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    3 Humanitarian efforts, protection of civilians and protection of human rights

    Norway’s humanitarian efforts are rights-based. The gender perspective is to be integrated into all our humanitarian efforts, and special priority is to be given to women’s rights and participation. Norway’s efforts in humanitarian crises must safeguard human rights and be adapted to meet different needs and priorities regardless of gender and age. The National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and the Humanitarian Strategy provide guidance for this work.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will:

    • maintain efforts to ensure compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights, and play a part in holding the parties to conflicts accountable;
    • promote women’s participation in planning and implementing the humanitarian response, and help to ensure that women’s voices are heard;
    • work to prevent and combat sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict, post-conflict situations and during humanitarian crises in peacetime;
    • continue efforts to ensure that a gender perspective is integrated into work on arms control and humanitarian disarmament, for example through follow-up of the political declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA);
    • seek to ensure that women human rights defenders in conflict and post-conflict situations have access to protection mechanisms through the UN and civil society;
    • promote the participation of women human rights defenders in multilateral forums and international meetings on peace and security, and work towards stronger guidelines for protecting participants and preventing reprisals.

    To ensure that a gender perspective is integrated into our work, we will:

    • Seek to ensure that people who are affected by a humanitarian crisis have an influence on the humanitarian response, regardless of their gender.
    • Make sure that human rights are safeguarded in the humanitarian response regardless of gender. This includes sexual and reproductive health and rights.
    • Work on the basis of the ‘Do no harm’ principle. This also means that humanitarian efforts must be designed so that they do not exacerbate existing conflicts, create new ones or result in discrimination, including gender-based discrimination.
    • Expect recipients of Norwegian humanitarian funding to carry out intersectional needs analyses, which should form the basis for how humanitarian efforts are implemented. We should be particularly aware of the needs of:
      • refugees and internally displaced persons,
      • women of reproductive age,
      • children born of war,8
      • persons subjected to discrimination of different kinds, for example on the basis of age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnic and religious identity, socio-economic situation or disability.
    • Expect humanitarian organisations that receive Norwegian support to report on how the WPS agenda is integrated into all parts of the planning, implementation and evaluation of efforts in crises and conflicts.
    • Collect and disseminate best practice from the humanitarian organisations that have made most progress in integrating efforts to combat sexual violence against all genders into the planning of humanitarian efforts at the strategic and operational level.
    • Collect information and experience from representatives of civil society at country level who are advocating the inclusion of prevention, protection and response measures related to sexual and gender-based violence in the preparations for and implementation of international humanitarian efforts.
    • Give priority to protection against sexual and gender-based violence in our humanitarian response, and to life-saving support to survivors. The support must be based on the priorities and needs of the survivors, in all their diversity.
    • Use humanitarian diplomacy to provide a clear voice for protection against sexual and gender-based violence.
    • Be a driving force in ensuring that UN agencies comply with relevantguidelines for inclusion of the gender perspective and combating sexual violence in humanitarian efforts (see link to UNHCR’s tools under “Resources”).
    • Offer expertise and advice on the gender perspective and protection in field operations, including continuing to support the Protection Standby Capacity Project (ProCap) and the Gender Capacity Standby Project (GenCap).
    • Seek to ensure that donor cooperation and coordination at country level takes into account work on the WPS agenda in different phases of the response to crises and conflicts – from emergency aid to assistance and reconstruction in the medium and long term. This must include supporting, listening to, and protecting whistleblowers who report abuses within humanitarian organisations.

    The different phases of a peacebuilding process are closely linked. Reconstruction and reconciliation are often immediately followed by both conflict prevention and new conflict resolution. Work to prevent and combat violent extremism has points of contact with all our work for peace and security. To build sustainable peace, women’s rights and gender equality must be given a central place in all phases and interconnected processes.

