NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister of State

Aloysio Nunes Ferreira

Secretary-General

Ambassador Marcos Bezerra Abbott Galvão

Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation

President

Ambassador Sérgio Eduardo Moreira Lima

Institute of Research on International Relations

Director

Minister Paulo Roberto de Almeida

Center for Diplomatic History and Documentation

Deputy

Ambassador Gelson Fonseca Junior

Editorial Board of the Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation

President

Ambassador Sérgio Eduardo Moreira Lima

Members

Ambassador Ronaldo Mota Sardenberg

Ambassador Jorio Dauster Magalhães e Silva

Ambassador Gelson Fonseca Junior

Ambassador José Estanislau do Amaral Souza

Minister Eduardo Paes Saboia

Minister Paulo Roberto de Almeida

Minister Paulo Elias Martins de Moraes

Professor Francisco Fernando Monteoliva Doratioto

Professor José Flávio Sombra Saraiva

Professor Eiiti Sato

The Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation (FUNAG) was established in 1971 as a public foundation linked to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a goal to provide civil society with information concerning global issues and the Brazilian diplomatic agenda. The mission of the Foundation is to foster awareness of domestic public opinion regarding international relations issues and Brazilian foreign policy.

NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY

Brasília, 2017

Publishing rights reserved to
the Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Esplanada dos Ministérios, Bloco H
Anexo II, Térreo
70170-900 Brasília–DF
Phone: (61) 2030-6033/6034
Fax: (61) 2030-9125
Website: www.funag.gov.br
E-mail: funag@funag.gov.br

Technical Staff:

Eliane Miranda Paiva

André Luiz Ventura Ferreira

Fernanda Antunes Siqueira

Gabriela Del Rio de Rezende

Luiz Antônio Gusmão

Graphic Design:

Breno Andrey

Ebook

Jefferson Mota | Gráfica e Editora Ideal

Cover:

Dra. Bertha Lutz, Brazilian delegate at the San Francisco Conference, signs the United Nations Charter in 1945. (United Nations Archive)

Visual Planning and Layout:

Gráfica e Editora Ideal

Printed in Brazil 2017

N277 National Action Plan On Women, Peace And Security / [Brasil. Ministério das Relações Exteriores (MRE) (coordenador)] – Brasília : FUNAG, 2017.

ISBN: 978-85-7631-727-2

Título original: Plano Nacional de Ação sobre Mulheres, Paz e Segurança

1. Nações Unidas. Conselho de Segurança. 2. Solução de conflito. 3. Restabelecimento da paz. 4. Segurança coletiva. 5. Política externa - Brasil. 6. Igualdade de gênero. I. Brasil. Ministério das Relações Exteriores (MRE).

CDU 341.2726

Depósito Legal na Fundação Biblioteca Nacional conforme Lei n° 10.994, de 14/12/2004.

Bibliotecária responsável: Kathryn Cardim Araujo, CRB-1/2952

Table of Contents

Foreword by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Foreword by the Minister of Defense

Foreword by the Minister of Justice and Public Security

Foreword by the Secretary for Women’s Policies

Introduction

Development of the Women, Peace and Security agenda at the international level

Background of Brazilian initiatives

Evolution of the gender agenda in the national sphere

Women, Peace and Security agenda in the national sphere and the Drafting Process of the National Action Plan

Strategic goals: mainstreaming and empowerment

Pillars

General Considerations

First Pillar: Participation

Second Pillar: Prevention and protection

Third Pillar: Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Cooperation

Fourth Pillar: Awareness-raising, Commitment and Improvement

Duration, implementation, monitoring and evaluation

Glossary

Statistics

Images

Foreword by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Brazil was one of the few countries to include women in its delegation to the 1945 San Francisco Conference, which resulted in the founding of the United Nations. With the strong support of the Brazilian government, delegate Bertha Lutz – a scientist, women’s rights advocate and former congresswoman – was a major contributor to the recognition of equal rights for men and women in the Preamble to the UN Charter.

More than 70 years later, Brazil, the developing country most often elected to the Security Council, is an active contributor to the Organization’s peacekeeping operations, and continues to promote important progress in achieving equal rights in all spheres of action of the UN.

This National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security seeks to highlight the role of women as transforming agents in all stages of the prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts and of peacekeeping and peacebuilding, as well as to strengthen prevention and protection against all forms of violence and human rights violations of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Brazilian foreign policy has actively promoted the Women, Peace and Security agenda. During Brazil’s latest term as elected member of the Security Council (2010-2011), our country had, for the first time, a woman Ambassador as Permanent Representative to the United Nations and chair of the Security Council. Brazil’s cooperation with countries in conflict and post-conflict situations attaches special priority to addressing gender-based violence. We have worked with the United Nations Secretariat to increase the participation of Brazilian civilian experts in special political missions and peacekeeping operations.

In her defense of the female vote in Brazil in the 1930s, Bertha Lutz once wrote that “to deny women equal rights on the grounds of sex is to deny justice to half the population.” By adopting this National Action Plan, the Brazilian government is convinced that gender-based discrimination also denies sustainable peace to all populations affected by conflicts and that addressing such discrimination should be a priority not only for the UN, but also for all its member states, mobilizing governments and civil society.

ALOYSIO NUNES FERREIRA

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Foreword by the Minister of Defense

It is with great satisfaction that the Brazilian Government presents the first edition of the National Action Plan (NAP) for Resolution 1325 (2000), on “Women, Peace and Security”, approved 16 years ago by the United Nations Security Council. This publication renews, on the one hand, the Brazil’s commitment to gender equality, and, on the other hand, acknowledges that women are an interested and indispensable stakeholder in the promotion of international peace and security.

Prior to the decision to launch this Plan, Brazil recorded important achievements in the implementation of Resolution 1325 and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The NAP aims to systematize and coordinate the efforts of several State institutions into a cohesive body of measures, with a view to a more efficient management of this process.

By adopting the NAP, the Brazilian State not only complies with the provisions of Resolution 1325 and subsequent resolutions dealing with the matter, but also aligns with the state of the art in the global debates on strengthening the UN multilateral framework on international peace and security in the contemporary world – in a decision that meets our principles of defense policy and foreign policy.

According to a report recently released by the UN High Level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations: “Despite a robust normative framework for the advancement of Women, Peace and Security, many impediments stand in the way of the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 and the six successive resolutions”.

In this perspective, initiatives such as the adoption of NAPs – taken so far by more than 60 countries around the globe – gain even more significance, since they fully demonstrate the existence of political will and understanding, by the Brazilian State, of the importance of implementing the WPS agenda, in order to benefit of the populations involved and to enhance efficiency of the peace missions.

As the institution responsible for Brazilian military participation in peacekeeping operations, the Ministry of Defense welcomes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the effort of coordinating the institutions concerned and for the result achieved. We are sure that this is an important first step towards a greater role for Brazilian women in matters of peace and security.

RAUL JUNGMANN

Minister of Defense

Foreword by the Minister of Justice and Public Security

The preparation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security represented for the Ministry of Justice and Public Security an opportunity to reflect on the important progress in the protection and promotion of the rights of women, which Brazil has achieved at the national level, and on forms for which this rich experience can be shared internationally.

The Maria da Penha Law on Domestic Violence of 2006 and the Feminicide Law of 2015 are important milestones in the efforts of the Brazilian State to improve its legislation and institutional framework related to gender issues. The State has sought to facilitate access to specialized services to ensure conditions for coping with violence and to promote women’s empowerment and economic autonomy, while at the same time seeking to raise awareness of society on this issue. More recent progress was the launching of the National Plan on Public Security, which, according to President Michel Temer’s determination, has as one of the main objectives the fight against violence against women.

Based on this accumulated experience, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security hopes to contribute significantly to the implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. The Ministry intends to share successful experiences in areas such as training for the humanized care of women in situations of violence, the rapprochement between police and society, as well as the mediation of conflicts, with the broader objectives of promoting a culture of peace and respect for diversity. It will also endeavor to support the increased participation of Brazilian women in activities related to international peace and security, so as to better reflect the growing presence and contribution of women in Brazilian security agencies. I am convinced that interaction and dialogue with other countries will, in turn, provide important elements for the improvement of our own public policies in this area.

Regarding the issue of refuge, special attention will be given to the reception of women and children from conflict areas. Emphasis will also be placed on cooperation for institutional strengthening and broadening the participation of women in security agencies in countries experiencing post-conflict recovery and reconstruction.

Brazil can celebrate important achievements in the protection and promotion of women’s rights, but great challenges remain. Considering the just concern of Brazilian society with the issue of protection of women, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security will continue to focus on giving priority to the theme and initiatives that promote women’s rights at the national and international levels.

