and CEO

Closing Remarks:
Dr. Michael Bröning, Executive Director, FES New York

Figure 1: Results of the Multilateralism Index (Click for full graphic)

In the past several years, there has been a much-discussed rise in strain on multilateralism. However, there have been few efforts to quantifiably assess the state of the multilateral system. This Multilateralism Index (MI) report is the first known attempt to do so. It focuses on developments in the system over the past decade, providing a snapshot of its relative strength in 2020 compared to 2010. It seeks to answer questions including: What is the state of the multilateral system? What is working? What is not? And how has the multilateral system changed over time?

The MI examines five domains of multilateral coordination: Peace and Security, Human Rights, Environment, Public Health, and Trade. Each domain is evaluated across three dimensions: Participation, Performance, and Inclusivity. Analysis of sixty-five indicators across these domains and dimensions reveals several trends in multilateral cooperation over the past decade:

• Participation scores for Human Rights, Public Health, and Trade have improved, while the scores for Peace and Security and Environment have deteriorated.
• Performance scores have deteriorated in four out of five domains.
• Inclusivity scores have improved across all five domains.

These trends shed light on the nature of the crisis of multilateralism. Rather than decreased international cooperation and widespread exit from multilateral institutions, we are seeing a battle over the nature and purpose of the multilateral system—not decay, but transformation. The MI provides a basis for tracking this transformation and informing decision making on the future of multilateralism.

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IPI and the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) cohosted the official launch of DPPA’s Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires on September 14th.

While every ceasefire mediation is unique, DPPA’s Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires presents a set of tools and approaches to strengthen agreements to support a more sustainable peace process in any setting. Its goal is to provide a baseline of technical knowledge to UN and other mediators, conflict parties, and other stakeholders in contemporary mediation processes, such as representatives of states and regional organizations, national and international nongovernmental organizations, and women’s groups.

Welcome Remarks:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and Chief Executive Officer
Asif Khan, Chief of Mediation Support Unit, UN DPPA

Speakers:
Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)
Karin Landgren, Executive Director of Security Council Report and former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Nepal, Burundi, and Liberia
Jeffrey Mapendere, Chief Security Arrangements Advisor of Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC), South Sudan

Moderator:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and Chief Executive Officer

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On September 7th, IPI in partnership with the Grace Farms Foundation, UNESCO, UN Women, and United Kingdom Mission to the UN cohosted a discussion with the President of IPI, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, and British artist and activist, Hannah Rose Thomas, who has contributed to building a culture of peace and reconciliation through her innovative work within refugee communities.

The event featured works from the art exhibit “Tears of Gold,” which include portraits of Yezidi, Rohingya, and Nigerian women. The paintings are a visual testimony not only of war and injustice, but also of humanity, dignity, and resilience.

Welcome Remarks:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President
Sharon Prince, CEO and Founder of the Grace Farms Foundation
Dame Barbara Woodward, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN
Eliot Minchenberg, Director of Office and UNESCO Representative to the UN in New York
Asa Regner, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women

Click each portrait to read the women’s testimonies

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IPI, in partnership with the Republic of Korea, organized a public policy forum on August 11th, bringing together youth-led organizations working on digital education in areas affected by economic and political crises in the post-pandemic era. The aim of this event was to provide an opportunity for young people to share innovative solutions for supporting the education of children and youth around the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the education sector and resulted in the closing of schools around the world. Access to education services was disrupted for more than 1.6 billion children and youth globally. While many countries were able to switch to online education, many developing countries, especially those experiencing multiple crises, could not provide online education due to a lack of affordable technology and resources, economic contractions, political uncertainty, and other reasons. As the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises continue to strain national budgets, there is an urgent need to ensure education remains a priority for governments.

In his report on “Our Common Agenda,” the UN Secretary-General stressed the need for young people to be better prepared for such challenges and the need to strengthen and update the education system globally. This September, the Secretary-General is organizing a summit on “Transforming Education” that seeks to mobilize commitment and action to accelerate progress on improving education for all to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This policy forum comes at a strategic point in time, one month after SDG 4 on quality education was reviewed at this year’s High-Level Political Forum, and on the eve of International Youth Day.

