Putting Security Council Resolution 1325 back on the Australian agenda

It has been almost 12 years since the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325: Women, