Accelerated drawdown of UN peace operations: A worry for women

By Vedhan Singh and Dr Cresencia Nyathi

In her August 7, 2024, address at the United Nations (UN) Security Council meeting on sustaining Women Peace and Security (WPS) commitments in the context of accelerated drawdown of UN peace operations, the UN Executive Director for Women, Her Excellency Sima Bahous, articulated a compelling and urgent narrative that underlines the indispensable role of gender equality in the architecture of global peace and security. However, as we confront a world rife with escalating conflicts, threats to global peace, generally diminishing security at the level of member states, and a disturbing surge in terrorism, violence and violent extremism, particularly against women and girls, we must engage in a critical interrogation of the disconcerting trend of diminishing support for peacekeeping missions. This trend, as highlighted in the address, carries profound implications for the pursuit of gender equality and, by extension, the very fabric of sustainable peace. The absence of women and girls as peacebuilders in peacebuilding initiatives can render the attempts at peacebuilding meaningless and fruitless.

Her Excellency Bahous cogently and carefully posited that gender equality is not merely an ancillary consideration in the realm of peacekeeping but rather constitutes a foundational pillar upon which the edifice of sustainable peace is constructed. Peacekeeping efforts must have women and girls as the foundation upon which they are built. Peacekeeping actors must include women and consciously seek to bridge the gender divide of peacekeeping role players. The stark statistics presented—illustrating a nearly halved deployment of peacekeeping personnel, plummeting from 121 000 in 2016 to a mere 71 000 by 2024—paint a dismal portrait of retreat at a juncture when the flames of conflict are not merely smouldering but roaring with unprecedented intensity. By nature, the nurturing temperament of women possesses the ability to pour cold water on the glowing embers fanned by the flames of conflict. It is profoundly troubling that, in the face of escalating violence and humanitarian crises, the international community appears to have a lacklustre posture and therefore appears resolutely committed to withdrawing its support rather than reinforcing its commitments to peacekeeping and the protection of women’s rights.

To exemplify this point, let us consider the situation in Haiti—an egregious case that starkly illustrates the deleterious consequences of retreating from peacekeeping commitments. The withdrawal of UN peacekeepers in 2020 has been succeeded by a catastrophic escalation in violence, with armed gangs exploiting the resultant vacuum of authority and oversight. In the absence of the state security apparatus in the face of violence and conflict, violent extremist and radical groups thrive. The harrowing testimonies of Haitian women, now subjected to an epidemic of sexual violence, serve as a chilling reminder of the profound consequences of neglecting gender-specific concerns in conflict-affected settings. Reports detailing the systematic employment of gang rape as a weapon of intimidation not only illuminate the failures of international intervention but also highlight the catastrophic fallout from the disregard for gender equality in peacekeeping mandates. Both the lack of strong state intervention and the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission are the attributing factors to the escalating crimes and violations against women and girls in Haiti.

Moreover, the Executive Director’s passionate call for a proactive and pre-emptive approach to safeguarding gender equality gains during peacekeeping transitions is both timely and vital, yet we must confront the uncomfortable reality that such calls have all too often been met with inertia and indifference. It cannot be business as usual, and the calls of the Executive Director cannot fall on deaf ears amidst increasing violence and human rights violations against women and girls in conflict and post-conflict zones. The resolutions of the Security Council, while eloquently articulated and theoretically robust, seemingly lack the rigorous implementation mechanisms necessary to translate lofty ideals into tangible outcomes. The pervasive tendency to frame women and girls merely as victims in need of protection rather than as indispensable stakeholders in peace processes ultimately undermines the very principles of democratic governance and holistic security. Women are one of the cardinal cogs turning the wheels in peacebuilding processes; without women, the momentum of peacebuilding would remain at a standstill.

In examining this systemic exclusion of women from pivotal decision-making roles during mission transitions—observed in Mali and a myriad of other contexts—we uncover a troubling pattern wherein the valuable insights and contributions of women’s organisations are systematically marginalised. Women often tell tales of the patriarchal organogram and funding frameworks that see them excluded from receiving funding purely for being women. To assert that these omissions are mere oversights would be to underestimate the high stakes involved in these dynamics. If we are to achieve lasting peace, we must unequivocally ensure that women’s voices are not only acknowledged but integrated and intertwined into the core of security strategies and governance reforms.

Consequently, it is incumbent upon the UN Security Council to adopt a more comprehensive framework for peacekeeping operations—one that explicitly mandates the integration of gender equality (which must include LGBTQIA+ persons and communities) and the empowerment of women as foundational tenets of peacebuilding. This imperative includes, as Her Excellency Bahous aptly suggested, the continuous involvement of women from civil society in briefings and discussions, ensuring that their unique perspectives inform policy decisions and operational strategies. Furthermore, a robust system of accountability must be established, compelling member states and international bodies to uphold their commitments under the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. This should include concrete mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the gender responsiveness of peacekeeping transitions, as well as for reallocating resources toward women’s empowerment initiatives post-conflict and post-transition.

In conclusion, we must confront the uncomfortable truth that, without a renewed and vigorous commitment to peacekeeping and the empowerment of women and girls in conflict zones, we risk perpetuating cycles of violence, instability, and marginalisation. We can even see the gains made in peacekeeping reversed by the sustained exclusion of women in peacekeeping efforts. The current trajectory—characterised by the accelerated dismantling of peacekeeping efforts amidst a backdrop of rising misogyny and violence—cannot merely be viewed as counterintuitive; it stands as a morally indefensible affront to the principles of justice, equity, and human dignity.

The international community must urgently heed the Executive Director’s impassioned call to action, recognising that the protection of women’s rights is not merely an aspirational ideal but an essential prerequisite for the realisation of sustainable peace and security. The time to act is now; the lives of millions are not just statistics but are inextricably interwoven with our collective moral obligation to foster a more equitable and peaceful world.

* Vedhan Singh is a Preventing Violent Extremism Trainer of Trainers and a Southern Africa Regional Representative to the African Union Interfaith Dialogue on Violent Extremism.

* Dr Cresencia Nyathi (PhD Peacebuilding) is a Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Coordinator at Africa Unite and the Deputy Chair of the Social Cohesion Advocates Programme at the South African Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture.

** The authors write in their personal capacity.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.