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Ambassador Jongin Bae, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the UN
H.E. Dr. Michal Mlynár, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the UN and UNICEF Executive Board President, a.i.

Speakers:
Victoria Ibiwoye, Youth Engagement Lead, Education 2030, UNESCO
Pashtana Durrani, Executive Director, LEARN Afghanistan (@LearnAfg)
Nhial Deng, Refugee and Peace Activist, South Sudan
Abheejit Khandagale, Founder, Ekatra; Top Innovator, UpLink—World Economic Forum

Moderator:
Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President and COO

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On July 7th, IPI hosted a Global Leaders Series event featuring a conversation with The Honorable Kevin Rudd on his newest book The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict Between the U.S. and Xi Jinping’s China.

The Honorable Kevin Rudd has studied, lived in, and worked with China for more than forty years. The Avoidable War demystifies the actions of both the US and China, explaining and translating them for the benefit of the other. The conversation at IPI focused on the book’s relevance to the multilateral system.

Speaker:
Kevin Rudd, 26th Prime Minister of Australia, President of the Asia Society, and Chair of IPI’s Board of Directors

Moderator:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and CEO

The UN Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) by the end of July 2022. Deliberations on UNSMIL’s mandate are unfolding amid a protracted political impasse. Since March, renewed competition between the two rival executives has paralyzed the UN-endorsed framework that emerged from the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum. This competition among elites has also drawn attention away from the underlying drivers of violence and insecurity and caused the political, security, economic, and human rights situations to deteriorate.

In this context, the International Peace Institute (IPI), the Stimson Center, and Security Council Report co-hosted a virtual roundtable discussion on June 9, 2022. This roundtable offered a platform for member states, UN stakeholders, civil society representatives, and independent experts to share their assessments of the situation in Libya in a frank and collaborative environment. The discussion was intended to help the Security Council make more informed decisions with respect to the prioritization and sequencing of UNSMIL’s mandate and the mission’s strategic orientation and actions on the ground.

Participants agreed that the UN continues to be an important partner to Libya and that UNSMIL’s mandate is broad and flexible enough to enable continued engagement. Nonetheless, it will be essential for the UN Security Council and UNSMIL to recalibrate international support to the country in the coming months. To this end, participants urged the UN to leverage its role as an impartial actor that can increase cohesion among the various dialogue initiatives, hold stakeholders accountable, and sustain engagement with civil society groups. Participants also identified the need for the UN to develop and implement a more holistic approach to its mandate by focusing more on economic issues and mainstreaming human rights across all processes. Further, participants noted that UNSMIL needs to effectively communicate its strategy and priorities, including its desired “end state.” Finally, participants urged both the Security Council to remain unified and continue prioritizing Libya and member states to ensure that their actions are consistent with their stated positions.

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After being adopted by 120 states, the International Criminal Court (ICC) officially became operational when its founding treaty, the Rome Statute, entered into force on July 1, 2002. Ahead of the Rome Statute’s 20th anniversary, the UN Security Council (UNSC) held an Aria-Formula meeting on June 24, 2022, where states convened to renew their commitment to the statute and consider ways in which the ICC can contribute to accountability and the fight against impunity. Participants were asked to reflect on the relationship between the ICC and the UNSC and how best to support existing Security Council referrals to the ICC. During this crucial meeting, IPI President and CEO Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein presented a briefing to the Security Council.

In his briefing, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein highlighted the importance of demonstrating moral consistency among the UNSC and ICC, saying, “[T]o have any credibility with the millions of people out there, people who need desperately both of these institutions to function, and function properly, the Council and the Court must demonstrate – to the maximum extent possible, consistency. Moral consistency.” In addition, he referenced the historical significance of the Rome Statute and the heavy responsibility the ICC holds to serve justice and protect international peace and security.

UN peacekeeping missions tend to frame conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) narrowly both in terms of who its victims are and who is best placed to address it. The victims of CRSV are usually assumed to be women and girls, and there is often an expectation that women peacekeepers will be better able to address CRSV than men. These assumptions reflect the frequent conflation of CRSV with “violence against women and girls,” as well as with “sexual and gender-based violence.” They also reflect the broader conflation of “women” and “gender” throughout UN policy documents and training resources for military peacekeepers.

This issue brief explores how the UN system currently understands CRSV and SGBV, how this understanding affects the responsibilities, roles, and perceptions of military peacekeepers, and how UN policies—especially those focused on military women’s participation in peacekeeping—might be more inclusive. It draws on desk research as well as interviews with practitioners, UN personnel, and academic gender experts, as well as insights shared in several closed-door, expert-level workshops.

The paper concludes that the current narrow understanding of CRSV harms victims of sexual violence who are not women and girls, including men and boys as well as sexual and gender minorities. Beyond the victims, narrow understandings of CRSV also harm women peacekeepers. Those pushing to increase the number of uniformed women peacekeepers often emphasize their added value in preventing and responding to CRSV. This assumption can perpetuate the idea that women peacekeepers’ primary added value is their gender identity and saddles them with additional responsibilities, often without adequate training, resources, or authority.

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As clear evidence of war crimes and violations of international law have come to light in the war in Ukraine, the fight against impunity has garnered new attention. This is not just true for Ukraine but for the entire world. The task of reprioritizing the protection of civilians and human rights has become increasingly urgent.

To address this global challenge, the European Parliamentary Research Service in partnership with Fight Impunity and No Peace without Justice held its first International Annual Conference, entitled “The Future of Human Rights and the Fight Against Impunity.” The event took place at the European Parliament in Brussels from June 16-17, 2022, bringing together leading figures from the EU, UN, and NGOs. Throughout both days, participants aimed to shed light on abuses against human rights, foster a better-informed public debate on the subject, and help generate a stronger commitment to prioritize it with international resources.

IPI Vice President and COO Adam Lupel participated as a speaker at the conference’s fourth session on “Threats to Peace and Democracy.” His presentation examined the fragmentation of international order, the crisis of multilateralism, and the overall weakening of commitments to international law. Commenting on the atrocities taking place in Ukraine, Dr. Lupel said: “The principles of non-aggression, inviolability of state borders, and limitations on the use of force…are under threat by the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Without adherence to these basic norms, you lose the very conditions for the possibility for the international rule of law.”

Watch his full remarks here>>

In addition to Dr. Lupel, the panel featured remarks by Nadia Volkova, Founder & Director of the Ukrianian Legal Advisory Group; Ayman Nour, former member of the Egyptian Parliament and Presidential Candidate; and Shada Islam, Visiting Professor, College of Europe. The panel was moderated by MEP Christophe Hansen, Member of the European Parliament for Luxembourg.

Both days of the conference are available to watch at the recordings below.
June 16, 2022 (Day 1)
June 17, 2022 (Day 2)

While only a small percentage of men become involved in violent extremism, the majority of violent extremists are men. Across the ideological spectrum, violent extremist and terrorist groups exploit male sentiments of emasculation and loss of power and appeal to ideas of manhood in their recruitment efforts. Yet policymakers rarely focus on gender to help them understand why some men engage in violence and others do not or what role peaceful notions of masculinity play in preventing radicalization and terrorism. Similarly, male-dominated counterterrorism institutions rarely pose the question of how masculinities shape these institutions and their approaches to counterterrorism and countering violent extremism (CVE).

This report discusses masculinities—the socially constructed ideas of what it means to be a man—as they are constructed and used by violent extremist groups, as they exist in and interact with society, and as they interplay with the state. It draws on examples pertaining to both “Islamist” and extreme right-wing terrorism, considering differences not just between but also within these ideologies.

The report argues that while current efforts to “mainstream gender” in counterterrorism and CVE do not focus on masculinities, a masculinities-focused approach must avoid repeating the shortcomings of existing counterterrorism and CVE approaches aimed at women; be grounded in a robust human rights framework to avoid perpetuating gendered harms; be based on an understanding of the links between extremist violence and gender inequality at the societal level; and recognize and address the harmful role masculinities play within counterterrorism and CVE institutions themselves. It concludes by recommending that state, multilateral, and civil society actors engaged in counterterrorism and CVE:

• Conduct more policy-oriented research and analysis on the link between masculinities and violent extremism;
• Integrate a gender perspective—including a focus on masculinities—across all counterterrorism and CVE policy and programming;
• Monitor and evaluate the gendered impact of counterterrorism and CVE interventions using a robust human rights framework; and
• Address the harmful role masculinities play within counterterrorism and CVE institutions.

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On June 8th, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN cohosted a virtual policy forum on “UN, EU, and NATO Approaches to the Protection of Civilians: Policies, Implementation, and Comparative Advantages.” The event provided an opportunity to present and discuss a recent IPI policy paper examining the conceptualization of the protection of civilians (POC) in the UN, the European Union (EU), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), with recommendations to strengthen POC efforts within and across the three organizations.

Since the early 2000s, the UN, the EU, and NATO have developed their own conceptual and operational approaches to POC. These approaches have evolved in reaction to changing dynamics in armed conflict as well as institutional and membership priorities. These have contributed, for instance, to the UN’s shift from large-scale multidimensional peacekeeping operations toward smaller special political missions and the shift from executive military operations toward training missions within the EU. More recently, the return of large-scale military conduct in Europe following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the prospect of increasing use of hybrid warfare raise questions about the capacity for regional and international organizations to effectively protect civilians.

Considering these far-reaching geostrategic shifts, this policy forum will provide the opportunity to discuss how the UN, the EU, and NATO can adapt their POC approaches to a new era of operations and pursue greater inter-organizational cooperation to revitalize POC while retaining their distinct mandates and strategic approaches.

Read the policy paper>>

Opening Remarks:
Ambassador Mark Zellenrath, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN

Speakers:
Mr. Joachim A. Koops, Professor of Security Studies and Scientific Director of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University
Mr. Dirk Druet, Adjunct Professor McGill University and IPI Non-Resident Fellow
Ambassador Silvio Gonzato, Deputy Permanent Representative, EU Delegation to the UN
Ms. Marla B. Keenan, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Stimson Center
Ms. Eva Svoboda, Deputy Director of International Law and Policy, ICRC

Moderator:
Ms. Agathe Sarfati, IPI Senior Policy Analyst

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As part of the “Leading for Peace: Voices from the Field” series, IPI hosted James Swan, current Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, on June 6, 2022. Swan shared his reflections on the current situation in Somalia following the recent presidential and parliamentary elections and their implications for UN engagement moving forward.

Swan was appointed in May 2019 as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). Prior to this appointment, Swan spent much of his career serving in the US government supporting African countries facing complex political transitions. He served as Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from 2013 to 2016, US Special Representative for Somalia from 2011 to 2013, and Ambassador to Djibouti from 2008 to 2011.

Earlier in his career, Swan served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 2006 to 2008 and Director of African Analysis in the US Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research from 2005 to 2006. Prior to this, he held various assignments in the DRC, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Cameroon, Nicaragua, and Haiti.

Swan holds a B.Sc. degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, an MA degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and a master’s degree in security studies from the National War College.

Speaker:
H.E. Mr. James Swan, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)

Moderator:
Dr. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President and COO

There are several common assumptions about how women peacekeepers may impact public opinion in the countries from which they deploy. Women peacekeepers may boost public support for peacekeeping by increasing the perceived legitimacy of peacekeeping missions. They may also boost public support for women’s rights by challenging norms around the roles women should perform. Finally, there is a belief that the death of women peacekeepers could decrease support for peacekeeping.

Drawing on two rounds of online public surveys in India and South Africa, this issue brief tests these assumptions. It also draws on an additional survey of UN member-state representatives in New York to understand how decision makers believe the deployment of women alters public support for peacekeeping.