TORQUATO JARDIM

Minister of Justice and Public Security

Foreword by the Secretary for Women’s Policies

The National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security is a solid demonstration of the commitment of the Brazilian Government to the worldwide effort to recognize the role of women in all human activities.

As landmark achievements, our country has the third best law in the world to criminalize domestic violence: Law 11.340/2006, better known as Maria da Penha Law. Moreover, the Law on Feminicide, the hate crime characterized by the murder of a woman for the fact of being a woman, represents one more step forward of the feminine cause.

No less important is Constitutional Amendment 72/2013, the so-called Amendment of Household Workers, which officially equated household workers with other urban and rural workers. In Brazil, there are about 6.4 million domestic workers. Women account for 93% of this universe. They are not the totality because drivers, gardeners and butlers are also included in this category.

The Gender and Race Pro-Equity program, initiated by the Secretariat for Women’s Policies, recognizes public and private enterprises that promote equality among men and women in the workplace.

These are some examples of the Brazil’s commitment to reducing inequalities in the rights of women and men and to addressing violence and violations of women’s rights. Although Brazil occupies unfavorable positions in the international ranking of violence against women and gender equality, it counts in its favor those policies aimed at the reversal of the current reality.

These achievements, admittedly, result from the democratic interaction between the Government and civil society, legitimizing decisions and strengthening the results of the policies and strategies adopted. The instances of social control and social movements have always been fundamental tools in the democratic construction of policies to promote gender equality and the participation of women in all activities of society.

The last hundred years of history have changed ideas, behaviors and prejudices. Today, women spend more time in school, marry later, and reduce their number of children. And they make strides in professions formerly called “men’s stuff”. Woman engineer, woman astronaut, military woman, woman mason, woman president of soccer club. They are common figures in the Brazilian everyday scene.

In this context, the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security is one more foundation in the construction of a new paradigm, ratifying the role of women in society and the level of equality in rights and intellectualities.

FÁTIMA PELAES

Secretary for Women’s Policies

INTRODUCTION

As a founding member of the United Nations, a staunch defender of multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of international disputes, as well as a country with both capacity and resolve to take on larger roles in peacekeeping and international security efforts, Brazil has the international obligation to and national interest in promoting the effective fulfillment of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

Within its legal framework, the UNSC has underlined, in the past few years, resolutions concerning the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. By means of the WPS agenda, the Security Council aims to ascribe concrete meaning in its attributions to the principle of equal rights between women and men, as enshrined in the pre-amble of the UN Charter. It is worth recalling that the recognition of gender equality, expressed in the Charter’s first lines, owes its presence to the diligent work of Brazilian delegates at the San Francisco Conference, among others, especially scientist and congresswoman Bertha Lutz.

In accordance with the constitutional principles of upholding peace and peaceful settlement of international disputes, the involvement of Brazil in international peace and security affairs encompasses from conflict prevention, including through preventive diplomacy and addressing the root causes such as poverty, exclusion and all forms of discrimination; mediation and all means of peaceful solution to disputes (“peacemaking”); peacekeeping initiatives; and peacebuilding efforts in post-conflict situations; as well as humanitarian cooperation whenever needed. Women can and should play positive and pro-active roles in favor of peace in all these fields.

It is worth mentioning that that two of the main points of convergence of the review processes of UN peace and security architecture stemming from 2014 – The High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations, the Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture and the Global Study on the Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000) – concern the need to strengthen UN actions in conflict prevention – “primacy of politics” – and the mainstreaming of gender perspective into all aspects relating to the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security.[1]

In this regard, by adopting the National Action Plan to implement of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, the Brazilian government is not only complying with the relevant UNSC’s resolutions and other national and international norms on the matter. Brazil also aligns itself with the state of art in global debates on strengthening the UN’S multilateral framework with respect to contemporary international peace and security.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY AGENDA AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

The year 2015 marked the fifteenth anniversary of UNSC’s Resolution 1325 (2000), which introduced the issue Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in the Security Council. Seizing this opportunity, Brazil announced before the international community its decision to develop the National Action Plan to implement the WPS agenda.

UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000), adopted unanimously, pioneered the promotion of gender equality in actions related to international peace and security; fostered gender balance through recognizing the role women can and should play in the effective quest for peace; and, furthermore, introduced mainstreaming of gender perspective into conflict prevention and resolution, as well as into peacebuilding efforts by observing the different impacts armed conflicts have upon each gender group, especially women and girls.

The adoption of Resolution 1325 (2000) resulted in the convergence of three factors: (1) the strengthening of protection and promotion of women’s rights at the United Nations, especially after the Fourth World Conference on Women, (Beijing, 1995), which included the theme of “Women and Armed Conflicts” amongst its areas of concern[2]; (2) the recognition of harmful impacts of armed conflicts on civilians, especially on women and girls; and (3) the work of civil society organizations, in particular women’s and human rights organizations, which influenced the decision to adopt it and contribute to its writing.

Throughout the past 16 years, the UNSC has adopted seven additional resolutions with the aim of strengthening UN actions to promote sustainable peace via gender-informed strategies. In Resolution 1820 (2008), the UNSC condemned the use of sexual violence as a war tactic, demanded that all parties in dispute end such violations and took into consideration preventive and corrective measures to be taken by the UN peacekeeping operations. In support of these norms, Resolution 1889 (2009) created the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. Resolution 1889 (2009) provided for the adoption of progress indicators in an attempt to facilitate the overseeing of the implementation of Resolution 1325 (2000) on a global scale. It also strengthened the promotion of equal and full participation of women and the consideration of particular needs of women and girls amid post-conflict peacebuilding situations.

By means of Resolution 1960 (2010), the Security Council requested that the Secretary-General of the United Nations (SGUN) include, in his reports on sexual violence in armed conflicts, lists of parties in conflict, which find themselves on the UNSC’s agenda, against which there is reasonable suspicions of committing such violations. The UNSC urged all parts to shoulder specific responsibilities, with well-defined timelines in an effort to combat sexual violence. The UNSC sought to strengthen the fulfillment of all its previous resolutions regarding sexual violence in armed conflicts through Resolution 2106 (2013). Among other measures, it drew special attention to improved measures in the fight against impunity.

In Resolution 2122 (2013), the Security Council took upon itself the role of ensuring the consistent implementation of Resolution 1325 (2000). To this end, it provided for greater Council interaction with civil society and women’s organizations, and the mainstreaming of the WPS agenda into all thematic areas that it oversees and the regular reports received from the Secretariat and the Sanctions Committees. The Resolution assigned to the UNSG the task of establishing a Commission with the purpose of undertaking a global study on the fulfilment of Resolution 1325.

Resolution 2242 (2015) was the first WPS resolution adopted by the Security Council after the release of the reports of the Global Study Implementation of Resolution 1325, the High-Level Independent Panel on Peacekeeping Operations and the Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture. The UNSC declared its intention to convene a group of experts on Women, Peace and Security; to integrate the WPS agenda into all situations of specific countries it oversees; and to invite civil society, including women’s organizations, to deliver regular reports.

BACKGROUND OF BRAZILIAN INITIATIVES

The decision on the adoption of a National Action Plan on the UNSC’s Women, Peace and Security agenda is part of the steady progress that took place within the normative framework and national public policies in Brazil in favor of gender equality since the re-democratization.

The efforts undertaken by Brazil to achieve significant progress in guaranteeing equal participation of women in the political, social, economic and cultural spheres, as well as in the fight against violence and all forms of discrimination against women, have led to recognizing the importance and opportunity of drawing greater attention to the promotion of equality in peace and international security affairs.

Evolution of the gender agenda in the national sphere

The first steps towards strengthening Brazil’s actions in favor of full equality of rights and opportunities between women and men were taken in 1985, a year that coincided with the closing of the United Nation’s Decade for Women (1975-1985). By means of the law number 7,353 of August 29th 1985, the National Council of Women’s Rights was created (NCWR). Composed of both Federal Government and civilian representatives and at the time within the structure of the Ministry of Justice, the NCWR was established with the goal of aiding the Federal Administration in the adoption and oversight of legislative, political and administrative measures to promote the participation of women in the country’s political, economic and cultural activities and to eliminate all forms of discrimination.

Also in August 1985, the first Women’s Police Station was created in the state of São Paulo (State decree No. 23,769/1985). The police station was pioneer in the whole of Latin America, comprised of female police officers and specialized in crimes against women. It is regarded as a fundamental step in strengthening the State action in the fight against violence against women.

The Federal Constitution of 1988 inscribed gender equality and defense of women’s and human rights among the fundamental clauses of the democratic rule of law in Brazil. Article 5, I recognized equal rights and obligations between men and women. Article 7, in turn, provided for the adoption of specific incentives toward the protection of women within the job market (Art. 7, XX) and forbade discrimination in terms of salary, tasks and criteria of admissions for reasons of sex, marital status, among others (Art. 7, XXX). Article 226, which ruled on family, reaffirmed equality between men and women in the exercise of rights and obligations within wedlock and provided for the creation of mechanisms aiming to deter intra-familiar violence (Art. 226, paras. 5 & 8).

From the 1988 Constitution onwards, there were several legislative and institutional achievements towards gender equality and policies for women. Law No. 9,029 of April 12th 1995 forbade requiring of medical pregnancy and sterilization certificates among other discriminatory practices in the job market. Law No. 9,504 of September 30th 1997 stipulates that each political party shall register a minimum of 30% of women candidates for vacancies in legislative bodies of proportional representation. Law No. 10,224 of May 15th 2001 amended the Brazilian Criminal Code in order to include the crime of sexual harassment.

In 2003 the Special Secretariat for Policies for Women (SPW) was created, with the aim of consolidating the institutionalization of gender policies and their mainstreaming into all spheres of the Federal Government. The NCWR became later integrated to the SPW. In July 2004, stimulated by the SPW, the First National Conference of Policies for Women took place and was attended by 1787 delegates who debated its agenda and drafted the First National Plan of Policies for Women (NPPW). This process as a whole involved over 120 thousand women from all regions of the country.

Currently, in its third edition, the NPPW oversees an even broader inclusion of gender issues across several areas of government. Its guiding principles are: women’s autonomy in all spheres of life; the search for effective equality between men and women in all matters; respect to diversity and the fight against all forms of discrimination; the secular nature of the State; universalization of services and benefits provided by the State; active participation of women at all levels of public policies; and gender mainstreaming as a guiding principle of all public policies.

Since the NPPW, the paradigm of shared responsibility was integrated into these policies; it does not only behoove the women’s policy body to promote gender equality, but it is up to all organs of the three federative levels (federal, state and municipal administrations) to act accordingly. To this end, the implementation of the NPPW is based upon gender mainstreaming, both from a horizontal standpoint (between all ministries) as well as from a vertical standpoint (inasmuch as the NPPW is responsive to the conferences which took place at state, district and municipal levels and requires partnerships with state, district and municipal governing bodies for better results).

Law No. 11,340 of August 7 2006, also known as Maria da Penha Law, regulated the constitutional clause on the creation of mechanisms to deter domestic and family violence against women. By rendering the legal classification and sentences for such crimes more rigorous, as well as proposing preventive, protective and aiding measures for victims, including the creation of the Special Court on Domestic and Family Violence against Women, Maria da Penha Law was recognized by the United Nations as one of the most progressive legal initiatives on the matter[3].

Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the National Sphere and the Drafting Process of the National Action Plan

In the Presidential Statement issued in October 2005 and in Resolution 1889 (2009), the UNSC recommended that Member States adopt National Action Plans (NAPs) or other measures within the national sphere, with the purpose of promoting the implementation of Resolution 1325 (2000). The NAPs have proved to be an important tool for governments to define priorities and coordinate the implementation of this agenda domestically with the support of civil society. Up to March 2017, over 60 countries had already passed their plans.

Over the past few years, despite not counting with a NAP, Brazil has demonstrated progress towards the WPS agenda. In its most recent mandate as an elected member of the UNSC, Brazil co-sponsored Resolution 1960 (2010) on sexual violence during conflict and it supported the presidential statement on the issue (Oct/11). Furthermore, it was under the Brazilian chairmanship that the Sanctions Committee concerning the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) began to target individuals responsible for grave episodes of sexual violence. At present, Brazil continues to actively participate in all open UNSC open debates on “Women, Peace and Security”.

In the wake of the development of the WPS agenda and the strengthening of Brazil’s participation in the United Nations peacekeeping operations, the “Sérgio Vieira de Mello” Brazilian Joint Training Center for Peacekeeping Operations (CCOPAB) – started to include contents related to women, peace and security in the training of military and police that are to be deployed in UN missions. The Brazilian government carried out cooperation projects for addressing sexual violence in post-conflict countries, such as Haiti, Guinea-Bissau and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Even prior to the decision on the creation of a specific National Action Plan on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, the agenda had already been incorporated in the strategic planning instruments of the Brazilian government. The 2012-2015 Multi-year Plan provided, within the thematic program of foreign policy, for a specific initiative on the enlargement of women’s participation, both as civilians and uniformed personnel, in peacekeeping operations.[4] The National Plan of Policies for Women 2013-2015 included four actions related to the agenda: assessing the skills women are required to participate in peacekeeping missions; enabling and training peacekeeping missions from the gender perspective; establishing partnerships to prevent HIV/AIDS and fighting against sexual violence as a weapon of war; and designing strategies against gender-based sexual violence amid humanitarian assistance.[5]

In the Armed Forces, since the 1990s, women began to be admitted to military academies, and, ever since, they have stood out professionally in all their roles. In 1992, the Brazilian Army included women in the Army’s School of Administration, allowing them to integrate the Complementary Board of Officials (CBO) and contribute to advancing the Armed Forces. In that same year, forty-nine women were enrolled in the Training Course for School Officials. The pioneer class, made up of men and women, was named after Maria Quitéria, in honor of the heroine of Brazilian independence from the state of Bahia, celebrated as the patroness of the CBO.

In 1996, the Air Force Academy received its first group of women for the quartermasters. Since 2003, women were also admitted to be aviators. The Air Force is currently the Armed Force that accounts for the largest number of women in its ranks – including, in front-line combat roles as fighter pilots. The Navy School received its first class of women in 2014 for quartermasters. Beginning in 2017, the Military Academy of Agulhas Negras (Army) will also receive its first female recruiters in its logistics board (quartermasters and weaponry).

Several events gathering government institutions, civil society organizations and academic specialists contributed to maturing the debate on the need to elaborate a Brazilian plan of action on the WPS agenda, such as the “Women, Peace and Security in Brazil – Building Bridges and Overcoming Challenges” Seminar (Brasília, March 13, 2014), organized by the Igarapé Institute with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Pandiá Calógeras Institute and UN-Women; the “Protection of Women in Peacekeeping Operations” workshop (Itaipava, November 24-28, 2014), promoted by the Brazilian Joint Training Center for Peacekeeping Operations; and the “Pandialogue”, organized by the Pandiá Calógeras Institute on “Brazil and UNSC Resolution 1325” (Brasília, May 7, 2015).

On the occasion of the Global Study on the Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000), Brazilian institutions have resumed the discussion on appropriate manners of better implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda. In a meeting on August 18, 2015, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense and Special Secretariat for Policies for Women agreed upon the convenience of drafting a National Action Plan. It was observed that the language included in the Multi-Year Plan and the National Plan of Policies for Women was neither comprehensive nor detailed enough to address the international peace and security aspects of the WPS agenda. The Brazilian decision was formally announced to the United Nations Security Council on October 31st, 2015, during the open debate celebrating the fifteen years of the WPS agenda.

The drafting of the Plan was undertaken by a working group (WG) coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and integrated by representatives of the Ministry of Defense, including all three Armed Forces, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (then Ministry of Justice an Citizenship) and the Special Secretariat for Policies for Women. The WG also counted on the support of members of civil society (Igarapé Institute) and UN-Women. Starting in January 2016, the WG promoted monthly plenary meetings to discuss the elaboration of the Brazilian NPA. Since June, the drafting committee began to meet during the period between sessions. In addition to the plenary and drafting committee meetings, the Working Group promoted events in an effort to expand the discussions on the Brazilian NPA and receive inputs from other relevant institutions and actors. On March 18, 2016, the WG organized the workshop on “Consolidating Brazil’s Strategy on Women, Peace and Security: from the global agenda to the national context”, in collaboration with Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation, the Igarapé Institute and UN-Women.

STRATEGIC GOALS: MAINSTREAMING AND EMPOWERMENT

Brazil aligns itself with the understanding enshrined in the United Nations and repeatedly proven by scientific evidence that peace is better built and becomes more sustainable when women are engaged in all spheres of conflict prevention and resolution as well as during efforts to keep and build peace. It is fundamental to consider women in these processes, not only as victims of violence, but, mainly, as agents of change and partners in equal standing to men. By means of this Plan, Brazil is committed to short-, medium- and long-term measures aiming at incorporating the gender perspective and promoting the qualified participation of women in international peace and security.

Structured in four thematic pillars, which will be further described in the next section, the Brazilian NAP is based upon two strategic objectives which underpin its whole content: (1) Mainstreaming gender in all actions taken by the country in the context of international peace and security; and (2) empowerment of women and girls as agents for the promotion of lasting peace. Gender mainstreaming and women’s and girls’ empowerment conform to fundamental strategies for the adoption of an inclusive and sustainable perspective of international peace and security.

Gender mainstreaming ultimately aims to recognize the contribution of women to peace processes, including prevention, mediation and conflict resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. It also seeks to acknowledge the impacts that men, women, boys and girls suffer in the context of armed conflicts with a view to avoid deepening or perpetuating inequalities. Furthermore, the women’s empowerment is vital to the promotion of gender equality in the political, economic and social spheres.

Gender mainstreaming and empowerment are also pivotal in promoting women’s participation as agents of peace, as well as protecting them from gender-based violence, the most egregious form of inequality.

PILLARS

General Considerations

The Brazilian NAP relies upon four key areas or pillars deemed essential in consolidating gender mainstreaming and women’s and girls’ empowerment in international peace and security. The four pillars are: I) Participation; II) Prevention and Protection; III) Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Cooperation; and IV) Strengthening, Awareness and Engagement.

During the drafting process of the NAP, there was an effort to define the expected results of each pillar based upon key-questions, which served as a guide to identify answers and strategies the plan might come to offer. Some questions have been present in moments of debate and elaboration of each pillar’s scope of activities, such as: “What are the barriers that limit the participation of women in peace and security-related activities?”; “What else is needed for actions undertaken by the international community, including Brazil, to be satisfactory in protecting civilians from gender-based violence?”; “What actions can Brazil take to provide aid to overcome specific challenges that women and girls face in humanitarian crisis and post-conflict situations?”; Or “How to rise to the challenges to engage Brazilian society and strategic public bodies on this theme?”

The activities for the “Participation” Pillar intend to increase and qualify female presence in tasks pertaining to peace and security, including those women that integrate the local civilian population in conflict, pre-conflict, and post-conflict situations in which Brazil acts. This is premised upon the fact that women have different perspectives on conflicts and experience them differently. The inclusion of women is essential to the resolution of conflicts and the promotion of lasting peace, as evidenced by several studies on the matter.

The Global Study on the Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325,[6] for example, underlines that the presence of women in negotiations of peace agreements increases by 20% the chances that these accords last for at least 2 years and by 35% the probability that they might last more than 15 years.[7] Other researches outline the transformative potential and the increase in the protection network as a result of the inclusion of uniformed women in military and police operations.

The presence of uniformed women contributes to enhancing the sense of security of the local population and expands the range of skills in peace operations. It is a factor that can, for instance, facilitate the inclusion of female ex-combatants during the de-mobilization process and their reintegration to society, expand information-gathering networks, act in isolation cordons and search activities, contribute to interviews with survivors of gender-based violence and as female instructors in military academies, as well as promoting a greater interaction with women in local societies and serving as role-models for local women.[8] A concrete example is the police unit wholly comprised of Indian women that was employed in contributed to inspiring local women to act within the security sector.[9]

Other researches reveal that the increase in the percentage of numerous positive impacts in issues that affect women in conflict situations. For example, female officials react in a more efficient manner to violence against women, and are more likely to respond to domestic violence-related complaints. The female component also receives fewer complaints related to misconduct, inappropriate use of force and weapons, and authoritarian behavior in civilian and lower patent officials interactions.[10] Finally, data collected from 40 countries demonstrate positive correlation between the proportion of female police officers and sexual assault reports.[11]

The presence of female peacekeepers has a fundamental role in ensuring that local institutions adopt a gender perspective. For example, the UN understands that female peacekeepers fulfilled a central role in the elections in East-Timor and Burundi.[12] Their participation also contributed to increasing the perception of legitimacy in a number of operations.

The activities concerning the “Prevention and Protection” pillar aim to protect the human rights of all women and girls and prevent gender-based violence in conflict, pre-conflict and post-conflict situations in which Brazil acts. In this setting, empowering women and girls contributes to reverting gender inequality and preventing violence. In the context of protection, actions taken on the ground to avoid gender-based violence, including sexual violence, stand out.

The Secretary-General’s report on Women, Peace and Security suggests that gender equality levels and the female access to economic, political and social rights are key indicatives of the level of peace in a State. By the same token, larger investments in gender equality and female empowering, including in relation to education and training, are intrinsically connected with stability, development, peace and human rights.[13]

In the context of protection, the Best Practices Inventory in Peacekeeping Operations[14] underlines that answers aimed at protecting women at risk from being targets for sexual violence require specific measures. Among them, the inclusion of female peacekeepers in patrols, and the assistance of a female interpreter, to ease contact with local women. The dialogue with local women about their needs, concerns and experiences is crucial to ensure the success of protection strategies.

There is growing evidence (including when one analyzes the work in the all-female formed police unit in the UN Mission in Liberia) that when women conduct search and rescue operations, civilian women feel less threatened. This contributes to building trust within the local community, resulting in an increase in intelligence collection and knowledge of the operational situation, including on the acting of armed forces and smugglers.[15]

A greater number of female military observers enhances the efficiency of monitoring and reports of threats to the security of women and girls. Supporting the active participation and leadership of women in civilian, military and police roles helps guarantee not only that women receive security equally, but that they also be providers of security.[16]

The activities provided by the “Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Cooperation” pillar aim to strengthen the gender perspective in Brazil’s engagement in these contexts by taking into account the different impacts of armed conflicts on men and women, thereby attaining sustainable peace. The UN recognizes that meaningful participation of women increases the effectiveness of humanitarian aid, the credibility and quality of peacekeeping operations, the rate of economic recovery in post-conflict situations and sustainability in peace agreements. For instance, the participation of women in food distribution programs has a positive correlation with the bettering of dietary diversity and reduction of hunger..[17]

In light of this, a study undertaken by the United Nations Development Programme, pursued in six post-conflict countries, underlines that less than 4% of all earmarked funds for economic restructuring were channeled to the promotion of gender equality and economic empowerment of women. The UN recognizes, though, that economic recovery efforts sensitive to gender issues trigger important results for the reconstruction of society as a whole. For example, women are more likely to direct their income to meet the needs of family members, including healthcare and education.[18]

Women also play major roles in post-conflict reconstruction efforts. A research carried out in Sierra Leone, in which ex-combatants were interviewed, showed that 55% of them consider women actors of utmost importance to their reintegration in society.[19]

Finally, the activities of the “Strengthening, Awareness and Engaging” pillar aim to strengthen and spread knowledge in Brazilian society about the WPS agenda, thus contributing to raising awareness about its importance and engaging the relevant actors in the implementation of the NPA, to broaden cooperation with civil society.

Concerning this issue, it is important to highlight that civil society has a key role. The Global Study indicates that peace agreements are 64% less likely to fail when civil society is included in the process.[20]

First Pillar: Participation

This pillar consists of initiatives with the aim of increasing and qualifying the presence of women, including members of the local civilian population, in activities related to peace and security. The initiatives on Brazilian women must necessarily address their access to, permanence and upward mobility in the main institutions involved.

Expected Outcome: An increase in the effective participation of Brazilian women in international peace and security activities, including in leadership positions, as well as the promotion of effective participation of local women in activities related to international peace and security in conflict and post-conflict situations that affect them, including in leadership positions.

1. Increase the effective participation of Brazilian women in international peace and security activities, including in leadership positions.

OBJECTIVES

ACTIVITIES

Leader Institution

Intitutions Involved

Increase the participation of Brazilian civilian women in international peace and security activities, including in leadership positions.

Appoint Brazilian women for positions related to international peace and security in international organizations, including in peacekeeping operations and special political missions of the United Nations and other international organizations.

MRE (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Promote capacity building courses for civilians to work in areas relating to international peace and security.

MRE

MD
CCOPAB (Ministry of Defence/Brazilian Peace Operations Joint Training Center)

Conduct incentive campaigns to disseminate information on jobs and positions in activities relating to international peace and security.

MRE

Encourage women who already have the necessary qualifications to volunteer for and participate in peacekeeping operations and special political missions of the United Nations.

MRE

SPM (Secretariat of Policies for Women)

Analyze the relevant legislation with regards to the assignment of civil servants to the United Nations and other international organizations, in order to propose recommendations to increase the assignment of Brazilian women to perform roles related to international peace and security.

MRE

MJSP (Ministry of Justice and Public Security)

Increase the participation of Brazilian military women on individual missions and/or as part of troop contingents in peacekeeping operations and/or special political missions, including in leadership positions.

Train women to work on individual deployment in peacekeeping operations and special political missions.

MD

CCOPAB
EB (Brazilian Army)
MB (Brazilian Navy)
FAB (Brazilian Air Force)

Train women to participate in contingents in peacekeeping operations and special political missions.

MD

CCOPAB
EB
MB
FAB

Designate military personnel, irrespective of sex / gender, to work on individual missions, including as military observers and/or positions related to international peace and security in the United Nations and other international organizations, provided that they meet the requirements to do so.

MD

EB
MB
FAB

Seek to expand the access of women to military career opportunities within Armed Forces’ admissions processes.

MD

EB
MB
FAB

Promote the necessary logistical adaptations to receive women in military institutions.

MD

EB
MB
FAB

Encourage the participation of women in courses necessary to endow them with the skills required for positions in peacekeeping operations and special political missions, including in leadership positions.

MD

CCOPAB
EB
MB
FAB

Encourage women who already have the necessary qualifications to volunteer for and participate in peacekeeping operations and special political missions.

MD

EB
MB
FAB

Promote the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda in training and post-training courses of the Armed Forces.

MD

EB
MB
FAB

Increase the participation of Brazilian military women on individual missions and/or as part of troop contingents in peacekeeping operations and/or special political missions, including in leadership positions.

Examine personnel participation in peacekeeping operations and special political missions, in order to favor the application of qualified women.

MD

EB
MB
FAB

Assess the main practical challenges faced by military women at the national level as well as on missions related to the matter.

MD

EB
MB
FAB

Promote the exchange of experience and best practices among countries regarding the participation of military women in international peace and security initiatives.

MD

EB
MB
FAB

Increase the participation of women military police officers deployed in peacekeeping operations and special political missions, including in leading positions.

Promote the deployment of women military police officers through coordination with the concerned federal units.

MJSP

MD

Assess the main practical challenges on the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda faced by women military police officers at the national level as well as on missions related to the matter.

MD

MJSP

Promote the exchange of experience and best practices among countries regarding the participation of women military police officers in international peace and security- activities.

MD

MJSP

Increase the participation of Brazilian women diplomats working in international peace and security, including in leadership positions.

Promote the appointment of women diplomats to positions related to international peace and security, including leadership positions.

MRE

Promote gender balance in Brazilian delegations at international conferences and fora related to international peace and security.

MRE

Appoint women diplomats to participate in mediation efforts, peace processes and conflict resolutions, among others.

MRE

Promote the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda in diplomats’ training and post-training courses.

MRE

Assess the practical challenges on the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda faced by women diplomats at the national level as well as on political missions.

MRE

Establish mechanisms that encourage the upward mobility and permanence in their careers of women diplomats, women in the military and women in the police.

Promote and protect women’s rights, in accordance with national and international norms for elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence, so women can fully perform their roles.

MRE
MD
MJSP
SPM

Promote family assistance measures, to help women perform their roles, particularly in peacekeeping operations and special political missions.

MRE
MD
MJSP

Integrate the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda in the curricula of training courses of women diplomats, women in the military and women in the police, with the aim of creating training standards in gender equality.

MRE
MD
MJSP
SPM

2. Advance local women’s participation in conflict and post-conflict situations, including taking leading roles in international peace and security-related activities.

OBJECTIVES

ACTIVITIES

Leader Institution

Intitutions Involved

Increase the participation of local women, who are in conflict and post-conflict situations, in international peace and security activities that concern them.

Support and encourage the participation of local women, who are in conflict and post-conflict situations, in peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes.

MD

MB
EB
FAB
MRE
SPM

Support and encourage local women, in conflict and post-conflict situations, to participate in conflict prevention and resolution, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction processes.

MRE

MD
SPM

Encourage civic and social actions that promote local women’s empowerment in conflict and post-conflict situations.

MD

MRE
SPM

Support the development of quick impact projects that contribute to empowering women in conflict and post-conflict situations.

MD

MRE
SPM

Promote the exchange of experience and best practices among countries regarding the participation of local women, who are in conflict and post-conflict situations, in actions related to international peace and security.

MRE

MD
SPM

Second Pillar: Prevention and protection

This pillar encompasses actions aiming to protect the human rights of all women and girls and to prevent gender-based violence in conflict, pre or post-conflict situations in which Brazil is involved in promoting peace. These actions are as follows:

(a) Initiatives designed to empower all women and girls;

(b) Mainstreaming the gender perspective into all actions and strategies for conflict prevention, peaceful conflict resolution and peacekeeping;

(c) Implementing international normative frameworks for the protection of all women’s and girls’ human rights, including by adapting the national normative framework, when needed;

(d) Increasing access to justice; and

(e) Improving the security sector to better address the specific needs of all women and girls.

Expected outcome: An increase and improvement in Brazil’s role in facing gender-based violence and protecting human rights of all women and girls in conflict, pre and post-conflict situations.

OBJECTIVES

ACTIVITIES

Leader Institution

Intitutions Involved

Protect and promote the rights of all women and girls in conflict, pre or post-conflict situations in which Brazil is involved in promoting peace.

Promote and support the empowerment of all women and girls in conflict, pre and post conflict situations to strengthen their social, economic and political role.

MRE

MD
SPM

Disseminate normative frameworks with regard to the protection of the rights of all women and girls.

MRE

SPM

Support the implementation of international cooperation projects, in order to strengthen local legislation on gender-based violence in conflict, pre or post-conflict situations in countries where Brazil is involved in promoting peace.

MRE

SPM

Contribute to the consideration women’s and girls’ specific needs within peaceful conflict resolution processes.

Support gender-sensitive capacity building of local individuals involved in peaceful conflict resolution.

MRE

SPM
MD

Support gender-sensitive training during peaceful conflict resolution.

MRE

SPM
MD

Contribute to mainstreaming local women’s and girls’ perspectives and their specific needs into peace agreements.

MRE

SPM
MD

Promote gender mainstreaming in mandate design of peacekeeping operations and special political missions.

MRE

MD

Promote gender mainstreaming in the mandate implementation of peacekeeping operations and special political missions.

MD

MRE

In accordance with the UNSC mandates, contribute to protecting the local civilian population against gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict situations in which Brazil is involved in promoting peace.

Establish early warning mechanisms to prevent gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.

MD

MRE

Contribute to increasing the capacity of local institutions to protect the population against gender-based violence, particularly the security, justice, medical and health care sectors.

MRE

MD
MJSP
SPM

Train the military, police and civilians to protect the local population against gender-based violence, including to work as gender focal points.

MD

MRE
SPM
CCOPAB

Establish dialogue mechanisms with local women’s networks that support protective actions.

MD

Contribute to increasing local institutional capacity to address the special protection needs of internally displaced women and girls.

MRE

MJSP
MD
SPM

Prioritize operations in areas in which gender-based violence is prevalent, as well as in situations in which women and girls are more vulnerable to this type of violence, taking into account the recommendations of the mission´s Gender Unit.

MD

In accordance with the UNSC mandates, contribute to protecting the local civilian population against gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict situations in which Brazil is involved in promoting peace

Increase military and police women’s participation in operations to facilitate the identification of possible victims and improve dialogue aimed at protecting women and girls.

MD

Disseminate and implement international and national action and response protocols in face of gender-based violence, and, when needed, elaborate complementary national protocols.

MD

Promote the exchange of best practices regarding the protection of civilians against gender-based violence.

MD/MRE

Strengthen the implementation of the United Nations Zero-Tolerance Policy regarding Brazilian men and women deployed in peacekeeping operations and special political missions, by adopting strict measures to counter sexual exploitation and abuse in all its aspects (prevention, investigation, punishment of perpetrators and assistance to all women and girls in situations of violence).

MD

MRE
MJSP

Contribute to strengthening the local institutional capacity or, where appropriate, international or mixed criminal courts to investigate, prosecute and punish those responsible for acts of gender-based violence, as well as to provide assistance to victims.

MRE

MJSP

Foster a policy aimed at guaranteeing the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Brazil that consider gender-specific needs.

Promote gender sensitive incorporation and implementation of international and national normative instruments on the protection of refugees and asylum seekers.

MJSP

MRE

Strengthen the consideration of the persecutory element associated with gender-based human rights violations, while examining the asylum applications.

MJSP

MRE

Grant all refugee women and girls in vulnerable situations priority at the time of the implementation of the Brazilian Resettlement Program.

MJSP

MRE

Disseminate among women and girls who are refugees or asylum seekers information about norms, institutions and procedures that are part of the Brazilian network for countering violence against women.

MJSP

MRE
SPM

Promote access to medical services and psychosocial support to asylum seekers and refugees who have suffered gender-based human rights violations.

MJSP

MRE

Develop public actions and reception and shelter facilities that consider the specific protection needs of all women and girls.

MJSP

MRE

Foster a policy aimed at guaranteeing the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Brazil that consider gender-specific needs.

Promote the participation of women in the decision-making process of refugee policies in Brazil.

MJSP

SPM
MRE

Train public agents involved with the Brazilian refugee system to obtain information on the norms and protective facilities for all women and girls.

MJSP

SPM
MRE

Train public agents involved with the network of countering violence against women on information about the Brazilian refugee system.

MJSP

SPM
MRE

Include content about refuge in the foreign service›s pre-posting courses and in pre-deployment training courses, considering approaches to gender issues.

