In the Council’s expected deliberations on the situation in Sudan/South Sudan, Council members should ask specific questions regarding the protection of women and girls, and the participation of women in the current efforts to bring about a political solution to the crisis in South Sudan, which has displaced more than 700,000 people since mid-December. As per SCR 2122 (2013), the Security Council should strongly support the embedding of mechanisms for inclusion and consultation in the design of the peace process, particularly regarding women’s participation. Specifically, the Council should:

• Strongly urge the IGAD Special Envoys, as well as the Troika Special Envoys supporting the peace process, to appoint and fund an IGAD Senior Gender Advisor to provide technical support for both the Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) agreement implementation and the political talks moving forward.
• Encourage the IGAD Special Envoys, prior to formal talks, to conduct a civilian consultation mission in South Sudan;
• Encourage the IGAD Special Envoys to ensure women’s inclusion is integrated throughout the implementation of the CoH agreement, including in the Joint Technical Committee; gender sensitization in the drafting of the Terms of Reference for the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism; and in the establishment of formal mechanisms for civilian reporting of safety violations;
• Encourage the IGAD Special Envoys to ensure the participation of women – both as official members of the negotiating teams and also as non-state actors – in any formal political talks moving forward.
• Encourage the IGAD Special Envoys to ensure a formal consultative mechanism that would run parallel to any political talks, chaired by the IGAD mediators;

In addition, given the troop increase per SCR 2132 (2013) and the women seeking refuge in UNMISS compounds and IDP camps, the Council should: ensure UNMISS takes full measures to guarantee compliance with the UN zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse; insist on full, prompt deployment of the new UNMISS resources, in particular to provide more effective protection to the civilian population at risk, create the conditions for humanitarian assistance that remains hampered particularly in Bentiu, Malakal, and Bor, and allow human rights monitors and others to investigate and document violations and abuses by all parties; and insist on improved availability of reproductive health services in camps, which remains low, as does awareness of such services.

In its consideration of the report for the UN mission in Abyei (UNISFA), the Council must ensure effective implementation of the human rights monitoring mandate in accordance with SCR 1990 (2011). In addition, the Council is likely to continue to discuss implementation of SCR 2046 (2012) regarding negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan. Again, the Council must inquire into and ensure support for women’s full participation in these negotiations, and the enshrining of their rights and concerns in any agreements that result. The report should include gender analysis on security sector reform, rule of law, and peacebuilding, and provide specific information on humanitarian concerns, efforts to address violations of women’s rights, including sexual violence, provide care for survivors and end impunity for these crimes. The Security Council should further call for reporting on sex-disaggregated data.

In the Council’s expected deliberations on the situation in Sudan/South Sudan, Council members should ask specific questions regarding the protection of women and girls, and the participation of women in the current efforts to bring about a political solution to the crisis in South Sudan, which has displaced more than 700,000 people since mid-December. As per SCR 2122 (2013), the Security Council should strongly support the embedding of mechanisms for inclusion and consultation in the design of the peace process, particularly regarding women’s participation. Specifically, the Council should:

• Strongly urge the IGAD Special Envoys, as well as the Troika Special Envoys supporting the peace process, to appoint and fund an IGAD Senior Gender Advisor to provide technical support for both the Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) agreement implementation and the political talks moving forward.
• Encourage the IGAD Special Envoys, prior to formal talks, to conduct a civilian consultation mission in South Sudan;
• Encourage the IGAD Special Envoys to ensure women’s inclusion is integrated throughout the implementation of the CoH agreement, including in the Joint Technical Committee; gender sensitization in the drafting of the Terms of Reference for the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism; and in the establishment of formal mechanisms for civilian reporting of safety violations;
• Encourage the IGAD Special Envoys to ensure the participation of women – both as official members of the negotiating teams and also as non-state actors – in any formal political talks moving forward.
• Encourage the IGAD Special Envoys to ensure a formal consultative mechanism that would run parallel to any political talks, chaired by the IGAD mediators;

In addition, given the troop increase per SCR 2132 (2013) and the women seeking refuge in UNMISS compounds and IDP camps, the Council should: ensure UNMISS takes full measures to guarantee compliance with the UN zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse; insist on full, prompt deployment of the new UNMISS resources, in particular to provide more effective protection to the civilian population at risk, create the conditions for humanitarian assistance that remains hampered particularly in Bentiu, Malakal, and Bor, and allow human rights monitors and others to investigate and document violations and abuses by all parties; and insist on improved availability of reproductive health services in camps, which remains low, as does awareness of such services.

In its consideration of the report for the UN mission in Abyei (UNISFA), the Council must ensure effective implementation of the human rights monitoring mandate in accordance with SCR 1990 (2011). In addition, the Council is likely to continue to discuss implementation of SCR 2046 (2012) regarding negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan. Again, the Council must inquire into and ensure support for women’s full participation in these negotiations, and the enshrining of their rights and concerns in any agreements that result. The report should include gender analysis on security sector reform, rule of law, and peacebuilding, and provide specific information on humanitarian concerns, efforts to address violations of women’s rights, including sexual violence, provide care for survivors and end impunity for these crimes. The Security Council should further call for reporting on sex-disaggregated data.