Monthly Action Points (MAP) for the Security Council: May 2022

Iraq

In its consideration of the situation in Iraq, including the renewal of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), the Security Council should maintain all existing women, peace and security (WPS) language (S/RES/2576 (2021), PP, OP 4(a), 4(d)) as well as:

• Strengthen references to core dimensions of the WPS agenda throughout UNAMI’s mandate by emphasizing that UNAMI should promote women’s safe participation and leadership (S/RES/2576 (2021), OP 4(e)), and require UNAMI to consult with diverse women’s civil society groups across all aspects of operations as part of the existing mandate to mainstream gender as a cross-cutting issue (S/RES/2576 (2021), OP 4(e)).
• Explicitly note that UNAMI’s efforts to promote the protection of human rights (S/RES/2576 (2021), OP 4(d)) should include support for the implementation of relevant national laws and strategies, including the Yazidi Survivor’s Law, as well as international human rights law, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and encompass monitoring and reporting on violence targeting diverse women in monitor and report on violence targeting diverse women in public life and civic space, including activists, civil society leaders, protestors, politicians, candidates, and individuals promoting women’s rights, disability rights, and LGBTIQ+ rights, as well as organizations engaged in humanitarian action, peacebuilding, and climate justice (IPI).
• Emphasize that UNAMI’s support for efforts to address the effects of climate change (S/RES/2576 (2021), PP, OP 4(b)(iv)), must reflect how women are particularly affected and as a result, should be guided by age-, disability-, and gender-sensitive risk assessment and further ensure that climate change and natural resource-related discussions at all levels are inclusive of women’s participation and leadership (Oxfam).
• Underscore that UNAMI’s support for delivery of essential civil and social services, including in the context of education, health care, and social protection, should be age-, disability-, and gender-responsive and undertaken in coordination with women’s groups and women leaders (S/RES/2576 (2021), OPs 4(c)(i)(ii)).

Somalia

In its adoption of a resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), the Security Council should maintain all existing language related to WPS (S/RES/2592 (2021), PP, OPs 6(a), 6(d), 6(i), 10, 14(c), 14(d)) and further:

• Call on the Government to ensure the safety of women active in public life and civic space and develop an enabling environment by recognizing the legitimacy of their work and adopting and implementing legislation that recognizes and protects their rights, safety and participation, and emphasize the importance of expediting the adoption and implementation of the 2018 draft of the Sexual Offences Bill, which is the result of two years of consultation with key stakeholders, and is critical to ensuring accountability for gender-based violence (GBV).
• Strengthen UNSOM’s mandate related to women’s meaningful participation and leadership, including by specifying that UNSOM should support the development of measures to ensure non-discrimination and equal rights to participate in political and public life and consult with diverse women’s groups.
• Explicitly note that UNSOM’s existing human rights mandate (S/RES/2592 (2021), OP 6(i)) is inclusive of the protection and promotion of the full range of women’s human rights and call on UNSOM to monitor and report on violence targeting diverse women in public life and civic spaces, including activists, civil society leaders, protestors, politicians, candidates, civil servants, peacebuilders, and individuals promoting women’s rights, disability rights, and LGBTIQ+ rights, as well as organizations engaged in humanitarian action, peacebuilding, and climate justice.
• Emphasize that UNSOM’s work preventing GBV (S/RES/2592 (2021), OP 6(i), 14(c), 14(d)) should be undertaken using a trauma-informed, survivor-centered approach that places the rights, needs and wishes of survivors at the heart of the planning, decision-making and response, and ensures the delivery of quality, accessible, and non-discriminatory healthcare and comprehensive support, including sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH), psychosocial support, legal services, access to justice, reparations, and support for livelihoods.
• Call on UNSOM to ensure its efforts to strengthen and advance security sector reform (SSR), maritime law enforcement, national weapons and ammunition management, national arms control, and responses to climate change (S/RES/2592 (2021), OP 6(f), 6(h), 15) are gender-responsive and grounded in intersectional gender-sensitive conflict analysis, taking into account the differentiated and disproportionate impact of insecurity on women, and the importance of ensuring women’s leadership in developing responses.
• Further emphasize that UNSOM’s support for SSR (S/RES/2592 (2021), OP 6(f), 6(h)) should include advocating for continued implementation and strengthening of vetting mechanisms, as well as implementing effective oversight and accountability mechanisms, in close consultation with civil society, including women’s groups, at all stages.

Sudan

As the Security Council discusses the renewal of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) mandate, the outcomes of the forthcoming meeting of the Security Council Informal Experts Group on WPS (IEG) on Sudan should be reflected and acted upon. In addition, all existing WPS language should be maintained (S/RES/2579 (2021), PPs, OPs 3(i)(ii), 3(ii)(b), 3(iii)(c), 3(iii)(d), 4(iv), 12), and the Council should further:

• Demand that the Government explicitly ensure accountability for violations of international human rights law (S/RES/2579 (2021), PP), respect the commitments made in the Juba Peace Agreement and the Constitutional Declaration and ensure the safety of women active in public life and civic space, including women human rights defenders, peacebuilders activists, protestors, elected officials, civil servants, and civil society leaders by fostering an enabling environment and adopting and implementing legislation that recognizes and protects their rights, safety and participation (HRW, UNHCR, OHCHR, TIMEP, MIR).
• Emphasize the importance of women’s safe participation and leadership, including in regional and sub-regional processes and negotiations, and require UNITAMS to consult with diverse women’s civil society, including groups engaged on disability rights and climate justice.
• Explicitly note that UNITAMS’ existing human rights mandate (S/RES/2579 (2021), OP 3(iii)(d)) is inclusive of the protection and promotion of the full range of women’s human rights, including the ratification of CEDAW and repeal of discriminatory laws, such as the personal status law and provisions of national security and labor laws (TIMEP, MIR), and call on UNITAMS to monitor and report on violence targeting diverse women in public life and civic spaces, including activists, civil society leaders, protestors, politicians, candidates, peacebuilders, civil servants, and individuals promoting women’s rights, disability rights, and LGBTIQ+ rights, as well as organizations engaged in humanitarian action, peacebuilding, and climate justice (UNHCR, HRW, OHCHR, Al Jazeera, The New Arab, Dabanga).
• Emphasize that UNITAMS’ work in preventing and addressing GBV (S/RES/2579 (2021), OP 3(iii)(d)) should be undertaken using a trauma-informed, survivor-centered approach that places the rights, needs and wishes of survivors at the heart of the planning, decision-making and response (UNHCR, The Guardian, The New Arab); in its support for the development and implementation of relevant action plans, the mission should seek to ensure the delivery of quality, accessible, and non-discriminatory healthcare and comprehensive support, including for SRH, psychosocial support, legal services, access to justice, reparations, and support for livelihoods, particularly in areas where there is already a lack of services (MSF, COOPI, Dabanga).
• Recognize the adverse effects of climate change and natural resources has on crisis and conflict in Sudan and note that all relevant efforts to address the effects of climate change must reflect how women are particularly affected and, as a result, should be guided by age-, disability-, and gender-sensitive risk assessment and ensure that efforts to facilitate climate change and natural resources-related dialogue at all levels are inclusive of women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation and leadership (CIGAR, Dabanga, NUPI, CSF/Saferworld).