MRE
MD

MJSP
CCOPAB

Strengthen dialogue with civil society organizations that work on women’s and girls’ rights to frame and implement refugee policies.

MJSP

SPM
MRE

Strengthen partnerships to promote the education and economic and social inclusion of refugee women and girls.

MJSP

SPM
MRE

Third Pillar: Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Cooperation

This pillar consists of actions in order to strengthen the gender perspective in Brazil’s work in peacebuilding and humanitarian cooperation situations, considering the armed conflicts’ different impacts upon men and women, aimed at sustaining peace.

Expected outcome: Strengthening of the gender perspective in the design and implementation of peacebuilding and humanitarian cooperation activities performed and/or supported by Brazil.

OBJECTIVES

ACTIVITIES

Leader Institution

Intitutions Involved

Strengthen the gender perspective in peacebuilding actions, initiatives and programs in which Brazil participates.

Strengthen gender mainstreaming into all the activities of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission.

MRE

Support projects that encourage and value the political role of women and their organizations in post-conflict situations, especially in monitoring and implementing peace agreements, electoral processes and peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction strategies.

MRE

MD
SPM

Promote the exchange of experience and best practices among countries about the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of local women in actions related to peacebuilding and humanitarian cooperation.

MRE

MD
SPM

Strengthen the gender perspective in peacebuilding actions, initiatives and programs in which Brazil participates.

Mainstream the gender perspective into the design and implementation of disarmament, demobilization, reinsertion and reintegration processes, as well as of economic and social development programs in post-conflict and/or humanitarian cooperation situations.

MRE

MD
SPM

Promote capacity building in the Women, Peace and Security for all personnel involved in peacebuilding situations.

MD/MRE

Contribute that humanitarian demining activities take into consideration the gender perspectives in the affected population.

MD

SPM
MRE

Support local institutions in security sector reform and rule of law for the promotion and protection of human rights of all women and girls.

MRE

MJSP
SPM

Cooperate with local institutions for the drafting and implementation of specific laws on gender-based violence, including sexual violence, with a view to improving women’s access to justice and specialized care service, as well as to holding perpetrators accountable.

SPM

MRE

Promote and/or support programs for social, political and economic empowerment of all women and girls.

MRE

SPM

Strengthen the gender perspective in peacebuilding actions, initiatives and programs in which Brazil participates.

Contribute that infrastructure rebuilding and urban planning programs consider the gender perspectives.

MRE

Strengthen gender perspectives in humanitarian cooperation actions, initiatives and programs implemented or financed by Brazil in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Guarantee that humanitarian cooperation projects developed and/or financed directly or indirectly by Brazil adopt gender perspectives.

MRE

MD

Promote the timely access of women and girls to humanitarian cooperation actions in line with their specific needs.

MRE

MD

Mainstream the perspective of sexual and reproductive health and rights into humanitarian cooperation programs and projects.

MRE

SPM

Mainstream gender indicators into monitoring and assessing the humanitarian cooperation initiatives, projects and programs.

MRE

SPM
MD

Fourth Pillar: Awareness-raising, Commitment and Improvement

This pillar refers to actions that aim to improve and disseminate knowledge about the WPS agenda in Brazilian society, thereby raising awareness about its importance, and engaging relevant actors in the implementation of the National Action Plan, as well as furthering the cooperation with civil society.

Expected outcome: The expansion of the knowledge about the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the engagement in its implementation of public entities, civil society organizations, feminist and women’s movements, the academy and the general public.

OBJECTIVES

ACTIVITIES

Leader Institution

Intitutions Involved

Deepen and disseminate knowledge about the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Circulate international documents about the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

MRE
MD
MJSP
SPM

Identify and share the experience of Brazilian women formerly involved in peace processes, peacekeeping operations and special political missions.

MRE
MD
MJSP
SPM

Deliver lectures and seminars on the WPS agenda in civil, diplomatic, military and police institutions.

MRE
MD
MJSP
SPM

Encourage the participation of the involved actors in national and international lectures and seminars on the WPS agenda.

MRE
MD
MJSP
SPM

Encourage and promote research on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, including facilitating the access to information and relevant primary documents, pursuant to the appropriate legislation.

MRE
MD
MJSP
SPM

Promote further knowledge about and engagement in the National Action Plan in Brazil.

Disseminate the National Action Plan within public organs, civil society organizations, feminist and women’s movements, the academy and the general public, as well as international and regional organisms, aiming to engage them in supporting its implementation.

MRE
MD
MJSP
SPM

Further the cooperation with civil society organizations, feminist and women’s movements and the academy in capacity building and dissemination of the NAP.

MRE
MD
MJSP
SPM

Manage the National Action Plan website, in order to promote active dialogue with society.

MRE

MD
MJSP
SPM

Promote the exchange of best practices with States that have relevant experience in the implementation of National Action Plans about Women, Peace and Security.

MRE/MD

MJSP
SPM

DURATION, IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION

The Brazilian National Action Plan will have an initial duration of 2 years (2017-2018).

The Ministries responsible for the execution of the present Plan, in their respective fields, will establish mechanisms to monitor its implementation. They will publish, at the end of each year, reports on the decisions taken to accomplish the objectives and activities foreseen in it, the progress achieved and challenges identified. Regarding monitoring the implementation of the NAP, the contributions of the respective Gender Commissions and/or specific Commissions related to the NAP will be considered, where appropriate.

At the end of 2018, the WPS Working Group will meet again in order to evaluate the implementation of the Plan as a whole and proceed to any necessary adjustments for its improvement. The convenience of developing a new NAP for the subsequent time span will be discussed by the Working Group established for such purpose, which will report its recommendations to the concerned organs and institutions.

GLOSSARY

- Countering gender-based violence – According to the National Policy on Confronting Violence against Women, based on the Belém do Pará Convention, violence against women constitutes “any gender-based action or conduct, which causes death, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, whether in the public or the private sphere”. It encompasses different forms of violence against women, such as: violence that occurs within the family or domestic unit or within any other interpersonal relationship, violence that occurs within the community and is perpetrated by any person, including, among others, rape, sexual abuse, torture, women trafficking, forced prostitution, kidnapping and sexual harassment in the workplace and in educational institutions, health establishments or any other place; and the violence that is committed or tolerated by the State or its agents, wherever it may occur (institutional violence).[21] Countering violence against women requires broad and coordinated policies that aim to handle the complexity of the violence against women in all its expressions; it does not limit itself to the issue of combating, but it also includes the dimensions of prevention, assistance and guarantee of women’s rights.[22]

- Disarmament, Demobilization, Reinsertion and Reintegration – Disarmament equates to collect, document, control and dispose of weapons and ammunitions that belong to combatants and also frequently to the civilian population. Demobilization is the formal and controlled release of active combatants from the armed forces and other armed groups. It usually involves assembling the former combatants in provisional centers and providing temporary assistance packages to ease their reinsertion within civil life. Reintegration is the process whereby former combatants become civilians and earn sustainable jobs and income.[23]

- Empowerment – Empowerment means that people, women and men, girls and boys, may assume control over their lives: define their objectives, acquire abilities or see their abilities and knowledge recognized, solve problems and develop self-confidence.[24] The empowerment of women is increasingly recognized as fundamental for the success of actions aiming to reduce poverty, build democratic governability, prevent crises and recovery and promotion of sustainable development. Empowering women means to ensure that they have an active voice in all governance institutions, so that they can participate equally with men in public dialogue, decision-making processes and influence the decisions that will determine the future of their families and countries.[25]

- Gender – Gender refers to the various socially-constructed roles and relationships, personality traits, attitudes, behaviors, values, relative power and influence that society ascribes to both sexes in a differential basis. Considering that the biological sex is determined by genetic and anatomic characteristics, gender is an acquired identity that is learned, susceptible to changes over time and varies widely within and between cultures. Gender is relational and refers not only to men and women, but also to the relationship between them (UN Women, 2016).

- Gender analysis – The gender analysis consists of the systematic assessment of the different impacts that a phenomenon, policy or program may have upon women and men, with the aim of examining whether they increase or decrease gender inequalities and gaps.[26] It implies the collection of disaggregated-sex data and information on the gender of the population at stake, as well as evaluating the various manners whereby women and men, as social agents, develop strategies to transform existing roles, relations and processes for their and others’ benefit.[27]

- Gender Mainstreaming – This refers to actions that consider the different perspectives, experience, knowledge and interests of all genders – including women, men, boys and girls – in the inception, planning and execution of policies, laws and programs in the political, economic and social spheres, aiming that the inequality between men and women is not perpetuated.[28] For this purpose, it requires the acknowledgement of the different effects and recovery time that violence, destabilization and conflicts impact upon distinct genders.

