Syria
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources
NGOWG MAP Recommendations
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for February 2013
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for February 2013, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The situation in Syria remains dire as the civilian population continues to be killed, tortured, and their rights violated. Men, women, and children have been subject to rape and sexual assault, with women and girl survivors at increased risk of exploitation by forced marriage. Humanitarian aid is underfunded, and current support is not adequately addressing genderspecific concerns. As per the UN Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings, UN humanitarian assistance providers should ensure that survivors have information about and access to these services. The Security Council should refer parties who have violated international law in Syria to the International Criminal Court.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for December 2012
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for December 2012, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The situation in Syria continues to worsen as the civilian population continues to be killed, tortured, and their rights violated. Rape and sexual assault continues to be a significant element of the conflict, with women and girl survivors at increased risk of exploitation by forced marriage. Humanitarian aid is underfunded, and current support is not adequately addressing gender-specific concerns. As per the UN Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings, UN humanitarian assistance providers should ensure that survivors have information about and access to these services. The Security Council should refer parties who have violated international law in Syria to the International Criminal Court.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for September 2012
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for September 2012, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The violence in Syria continues to worsen as the civilian population continues to be killed, tortured, and their rights violated, including through ongoing arbitrary arrests and detentions. As documented by the UN Human Rights Council-mandated Commission of Inquiry, rape and sexual assault were perpetrated against men, women and children by Government forces and shabbiha members. Rape and sexual assault were also part of torture in official and unofficial detention centres. There are reports that soldiers and pro-government shabbiha militia members have sexually abused women and girls as young as eleven years old during home raids and military sweeps of residential areas. There are no reports of action taken to investigate or punish government forcesand shabbiha-committed acts of sexual violence, or to prevent them from committing such acts in the future. The Security Council should demand that the Syrian government grant the UN Commission of Inquiry and the United Nations political liaison office unrestricted access to places of detention to monitor abuses. The UN political liaison office should include among its personnel people trained to identify gender-based violence and other gender-specific human rights violations. All human rights monitoring offices in Syria must be adequately resourced with a strong mandate to monitor, investigate and publicly report on crimes against humanity, war crimes and other grave human rights abuses committed by all sides, including on sexual and gender-based violence. In accordance with the UN Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings, UN humanitarian assistance providers should ensure that survivors have information about and access to this package of services. The UN Security Council should also refer parties whom have violated international law in Syria to the International Criminal Court.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for July 2012
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for July 2012, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The violence in Syria continues to worsen as the civilian population continues to be killed, tortured, and their rights violated, including through ongoing arbitrary arrests and detentions. Civilians, including civilian women and children, trying to flee from Syria, are reportedly being shot indiscriminately on the border with Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon. Syrian government forces have used sexual violence to torture men, women, and boys detained during the current conflict. Soldiers and pro-government shabiha militia members have reportedly sexually abused women and girls as young as 12 during home raids and military sweeps of residential areas. These reports indicate that no action has been taken to investigate or punish government forces and shabiha who commit acts of sexual violence or to prevent them from committing such acts in the future. The Security Council should demand that the Syrian government grant the UN Human Rights Council-mandated Commission of Inquiry and the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) unrestricted access to places of detention to monitor abuses. UNSMIS should include among its personnel people trained to identify gender-based violence and other gender-specific human rights violations. In accordance with the UN Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings, UN humanitarian assistance providers should ensure that survivors have information about and access to this package of services. The UN Security Council should:
- In accordance with the Annan Plan, demand that the Syrian government grant humanitarian assistance providers access to “all areas affected by the fighting” so that they can provide assistance to those affected by sexual violence;
- Impose an arms embargo on Syria;
- Impose targeted sanctions against Syrian leaders implicated in human rights violations, following a fair and transparent process; and
