Gender Mainstreaming In Peacekeeping Operations ... - Resdal

Upholding the mandate of UNSCR 1325 and gender
mainstreaming in Liberia has not been an easy task, given the
limited personal and fiscal resources, unstable situation, and a
sensitive operational environment for gender issues. Drawing
upon the best practices achieved and their impact on women
and girls’ rights a number of recommendations emerge for
DPKO partners and peacekeeping stakeholders working in like
contexts and missions. They include:
• Rely on localized networks and community-based
initiatives: stakeholders need to use resources to cultivate
and develop the skills and networks that exist organically
within civil society. These networks can be a vital
resource for the mission as well as other key partners.
• Establish and rely on effective leadership of
women at all mission levels: having competent and
committed women as key mission staff illustrates the
importance of gender balance, and sends a message
to the community that gender equality must prevail.
Backing up women leaders through gender responsive
budgeting and gender equitable staffing and staff
retention is a vital operational step.
• Share information with the community through
sensitization campaigns composed of localized messages:
if created in a local dialect, and facilitated at the grass
roots level, information campaigns can be very useful in
getting the word out to women and girls. Stakeholders
should also use these campaigns to draw information
back from stakeholders- promoting two-way dialogue
between partners.
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