- Humanitarian cooperation – Humanitarian cooperation aims to contribute to the socioeconomic and environmental prevention, response, mitigation and recovery of communities that are vulnerable or in an emergency situation, pursuant to the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence, in accordance with the Resolutions 46/182 and 58/114 of the United Nations General Assembly and with the 4th article of the Federal Constitution. The latter provides that the Federative Republic of Brazil conducts itself in international relations by the principles of prevalence of human rights and cooperation between populations for the progress of humanity, among others.[29]

- Peacebuilding – Peacebuilding involves a set of measures aiming to minimize the risk of a conflict outbreak or relapse by means of strengthening national capacities at all levels to manage controversies and lay the foundations for sustainable peace and development. It is a long-term and complex process, which works to confront the root and structural causes of the conflicts by wide-ranging means.[30]

- Peacekeeping operations – Peacekeeping operations are instruments conceived to maintain peace, albeit fragile, and they are carried out in contexts in which combats have been halted and with the purpose of assisting the adherence to the agreements achieved by peace negotiators. Through the years, peacekeeping evolved from a model of primarily military observation of ceasefires and separation of forces after interstate wars to a complex model of multiple elements – military, police and civil – that work together to help to settle the foundations for sustainable peace.[31] Three essential principles guide them: impartiality, consent of the parts and non-use of force except in self-defense or defense of the mandate.

- Security Sector Reform – Security sector reform corresponds to a process of revision, execution, monitoring and evaluation led by national authorities, whose aim is to improve the responsible and effective security for the State and its population without discrimination and with full respect for human rights and the rule of law.[32] Through Resolution 2151 (2004), the Security Council acknowledged that the reform of the security sector in post-conflict situations is essential for peacebuilding and stability.

- Rule of law – Rule of law is a governance principle by which all people, institutions and entities, whether public or private, including the State, are responsible in face of the laws publicly enacted, equally executed and adjudicated in an independent manner in consistence with the universal human rights norms and standards.[33]

- Special political missions – The United Nations special political missions are civilian missions deployed for a limited time-frame to support Member States in activities of good offices, conflict prevention, peace promotion and peace building. They may be established by the Security Council or the General Assembly.[34]

- UN’s Zero-Tolerance Policy – This corresponds to preventive and accountability measures adopted by the UN to protect local populations that benefit from the protection and assistance of the UN against sexual abuse and exploration (SEA) carried out by civilian or uniformed personnel that act under the mandate or authorization of the Organization. UN’s Zero-Tolerance Policy against SEA finds itself consolidated in many instruments of the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Secretariat.[35]

STATISTICS

BRAZIL – DIPLOMATS IN ACTIVITY, BY SEX

Men

Women

Total

Diplomats

1224

77.1%

364

22.9%

1588

Ministers of 1st Class

163

81.4%

36

18.6%

199

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Yearbook of Rio Branco (on February 2016)

BRAZIL – OFFICIALS AND NON-COMMSIONED RANKS OF ARMED FORCES IN ACTIVITY, BY SEX

Men

Women

Total

Navy

73,502

90.22%

7,975

9.78%

81,477

Army

210,663

96.30%

8,101

3.70%

218,764

Air Force

60,326

86.00%

9,822

14.00%

70,148

BRAZIL

344,491

93.00%

25,898

7.00%

370,389

Source: Portal Brasil, with Ministry of Defense, Brazilian Navy, Brazilian Army and Brazilian Air Force data (on March 2016).

UNIFORMIZED PERSONNEL OF UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS AND BRAZILIAN PARTICIPATION, BY SEX

Military

(Military experts and troops)

Police

(Individual police officers and in formed units)

Total

Men

Women

Total

Men

Women

Total

Men

Women

Total

ONU

85,073

96.62%

2,975

3.38%

88,048

11,651

90.30%

1,251

9.70%

12,902

96,724

95.81%

4,226

4.19%

100,950

BRASIL

1,281

98.69%

17

1.31%

1,298

5

100%

0

0

5

1,286

98.70%

17

1.30%

1,303

Source: United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO, on 31 August 2016).

BRAZIL – PERSONNEL OF STATE AND FEDERAL DISTRICT’S CIVIL AND MILITARY POLICES, BY SEX-2014

Men

Women

Total

Police Officers

86,637

73.64%

31,005

26.36%

117,642

Military Police

383,410

90.16%

41,838

9.84%

425,248

Brazil

470,047

86.58%

72,843

13.42%

542,890

Source: IBGE. Pesquisa de Informações Básicas Estaduais 2014.

IMAGES

Maria Quitéria (Maria Quitéria de Jesus Medeiros), the first Brazilian woman to join the Brazilian military. She enlisted – against her father’s will and disguised as a man – in order to fight against Portuguese forces during the independence process. She integrated the artillery and obtained recognition for her skills with weaponry, discipline and nerve in combat. She was granted the title of Patroness to the Complementary Board of the Army Officials. (Image: Oil painting by Domenico Failutti).

Anna Nery (Anna Ferreira Justina Nery) volunteered as a nurse during the Paraguayan War in order to provide medical aid to the conflict’s wounded and to be close to her children. In 2009, she was added to the Book of National Heroes. (Image: Oil painting by Victor Meirelles)

Maria José de Castro Rebello Mendes was the first Brazilian woman to be accepted in the diplomatic career. Her application was refused initially by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the 1918 admission process. This decision, however, was later overturned after jurist Ruy Barbosa took a stand in favor of her admission and considered such impediment unconstitutional. She was the top-ranking candidate in that year’s entrance examination (Photo: Historical Archive)

Bertha Lutz (Bertha Maria Julia Lutz), scientist, militant for the feminist movement and Congresswoman, was a part of the Brazilian delegation to the San Francisco Conference, which negotiated the Charter of the United Nations. She advocated for the recognition of equal rights among men and women within the preamble of the Charter and for the prohibition, within its eighth article, of any and all discrimination pertaining to the eligibility between men and women in participating, in equal conditions, of the UN. There were only 4 women among all 850 delegates in the San Francisco Conference. (Photo: UN Photo)

Odette de Carvalho e Souza was the first woman in Brazil, as well as in the world, to attain the post of career Ambassador, in 1956. She led the Political Department of Itamaraty from 1956 to 1959, responsible, among other things, for issues relating to peace and security. (Left, photographed with then Israeli Prime-Minister Golda Meir – Photo: Historical Archive)

Lieutenant Aviator Carla Alexandre Borges became in 2011 the first woman to take command of an Air Force fighter jet. Since 2003 the School of Cadet Aviators of the Air Force Academy has received women. The access to the Board of Logistics Officers was authorized in 1995 and to the Aeronautic Experts School in 2002. (Photo: Brazilian Air Force)

Rear Admiral Dalva Maria Carvalho Mendes was promoted to this patent in 2012 and became the first woman Admiral, as well as the first woman to achieve the generalate in the three Armed Forces in Brazil. The first class of the then Staff Female Corps of Navy Officials graduated in 1981. Between 1994 and 1997, new laws expanded the access of women to the Navy. In 2014, the first class of female recruits at the Navy School began its activities. (Photo: Brazilian Navy).

Several female candidates take the admissions test to the Preparatory School for Army Cadets (ESPCEx) in 2016, the first in which they were granted access. The ESPCEx is the entrance channel to the Agulhas Negras Military Academy, whose courses make it possible for them to act as combatant officers. About 7.6 thousand candidates competed for 40 places reserved for women. Their participation in the entrance exam derived from Law No. 12,705 / 12, which increased women’s access to the Brazilian Army. Since the 1990s, the Army has accepted female professionals in the areas of administration, health, and engineering. (Photo: Ministry of Defense)

Brazilian peacekeepers on duty at the Brazilian Battalion at the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti - MINUSTAH. Since 2004, more than 190 women have joined Brazilian troops in Haiti. (Photos: Ministry of Defense)

Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, then Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations (2007-2013), during the Brazilian presidency of the UN Security Council in February 2011. On January 1, 2017, she assumed the position of Chief of Cabinet of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. (Photo: UN Photo)

Ambassador Maria Nazareth Farani de Azevêdo, Permanent Representative of Brazil in Geneva (2008-2013; and 2017-). (Photo: UN Photo).

Ambassador Regina Maria Cordeiro Dunlop, former Permanent Representative of Brazil in Geneva (2013-2017) and, since 2017, Brazilian Ambassador to the Hague. In addition to bilateral relations with the Netherlands, the Embassy is in charge of Brazil’s participation in international peace and security organizations, such as the International Court of Justice, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the International Criminal Court. (Photo: Delegation of Brazil to Geneva).

The Director of the Department of International Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maria Luisa Escorel de Moraes, and military women students of the Sérgio Vieira de Mello Joint Center for Peacekeeping Operations - CCOPAB, in (Photo: CCOPAB)

The Federal District Military Police Captain, Virgínia Lima, one of the Brazilian military police officers deployed in MINUSTAH (2012/2013). She has been a member of the United Nations Police’s Mobile Gender Team, which works to support the Haitian National Police in favor of the victims of gender violence (Photo: AP / FB / VSL).