    Checklist

    1. Always consider how women are represented and visible in meetings and delegations.
      • Do women participate and who do they represent?
      • Do the women in our team have clear and active roles?
      • Do we call for participation by women in meetings and negotiations?
      • How do we follow up the issues women raise in discussions and negotiations?
      • How do we highlight women's contributions in social media?
    2. Consider gender when analysing conflicts and actors, and when country strategies are being prepared. This includes considering
      • differences between men’s and women's participation,
      • the use made by the different political actors of gender roles and gender equality issues in their ideology and recruitment;
      • differences between the security situation for men and women and their opportunities to improve their situation themselves.
    3. Make women, peace and security a permanent agenda item in conversations with all relevant actors: partners, the authorities, the UN and multilateral organisations, other countries and important individuals/organisations.
    4. Be aware of the country’s commitments and its own goals, and hold the authorities accountable for following through on them.
      • Familiarise yourself with ratified conventions, NAPs and legislation relating to women and gender equality. Make active use of the reporting on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Pay close attention when the reports are being prepared and debated. Take note of recommendations and how they are followed up.
      • Support the authorities’ follow-up of national WPS commitments. If relevant, support the preparation of national commitments, such as WPS NAPs.
      • Familiarise yourself with the work done by other actors that monitor follow-up of the WPS agenda at the national level, for example the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders.
      • Join forces with other countries’ missions to formulate joint responses or follow up priority areas where necessary. Many voices are stronger than one.
    5. Familiarise yourself with the mandates and obligations of the multilateral organisations in connection with WPS resolutions, and hold the organisations accountable for fulfilling them. Note that many regional organisations have their own WPS action plans.
    6. Establish contact with the leadership of peace operations about matters relating to WPS, such as
      • women’s and men's role in an operation;
      • girls’ and women’s rights and position in the area of operations;
      • efforts to protect against, prevent and deal with sexual and gender-based violence.
      • Be particularly aware that Norwegians deployed on operations and missions can be an important resource for a mission and/or country team, and consider how the foreign service can support Norwegian personnel in international missions and operations.
    7. Gain an overview of and engage with civil society, including local, Norwegian, diaspora and international organisations, and also women's organisations and networks and women human rights defenders.
      • Who are they? What are their views? Who do they represent? What challenges do they face? Who are potential allies and who represent forces opposed to women's rights?
      • What strategies do women use to create alliances with men and to overcome resistance?
      • Do Norwegian civil society organisations have established partners in the country?
      • Does Norway support regional organisations that have national or local members who could be useful contacts?
    8. Call for active participation by women’s organisations, other relevant civil society organisations, national gender equality bodies and similar forums in dialogues and decision-making processes.
    9. Consider supporting women’s organisations and other civil society organisations. In this context, support for the following is particularly relevant:
      • participation in peace and reconciliation processes;
      • prevention of terrorism and violent extremism;
      • participation in the implementation of peace agreements,
      • collecting information and documentation that can form the basis for more targeted work;
      • survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, and also children born of war and survivors of human trafficking;
      • efforts for women refugees,
      • organisations that work with men and male gender roles, whether as victims, allies or abusers.
    10. Monitor changes in the situation for women, particularly for women human rights defenders, politicians and activists, as they are at heightened risk of being subjected to threats and abuse. See also the guidelines for Norway’s support to human rights defenders.9
    11. Include WPS messages in background updates, speaking points, reporting home and in dialogues with politicians, the political opposition, the civil service, civil society, the UN and the development banks.
    12. Raise questions relating to WPS in dialogues with grant recipients working in countries affected by armed conflict, vulnerable to potential conflict or to the consequences of conflicts in neighbouring countries.
    13. Include goals relating to the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2023–2030 in the mission’s annual work plan (virksomhetsplan). Consider whether it might be useful for the mission to have a separate WPS work plan.

    The Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security

    Main message

    SCR 1325 (2000)

    The first Security Council resolution to draw attention to how women are affected by conflicts. Focuses on the right to participate in peace processes, protection and the prevention of conflicts.

    SCR 1820 (2008)

    Recognises that conflict-related sexual violence is used tactically in armed conflicts, and emphasises the need for a response.

    SCR 1888 (2009)

    Holds peacebuilding forces responsible for protecting women and children against sexual violence, and asks the UN Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflicts. Pramila Patten is the third person to fill this role. She was appointed in 2017.

    SCR 1889 (2009)

    Emphasises the need for better planning and funding in order to ensure women’s participation in reconstruction and peacebuilding.

    SCR 1960 (2010)

    Focuses on accountability mechanisms to prevent sexual violence in conflict situations. Points to states’ responsibility to respect human rights, and states that impunity for abusers during armed conflicts is unacceptable. Allegations of sexual violence must be monitored and reported. Zero tolerance of sexual abuse committed by UN personnel.

    SCR 2106 (2013)

    This resolution calls for strengthening the work on prosecuting perpetrators of sexual abuse in conflicts. It also calls for monitoring, analysis and reporting mechanisms for conflict-related sexual violence.

    SCR 2122 (2013)

    Focuses on women as key contributors, not just as victims, in peacebuilding processes. Requests that participation be facilitated by giving support to grassroots women’s organisations and to improving women’s financial situation. Emphasises the need to get to grips with the fundamental causes of conflict. Also notes the need for access to all types of sexual and reproductive health services for women who become pregnant as a result of rape in war.

    SCR 2242 (2015)

    Identifies the need to include women in radicalisation and counter-terrorism strategies. Establishes the goal of doubling the proportion of women in peacekeeping forces in the next five years and strengthening the integration of gender equality into all phases of the planning and implementation of peacekeeping operations. Calls for peace mediators to be given training in including women in peace processes. The resolution calls for concrete measures to prevent UN personnel committing abuses while in service. The resolution also requests states to strengthen women’s access to justice, and calls for more financial support for implementation of the resolutions on women, peace and security.

    Resources

    The Government website pages on women, peace and security provide links to the National Action Plan, these guidelines, annual reports on WPS efforts and other resources: Women, Peace and Security - regjeringen.no

    Relevant action plans and guidelines for the Foreign Service

    UN and other international organisations

    Civil society organisations

    • Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has a separate project page including extensive information about women, peace and security, a list of resolutions, national and regional action plans (full text also available) and analyses of work on the women, peace and security agenda in the Security Council.
    • The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (NGO Working Group) is an umbrella organisation for a number of respected women’s and human rights organisations that work for the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda. They closely monitor the work of the Security Council, and are concerned with dialogue between the Security Council’s members and women who are directly affected by war and conflicts.
    • The International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) has developed the guideBetter Peace Tool with Norwegian support. It is available in several languages, and several animated films have been produced that are freely available on YouTube. The Better Peace Tool contains practical advice and tips about how to contribute to women’s participation and how to participate more actively in peace processes.
    • Women's Alliance for Security Leadership - ICAN (icanpeacework.org)
    • FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development
    • Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) focuses on gender-sensitive and survivor-centred accountability and truth-seeking transitional justice mechanisms in building lasting peace. The main pillars of its work are legal aid and empowerment, strategic litigation, advocacy and technical assistance.
    • Karama focuses on transitional justice, constitutional and legislative reform, political participation, and security sector reform in collaboration with local civil society partners in the Middle East and North Africa.

    Other resources

    Footnotes

    8.

     Children who are conceived through rape during armed conflict, and other children of war who have parents from opposite sides of a conflict.
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