Overall, the surveys revealed relatively high levels of support for peacekeeping in both India and South Africa. Moreover, member-state representatives in New York indicated that they not only value public opinion on peacekeeping and consider it when making deployment decisions but also believe that the deployment of women peacekeepers increases support for UN peacekeeping. However, differences between the surveys of the two countries underscore that women peacekeepers may be perceived differently by the public in different contexts and may not always increase support for peacekeeping or women’s rights. Therefore, scholars and policymakers within national governments and the UN should consider how the deployment of women may interact with other social, cultural, and political norms and practices to moderate how the public will perceive and react to women peacekeepers.

On May 10, 2022, the International Peace Institute’s (IPI) Board of Directors elected several new members.

The Honorable Kevin Rudd, Chair of IPI’s Board Directors, said: “I’m delighted to announce the seven new members who have been elected to join IPI’s Board of Directors. Their collective experience, integrity, and knowledge of international affairs will help lead the organization forward as we innovate to face the ever-evolving global challenges of the day.”

New Members of IPI’s Board of Directors (Listed in alphabetical order by first name)

• Amy Towers: Former Chief Operating Officer of Glenview Capital Management; Founder of the Nduna Foundation; Co-founder (in partnership with UNICEF Zimbabwe) of CCORE, the Collaborating Centre for Operational Research and Evaluation in Harare, Zimbabwe; and Trustee for Women for Women International

• Badr Jafar: CEO of Crescent Enterprises and President of Crescent Petroleum; Founding Patron of the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy at the Cambridge Judge Business School; and Founder of the Pearl Initiative

• Ewout Steenbergen: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, S&P Global; and Chair of the Board of Directors of UNICEF USA

• Mads Nipper: President and CEO of Ørsted
(Ørsted is the largest energy company in Denmark—globally producing 90% of their energy from renewable sources.)

• Michelle Yeoh: PSM, Actor; Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); and Road Safety Ambassador for the “Make Roads Safe” campaign and the FIA Foundation

• Owen Pell: President of the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities; and Retired Partner of Counsel, White & Case LLP

• Suzy Wahba: Senior Member of St. Antony’s College, Oxford University; Former Anchor on Bloomberg Television; and Former Vice-Chair of Hands Along the Nile

An invitation has been extended to an eighth new board member and the matter is now pending.

IPI’s Board of Directors provides strategic leadership, oversight, and guidance for the organization on matters concerning governance and financial sustainability, working closely with the President and CEO.

The UN Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in June 2022. In this context, the International Peace Institute (IPI), the Stimson Center, and Security Council Report co-hosted a virtual roundtable discussion on April 19, 2022. This roundtable offered a platform for member states, UN stakeholders, civil society representatives, and independent experts to share their assessments of the situation in Mali in a frank and collaborative environment. The discussion was intended to help the Security Council make more informed decisions with respect to the prioritization and sequencing of MINUSMA’s mandate and the mission’s strategic orientation and actions on the ground.

Participants agreed that MINUSMA has an important role to play in Mali and that the mission’s mandated priorities still align with the areas where the UN can bring the most added value. But they also noted that MINUSMA alone cannot address all the critical challenges and that the mission is already spread thin across a dangerous operating environment. Given the rapidly changing dynamics in the country and throughout the Sahel region, some participants saw this as an opportunity for the UN Security Council to engage in strategic reflection about MINUSMA’s future.

Participants raised several points for consideration during the upcoming negotiations on MINUSMA’s mandate renewal:

• Focus more on the political dimensions of the mandate, including not only the governance transition but also the implementation of the 2015 peace agreement;
• Reinforce the urgency of progress on the reforms needed to undertake legitimate elections;
• Provide diplomatic support to ECOWAS in its negotiations on a consensual transition timetable;
• Work with the transitional authorities to articulate a shared vision for the protection of civilians, including through the reduction of harm to civilians by the Malian armed forces and the removal of access restrictions for mission personnel;
• Continue focusing on human rights monitoring, investigation, and reporting; and
• Urgently fill the mission’s capability gaps to meet the requirements set out in the Force Adaptation Plan as well as additional requirements following the withdrawal of Operation Barkhane and the Takuba Task Force.

