/ Women, Peace and Security
One of cfd's aims is that women should be full partners in decision-making processes for peace. cfd lobbies for the implementation of Resolution 1325 of the United Nations Security Council. This obliges all actors to ensure the participation of women on all levels of conflict management and peace building as equal partners, as well as to consider perspectives of women when negotiating or implementing any peace agreements.
Clearly Articulated Demands
During violent conflict, women take on many different roles and tasks, e.g. as heads of families, as victims of violence, in particular of sexual violence, as soldiers and fighters, or as activists and politicians working for peace. Women thus have a broad spectrum of experience, as well as specific and varied needs and interests that must be considered in conflict management processes. Women should therefore contribute to the political debate on peace and security.
/ We challenge all members of the Federal Council to take the experiences, needs and interests of women seriously, and to keep them in mind within the contexts of Swiss peace, development and economic policies.
In many regions of the world, women are still largely excluded from the official political arena, as well as from peace negotiations and conflict management.
/ We challenge all members of the Federal Council to actively support the participation of women in peace processes and negotiations. Following her own initiatives for 'good practice', Switzerland should ensure that the women of the participating states, groups or conflict parties are adequately represented.
The widespread availability of weapons of all kinds increases the incidence of inter-state violence, as well as inner-state violence and civil conflict. Armed conflict also leads to a massive increase in sexual violence towards women and girls. The protection of women and girls from all forms of violence, as stipulated in Resolution 1325, cannot be guaranteed as long as the distribution of war material and small arms continues unhindered.
/ We demand that the Federal Council refrains from dealing in arms with states that do not respect Human Rights, in particular the Rights of Women, and that it should not condone any such deals by other states.
/ Swiss exports of war material have reached their highest level in 16 years. We challenge all members of the Federal Council to put an end to this development now.
When conflicts become violent, it is often too late for civil conflict management methods. Civil procedures that involve all parties, especially women, must therefore play an important role in the prevention of violence.
In conflict resolution, as well as in humanitarian aid, women are frequently marginalised or 'forgotten'. For example, teams of doctors often lack gynaecologists and midwives, and women are often subjected to sexual violence in refugee camps.
/ We challenge all members of the Federal Council to ensure that the Swiss contributions to humanitarian aid pay attention to the particular needs of women and girls, and that they guard against their sexual exploitation.
The Federal Council has recognised Resolution 1325 as a 'fundamental document in Swiss politics'. In addition to this, Switzerland is a member of the 'Friends of Resolution 1325'. We applaud this. As a member of this group and the UNO, Switzerland can actively support the consistent implementation of UNO Resolution 1325.
/ We challenge all members of the Federal Council to take this implementation seriously and to actively support it, even when Swiss economic or military interests might be affected.
The comprehensive implementation of Resolution 1325 concerning women, peace and security can not be achieved by one department alone. The economic, military, defence and peace policies of the various governing bodies must combine to effectively shape a coherent and consistent political approach to all matters concerning women, peace and security.
/ We challenge all members of the Federal Council to give the implementation of Resolution 1325 highest priority and to harmonise the approaches of the various departments. Contrary policies, such as economic policies that contradict policies of peace, are to be avoided.
Ongoing Activities
In Switzerland, things have started moving: Following the example of Britain, Sweden, Denmark and Norway, on 8 March 2007 the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs accepted a national plan to implement the Resolution. To this purpose, the department regularly communicates with NGO's that are actively involved in peace and gender issues.
On a European level, the German Women's Security Council has been sounding out possible partners for a European Women's Security Council that would apply itself to the implementation of Resolution 1325, de-militarisation and gender equality, and would be engaged particularly in the areas of European peace and security policies.
With these developments we move forward to the next round. There is a regular exchange of information on the implementation of Resolution 1325 at the round table for gender issues run by the Center for Peacebuilding (KOFF), which is attended by representatives of NGO's and the authorities.
What matters now is to closely monitor the implementation. cfd is part of a European network for the implementation of the Resolution and contributes by sharing the specialised knowledge and the experience of her project partners in Kosovo and Israel. In these regions, women are using Resolution 1325 as an instrument to make themselves heard.
