The Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Girls - UNFPA

Kosovar women have debated about how to organize and improve work
on gender issues. Some say that mechanisms like a Women’s Department or
some kind <strong>of</strong> a gender unit is necessary to follow up on equal opportunity
programmes. Others say that such units will marginalize women. <strong>The</strong>y think
gender perspectives should be implemented into all policies and followed up
within each area <strong>of</strong> concern, without special mechanisms or provisions. It does
not seem to be a question <strong>of</strong> either option, but the integration <strong>of</strong> both. <strong>The</strong>re
must be strong, effective mechanisms at work for Governments and
municipalities to develop and follow-up gender policies. This is what can be
learned from more than 30 years <strong>of</strong> experience on equal opportunity
programmes in Nordic countries. <strong>The</strong>se programmes have been successful,
and effective instruments were created. Some institution must be responsible for
the equal opportunity programmes, based on legislation and planned actions.
Someone must take initiative in policy-making, raise issues and secure
cooperation with the entire administration and civil society. At the same time,
gender policies must be mainstreamed into all activities and programmes, in all
places, at all times. Finally, the women’s movement and other bodies working on
equal rights and opportunities for women and men must be integral to the whole
process.
Future Strategies for the Peacekeeping Missions
Among the lessons learned from the Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo and
the work on gender issues are the following:
• All international staff members, regardless <strong>of</strong> origin, must be gender
sensitized and trained in gender analyses. This training must be well
organized and take place at the beginning <strong>of</strong> the mission. It should contain an
introduction to United Nations policies on gender-mainstreaming and the
basic United Nations documents on the human rights <strong>of</strong> women, and address
the situation <strong>of</strong> women in the country <strong>of</strong> concern. Follow-up sessions after a
few months <strong>of</strong> experience in the field should be required;
• All programmes must be developed from a gender perspective and include
gender analyses;
• All agencies must develop equal opportunity programmes for their work,
including policies for the hiring <strong>of</strong> staff members;
• If applicable, all agencies must appoint Gender Focal Points to follow up on
their gender policies and mainstreaming work within the agency;
• All agencies must stress the gathering <strong>of</strong> sex-disaggregated data and
information from the outset <strong>of</strong> their work in the mission;
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