International Women’s Day

My Lords, I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to this debate and I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Miller of Hendon, for securing it. Given the title of the debate, the issue that I wish to raise is global but not necessarily a celebration. I want to draw attention to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 about women and peacekeeping. This resolution was passed unanimously as far back as October 2000, but it has never fulfilled its promise in implementation. I believe that the extent and nature of peacekeeping around the world would be significantly and qualitatively improved if the various practical measures agreed in this resolution to involve women in strategic and practical ways were more rigorously implemented by member states. In particular, I believe that our Government could do more to assist this process. Resolution 1325 was the first resolution ever passed by the Security Council that specifically addressed the impact of war on women and the contribution that women can make to the process of conflict resolution and sustainable peace. It was the first time that the United Nations formally required parties in a conflict to respect women’s rights and to support their participation in peace negotiations and post-conflict reconstruction. The resolution calls for the prosecution of those responsible for crimes against women in a conflict situation and for extra protection of girls and women in war zones, where they are more often deliberately victimised and subjected to rape and other forms of sexual abuse. The resolution specifically calls for more women to be appointed to peacekeeping operations. The implementation of Resolution 1325 could be described as weak at best and abysmal at worst. This goes for the United Nations itself, as well as for the action or inaction on the part of member states. Neither Kofi Annan, who was Secretary-General when the resolution was passed, nor his successor has a commendable record in appointing more female special representatives of the Secretary-General—SRSGs as they are known—as required by the resolution. In fact, I suspect that the number of female special representatives is still in single figures, despite our own Dame Margaret Anstee being the first woman to be appointed to such a position in 1992, 18 years ago. What steps are the UK Government taking to press for better implementation of Resolution 1325 and, in particular, what action have they taken to propose and/or support the nomination of suitably qualified women for these posts of special representatives? I should also like to know what priority the UK Government give to working with the interagency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security, which was set up to ensure collaboration and co-ordination throughout the UN system on implementation of Resolution 1325. At what level of seniority are the UK Government represented and are they satisfied with the snail’s pace of implementation? In addition, does the UK participate in either of the two less formal groups that were set up to press for better implementation? One is called the Friends of 1325. I understand that it is an ad hoc group of 26 UN member states, which was set up on the initiative of Canada. The other is called Operation 1325, which is an initiative of six women’s organisations and networks in Sweden, although it operates internationally. Does our representative at the UN report regularly and specifically on activity around Resolution 1325? If so, will the Government draw it to the attention of this House? If not, will the Government instigate a new reporting mechanism that gives priority and prominence to the vital role of women in the arena of peace and security? If Resolution 1325 is not to remain in the category of academic interest only but to fulfil its potential of mobilising the talents and contributions of women in the pursuit of peace and peacekeeping, some positive action needs to be taken. This is a term and a concept with which the Government are completely familiar in the domestic context of equality. I would like to see it energetically applied to this desperately important global issue by a Government who understand it.