Thank you for inviting me to take part in this event, which marks the first anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325.

I welcome the opportunity to share with you DPKO’s efforts and progress in implementing this resolution. Given the time frame allotted, I would like to focus my presentation on the overall approach the Department has taken to implement 1325, as well as areas where progress has been made, and where more work needs to be done.

General DPKO Plan of Action

• DPKO’s Plan of Action to implement resolution 1325 spells out measures to mainstream gender in all of DPKO’s activities, to increase the participation of women in peacekeeping, including numbers of women at decision-making levels in field missions, and to address the needs of women working in its field operations. In addition, we have made a conscious effort to include a gender perspective in all areas of peacekeeping policy development.
• Under the heading “Achievements”, DPKO has been more successful in the field, with initiatives such as the development of a training curriculum on gender awareness and sensitivity for military personnel and civilian police. This has been field-tested in several missions to date, such as UNTAET, UNMEE, MONUC and UNAMSIL. In collaboration with UNITAR, we are also developing a training course for civilian staff on the impact of armed conflict on women and children, which will include a module on gender awareness and sensitivity.
• Although a critical element of our Action Plan, our efforts are not entirely focused on training. In all field missions, we have established gender units or focal points. In East Timor and Kosovo, where we have gender units, we have taken advantage of the extraordinary opportunity of the UN’s role as the civil administration to build gender awareness about the link between gender equality and sustainable development into all our programmes.

Field gender affairs units/offices

• We are committed to establishing gender affairs offices/units in large multidimensional missions and gender focal points in smaller missions where gender units may not be feasible. The missions in East Timor and Kosovo, with dedicated Gender Affairs Offices, have been able to accomplish a great deal to mainstream gender issues into their activities.
• The Gender Affairs Office in UNTAET has raised awareness about the critical link between gender equality and sustainable development with UNTAET staff. It also emphasises the importance of concrete actions to achieve equality for Timorese men and women.
• Furthermore, the Office has ensured that the Transitional Administration’s policies and programmes promote gender equality in key areas of concern to East Timorese women, including participation at decision-making levels, legislation protecting equal rights, prosecution of gender-related crimes which took place during the violence of 1999, violence against women, equal participation of women in the political process, and at least 30% representation of women in the public service.
• The Office of Gender Affairs in UNMIK has focused on three priority areas: increasing the representation of women in decision-making in the reconstruction and peace-building processes; addressing issues of violence against women; and integrating women into the economic recovery of Kosovo.
• In that regard, the Office of Gender Affairs, working with the Office of Human Rights, has focused on building a legislative framework to protect women and girls from domestic violence and trafficking. A regulation prohibiting the trafficking of human beings was enacted in January 2001 and a draft domestic violence code is in the final stages of development.
• In MONUC, planning for demobilisation and reintegration takes account of gender-specific needs during the demobilization process as well as the needs of families who often accompany the ex-combatants to the demobilization camps.
• In UNAMSIL, a gender focal point in the human rights component ensures that attention is focused on human rights violations against women.

Efforts at Headquarters:

Gender mainstreaming in departmental policy

• The Department has also made a conscious effort to include a gender perspective in all areas of policy development, such as those linked to the reform process currently underway in the Department, and the revision of standard operating procedures.

Status of women in the Department and field operations

• We are continuing our efforts to address the need for gender balance at all levels, both in the field and at Headquarters. However, we are unfortunately not where we would like to be. We only have three women senior level posts at the Director level and above at Headquarters. In the field, the representation of women at senior levels is also low. This is perhaps most clearly demonstrated by the absence of women in the leadership of our missions (as Heads of Mission).
• We recognize that this is an unsatisfactory situation and that we must redouble our efforts to appoint qualified women in senior positions and at decision-making levels. We are working with the Ms. King’s Office to that end.
• We have also renewed our appeal to contributing States to provide more women civilian police officers and military observers to serve in UN peacekeeping missions.

Disciplinary Issues

• DPKO, like many of you, has been deeply concerned about reports of misconduct on the part of peacekeepers. We share the view that they are entrusted with the protection of vulnerable populations. As such, any harmful action committed by peacekeepers is totally unacceptable.
• Due to the concern about allegations of misconduct and incidents of inappropriate behaviour, I have ordered a complete review of all disciplinary procedures within the Department, in order to ensure that effective measures are taken to prevent such misbehaviour and effectively deal with those who breach the Code of Conduct. The issue is complex due to differing jurisdictions and terms and conditions of service for various categories of peacekeeping personnel; however, the Department is determined to effectively apply a policy of zero tolerance.

Closing:

• When accepting the invitation to speak today, I had hoped to come to you with a longer list of achievements and a shorter list of challenges. However, we are seeking to resolve our difficulties by confronting them head-on and with transparency. I come before you today in that spirit and would welcome questions and a further sharing of views.