- Refer Syria to the International Criminal Court ICC.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for June 2012
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for June 2012, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The violence in Syria continues to worsen as the civilian population continues to be killed, tortured, and their rights violated, including through ongoing arbitrary arrests and detentions. In its discussion on the situation in Syria, the Security Council should ensure the Syrian government fully cooperates with the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) to implement the joint six-point plan. We again ask the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Syria; to impose targeted sanctions against Syrian leaders implicated in human rights violations, following a fair and transparent process; and to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. Member States of the United Nations, including Members of the Security Council, should ensure they immediately cease any and all military sales and assistance. The Security Council should ensure there is a strong human rights monitoring component in UNSMIS, which must include gender expertise. This component should be well resourced and equipped to ensure victims of human rights abuses, including women, are protected from retaliation. These experts should be in a position to recognize people who are arbitrarily detained, protect interviewees from retaliation, ensure the confidentiality and safekeeping of interviews, and interview women who have been sexually abuse and children who have been tortured.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for May 2012
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for May 2012, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The Council is expected to discuss the situation in Syria, since the establishment of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), which is scheduled to report to the Council every 15 days. In its discussions regarding the situation in Syria, the Security Council should: ensure that UNSMIS includes a properly staffed and equipped human rights component able to safely and independently interview victims of human rights abuses while protecting them from retaliation; refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court; following a fair and transparent process, adopt targeted sanctions on officials shown to be implicated in human rights abuses; require states to suspend all military sales and assistance, including technical training and services, to the Syrian government, given the real risk that the weapons and technology will be used in the commission of serious human rights violations; demand that Syria cooperate fully with the UN Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry and with UNSMIS; and demand access for humanitarian missions, foreign journalists, and independent human rights organizations.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for April 2012
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for April 2012, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
In its continuing consideration of the situation in Syria, the Security Council should call on the Syrian government to halt indiscriminate attacks on cities and the use of antipersonnel landmines, and should demand access for humanitarian workers, human rights monitors, and journalists. Syrian forces have placed landmines near the borders with Lebanon and Turkey in recent weeks and months, reportedly resulting in civilian casualties. Armed opposition elements have carried out serious human rights abuses, including kidnapping, detention, and torture of security force members, government supporters, and people identified as members of pro-government militias. The Syrian military is applying the same methods of force seen in Homs against the citizens of al-Qusayr, including bombardment of residential areas by artillery and other heavy weapons. Contributing to the rising death toll is food, water, and medical assistance scarcity. Various security forces are routinely torturing and ill-treating detainees held in the context of the protests and unrest, apparently as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population by the Syrian government. The Security Council should impose an arms embargo on Syria; impose targeted sanctions against Syrian leaders implicated in human rights violations, following a fair and transparent process; and refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. In the immediate term, the Security Council should include a human-rights monitoring component in any mission it authorizes to supervise the implementation of Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan’s “Six-Point Plan” in Syria.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for March 2012
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for March 2012, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The Syrian government continues to violate the 19 December 2011 agreement brokered with the Arab League. Among other human rights violations, human rights organizations have documented the shooting of peaceful protesters by security forces and the arbitrary detention of protesters and activists. In its discussions on Syria, the Council should: impose an arms embargo on Syria; following a fair and transparent process, impose targeted sanctions against the individuals responsible for grave violations; demand unhindered access for humanitarian missions, journalists, and independent human rights organizations; call on the Syrian government to cooperate with the OHCHR in establishing a human rights monitoring presence; and refer the situation in Syria to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for February 2012