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On the occasion of a visit to the United States of a delegation of Ukrainian women leaders, IPI and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) co-hosted an event on the gender dimensions of the war in Ukraine on May 19th. The delegation included members of the Ukrainian parliament, human rights advocates, anti-corruption experts, and influential civil society activists who shared information about the ongoing war in Ukraine and the external support needed to advance a peace process.

Women and girls always suffer from the atrocities of war, yet they are not just silent victims. From the first days of the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian women have fought in the military and territorial defense forces, served on the diplomatic and informational front lines, and played a central role in decision making. They have saved dozens of lives as doctors, nurses, hospital workers, volunteers, activists, and train conductors. They have given birth in metro stations and basements used as bomb shelters. They continue to support the economy through their work in agriculture, manufacturing, information technology, and the service sector, as well as by running businesses. Those living overseas have organized mass protests in countries all over the world.

However, hundreds of women and girls in Ukraine have become victims of sexual assault and torture committed by the Russian army, and reports have documented the increasing use of rape as a weapon of war. At the same time, women and girls who have fled to Poland struggle to access abortions and are vulnerable to human trafficking and victimization by their hosts. As most men are prohibited from leaving Ukraine, many women refugees also bear multiple burdens as caretakers of children and the elderly and the sole breadwinners for their families.

Despite the critical role women are playing in Ukraine, the perspective of women has been noticeably absent from the dominant narratives about the war. To remedy this, this event provided a gender perspective on the war in Ukraine, focusing on the vital need for women’s involvement in both a potential peace process and the eventual process of national reconstruction.

Opening Remarks:
Dr. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President and COO
Mr. Marcel Röthig, Director, Ukraine and Moldova Office, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Speakers:
Ms. Halyna Yanchenko, Member, Ukrainian Parliament
Ms. Olena Tregub, Secretary General, Independent Defence Anti-Corruption Committee (NAKO)

Moderator:
Dr. Phoebe Donnelly, IPI Senior Fellow and Head of the Women, Peace, and Security Program

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On May 18th, IPI’s Women, Peace, and Security team hosted a virtual policy forum on “Perceptions of Women Peacekeepers.”

Policymakers and scholars claim that women peacekeepers will improve the credibility and legitimacy of peacekeeping operations. However, public perceptions of women peacekeepers can vary greatly across contexts, and assumptions that women will improve perceptions of peacekeeping operations may rely on gender stereotypes and place a double burden on women peacekeepers. This event explored how the general public perceives women peacekeepers both within host communities and within troop- and police-contributing countries (T/PCCs). It also examined how the claim that women peacekeepers impact operational effectiveness by increasing legitimacy may risk stereotyping and instrumentalizing women peacekeepers.

The event included a short presentation of the results of surveys exploring how the deployment of women peacekeepers impacts attitudes toward peacekeeping in T/PCCs. These surveys examined whether the general public in India and South Africa react differently to both the deployment of and casualties among women peacekeepers compared to men peacekeepers. This event and the related research are part of the Women in Peace Operations (WIPO) project, a multi-year initiative of IPI’s Women, Peace, and Security program funded by the Government of Canada’s Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations.

Opening Remarks:
Dr. Jenna Russo, IPI Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations
Rear-Admiral Rebecca Patterson, Chief of Staff, Chief Professional Conduct and Culture

Speakers:
Dr. Laura Huber, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Mississippi
Ms. Suzy Nyuon William, Lawyer and Independent Researcher, Global Network of Women Peacebuilders
Dr. Lindy Heinecken, Professor and Vice Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Colonel Md Mamun Azad Salehin, Armed Forces Division, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Moderator:
Dr. Phoebe Donnelly, IPI Senior Fellow and Head of the Women, Peace and Security Program

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