1st Lieutenants Karin Lopes and Renata Cunha, of the Military Police of the state of São Paulo, during a decoration ceremony at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. (Photo: AP / FB / KLY).

Specialist of the Ministry of Health during a class on epidemiology and gender, within the scope of trilateral technical cooperation Brazil-Cuba-Haiti in the area of health, planned and executed with a gender focus. (Photo: Fiocruz)

Women from Guinea-Bissau during a technical cooperation workshop supported by Brazil and the United Nations Population Fund in the area of health, which prioritized issues such as domestic violence, sexual and reproductive health, and drug prevention. (Photo: Ministry of Health).

1 Cf. UNITED NATIONS. ADVISORY GROUP OF EXPERTS FOR THE 2015 REVIEW OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACEBUILDING ARCHITECTURE. The challenge of sustaining peace: Report of the Advisory Group of Experts for the 2015 review of the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture. New York: United Nations, 2015. Available at: <http://www.un.org/en/peacebuilding/pdf/150630%20Report%20of%20the%20AGE%20on%20the%202015%20Peacebuilding%20Review%20FINAL.pdf >. UNITED NATIONS. HIGH LEVEL INDEPENDENT PANEL ON PEACE OPERATIONS. Report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations on uniting our strengths for peace: politics, partnership and people (A/70/95-S/2015/446). Available at: <http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/70/95 > UNITED NATIONS. UN WOMEN. Preventing Conflict, Transforming Justice, Securing the Peace: A Global Study on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. New York: UN Women, 2015. Available at: <http://wps.unwomen.org/~/media/files/un%20women/wps/highlights/unw-global-study-1325-2015.pdf>.

2 See the 4th World Conference on Women’s Declaration and Platform of Action, 1995 – with special regards to paragraphs 18, 28, 29 and 33 of the declaration and section E (paragraphs 131 to 149) of the Platform of Action. Portuguese version available at: <http://www.onumulheres.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/declaracao_pequim.pdf>.

3 Cf. UNITED NATIONS. UN WOMEN. 2011-2012 Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice. New York: UN Women, 2012. Available at: <http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2011/progressoftheworldswomen-2011-en.pdf>. pp. 18, 58, 70.

4 Cf. BRASIL. Bill no. 12.593 of January 18 2012 Institutes the Multiannual Plano f 2012-2015. Available at: <https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2011->.

5 Cf. BRASIL. PRESIDÊNCIA DA REPÚBLICA. SECRETARIA DE POLÍTICAS PARA AS MULHERES. Plano Nacional de Políticas para as Mulheres. Brasília: Secretaria de Políticas para as Mulheres, 2013. Available at: <http://www.spm.gov.br/assuntos/pnpm/publicacoes/pnpm-2013-2015-em-22ago13.pdf> p. 48, ações 4.3.28, 4.3.29, 4.3.31 e 4.3.32.

6 UNITED NATIONS. UN WOMEN. Preventing Conflict… cit.

7 STONE, Laurel. Women Transforming Conflict: A Quantitative Analysis of Female Peacemaking. Social Science Research Network. South Orange: Setton Hall University, 2014. Available at: <https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2485242>.

8 GIANNINI, Renata. Promoting gender and building peace: evolving norms and international practices – PhD dissertation. Norfolk: Old Dominion University, 2013.

9 KARIM, Sabrina & Beardsley, Kyle. Female Peacekeepers and Gender Balancing: Token Gestures or informed Policymaking? Atlanta: Emory University, 2013. Available at: <http://people.duke.edu/~kcb38/II%20Paper%20FINAL%203-2-13%20-with%20contact.pdf>.

10 ANDERHOLT, Charlotte. Female Participation in Formed Police Units: A Report on the Integration of Women in Formed Police Units of Peacekeeping Operations. Carlisle, PA: United States Army Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, September 2012.

11 UNITED NATIONS. UN WOMEN. 2011-2012 Progress of the World’s Women… cit. p. 59.

12 UNITED NATIONS. DEPARTMENT OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS. Ten-year Impact Study on Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security in Peacekeeping. New York: United Nations, 2010. Available at: <http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/documents/10year_impact_study_1325.pdf>.

13 UNITED NATIONS. SECURITY COUNCIL. Report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security (S/2015/716). New York: United Nations, 2015. Available at: <http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2015/716&Lang=E>.

14 UNITED NATIONS. UN WOMEN. Addressing Conflict Related Sexual Violence An Analytical Inventory of Peacekeeping Practice. New York: UN Women, 2010. Available at: <http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2012/10/wpssourcebook-04d-addressingsexualviolence-en.pdf>. p. 13.

15 Ibid.

16 Ibid.

17 UNITED NATIONS. UN WOMEN. Facts and Figures: Peace and Security. New York: UN Women, 2016. Available at: <http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/peace-and-security/facts-and-figures>.

18 UNITED NATIONS. SECURITY COUNCIL. Report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security (S/2015/716). New York: United Nations, 2015. Available at: <http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2015/716&Lang=E>.

19 UNITED NATIONS. UN WOMEN. Facts and Figures… cit. loc. cit.

20 NILSSON, Desirée. Anchoring the Peace: Civil Society Actors in Peace Accords and Durable Peace. In: International Interactions 38, no. 2. April 2012. p. 258.

21 See ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES. INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION, PUNISHMENT AND ERADICATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, “CONVENTION OF BELÉM DO PARÁ”. Art. 1st and 2nd.

22 BRASIL. PRESIDÊNCIA DA REPÚBLICA. SECRETARIA DE POLÍTICAS PARA AS MULHERES. Política Nacional de Enfrentamento à Violência contra as Mulheres. Brasília: Secretaria de Políticas para as Mulheres, 2011. pp. 7, 11-12.

23 UNITED NATIONS. GENERAL ASSEMBLY. FIFTH COMMITTEE. Note by the Secretary-General on Administrative and Budgetary Aspects of the Financing of UN Peacekeeping Operations (A/C.5/59/31) . New York: United Nations, May 24, 2005.

24 UNITED NATIONS. OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON GENDER ISSUES AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN. Important concepts underlying gender mainstreaming. New York: United Nations, 2001. Available at: <http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/factsheet2.pdf>p. 2.

25 UNITED NATIONS. UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME. Women’s Empowerment. New York: UNDP, 2016. Available at: <http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/womenempowerment/overview.html>.

26 BENAVENTE, María Cristina; DONADIO, Marcela & VILLALOBOS, Pamela. Programa regional de formación para la implementación de la resolución 1325 (2000) del Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas relativa a la mujer, la paz y la seguridad, y resoluciones conexas. Santiago: CEPAL, 2016. p.21.

27 UNITED NATIONS. UN WOMEN. Gender Equality Glossary. Disponível em:<https://trainingcentre.unwomen.org/mod/glossary/view.php?id=36&mode=&hook=ALL&sortkey=&sortorder=
&fullsearch=0&page>.

28 UNITED NATIONS. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL. Agreed Conclusions 1997/2. New York: United Nations, 1997. Available at: <http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/ ECOSOCAC1997.2PDF>.p.3.

29 BRASIL. MINISTÉRIO DAS RELAÇÕES EXTERIORES. Cooperação humanitária brasileira. Available at: <http://www.itamaraty.gov.br/pt-BR/politica-externa/cooperacao/11937-cooperacao-humanitaria-brasileira>.

30 UNITED NATIONS. DEPARTMENT OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS. United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: principles and guidelines. New York: United Nations, 2010. Available at: <www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/documents/capstone_eng.pdf>. p 18.

31 UNITED NATIONS. DEPARTMENT OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS. United Nations Peacekeeping Operations … cit. p 17.

32 UNITED NATIONS. GENERAL ASSEMBLY. SECURITY COUNCIL. Securing peace and development: the role of the United Nations in supporting security sector reform. Report of the Secretary-General (A/62/659-S/2008/39). New York: United Nations, 2008. p. 6.

33 UNITED NATIONS. SECURITY COUNCIL. The rule of law and transitional justice in conflict and post-conflict societies: report of the Secretary-General (S/2004/616). New York: United Nations, 2004. p. 4.

34 UNITED NATIONS. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. Special Political Missions: Supporting Conflict Prevention, Good Offices and Peacemaking. Available at: <https://dpa-ps.atavist.com/special-political-missions-supporting-conflict-prevention-good-offices-and-peacemaking>.

35 See, for instance, the annual reports of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) of the United Nations General Assembly, the UNSC Resolutions 1820 (2008) and 2272 (2016), and the UNSG Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (ST/5GB/2003/13).