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for February 2012, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The Syrian government continues to violate the December 19th, 2011 agreement brokered with the Arab League. Rights organizations have documented the shooting of peaceful protesters by security forces, the arbitrary detention of protesters and activists, the denial of access to Mission Observers to detention centers, the provision of police IDs to military personnel, and the continued presence of the Military in Jisr al-Shughur, Idlib and the al-Midan neighborhood of Damascus. In its continuing discussions on Syria, the Council should coordinate with the Arab League to:
- Impose an arms embargo on Syria;
- Following a fair and transparent process, impose targeted sanctions against the individuals responsible for grave violations;
- Demand unhindered access for humanitarian missions, journalists, and independent human rights organizations;
- Call on the Syrian government to cooperate with the OHCHR in establishing a human rights monitoring presence;
- Refer the situation in Syria to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court; and
- In the case of an extended Observer Mission under the Arab League, the UN Security Council should call on the Syrian government to cooperate with the Mission.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for January 2012
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for January 2012, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The Council has received the report of the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, established by the Human Rights Council in August 2011, which concludes that crimes against humanity have been committed in that country. The commission of inquiry received testimony of sexual violence committed by security and military forces, mostly against men and boys, and that women were threatened and insulted during house raids by the military and security forces. Defectors from the military and security forces indicated that they had been present in places of detention where women were sexually assaulted. In its discussions regarding the situation in Syria, the Council should:
- Demand that Syria end the widespread human rights abuses committed by government forces, including the use of excessive and lethal force against demonstrators, arbitrary detention and torture;
- Refer the situation in Syria immediately to Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court;
- Impose a complete arms embargo on Syria preventing the transfer of all weaponry, munitions and related equipment and the provision of personnel and assistance;
- Implement an asset freeze against President Bashar al-Assad and others who may be involved in ordering or perpetrating serious violations of human rights or international humanitarian law;
- Demand that Syria cooperate fully with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry established by the UN Human Rights Council and the monitoring mission established by the Arab League, including by providing both with immediate and unfettered access;
- Invite the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to periodically brief the Council on the situation in Syria;
- Consider the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria; and
- Demand access for humanitarian missions, independent journalists, and independent human rights organizations.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
Monthly Action Points on Women, Peace & Security for October 2011
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace & Security
In the MAP for October 2011, the NGOWG had several recommendations for the Security Council on the current situation in Syria:
The situation in Syria is being discussed by the Council, as the government continues its repression of pro- reform protests. The Security Council should refer the situation in Syria immediately to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court; impose a complete arms embargo on Syria preventing the transfer of all weaponry, munitions and related equipment and the provision of personnel and assistance; and implement an asset freeze against President Bashar al-Assad and others who may be involved in ordering or perpetrating serious violations of human rights or international humanitarian law.
NGOWG MAP Recommendations | NGO Resources | Top
NGO Resources
States must act resolutely on UN report on Syria
29 November 2011
Amnesty International
Link
Opinion: Time to involve women in post-conflict rebuilding
25 November 2011
Amnesty International
Link
Joint call by Civil Society for a Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council to consider the findings of the Syrian Commission of Inquiry and ensure accountability
22 November 2011
Amnesty International
Link
Syria: UN General Assembly Should Condemn the Violence
21 November 2011
Human Rights Watch; Amnesty International
Link
Arab League: Ensure Effective Syria Monitoring Missions
19 November 2011
Human Rights Watch
Link
Arab League vote to suspend Syria puts pressure on Security Council to act
14 November 2011
Amnesty International
Link
Syria: Model Letter to governments regarding General Assembly resolution on Syria
11 November 2011
Amnesty International
Link
Statement on Landmines Protocol of the Convention on Conventional Weapons
11 November 2011
Human Rights Watch
Link
Syria: Crimes Against Humanity in Homs
11 November 2011
Human Rights Watch
Link
Arab League must press Syria to allow human rights monitors
10 November 2011
Amnesty International
Link
Arab League: Deploy Civilian Monitors in Syria
26 October 2011
Human Rights Watch
Link
UN General Assembly: Condemn the Violence in Syria
20 October 2011
Human Rights Watch
Link
Gender and Torture: Conference report
17 October 2011
Amnesty International
Link
IBSA: Push Syria to End Bloodshed
16 October 2011
Human Rights Watch
Link
Blocking of Security Council resolution on Syria a ‘shocking betrayal’
5 October 2011
Amnesty International
Link
Member Organizations
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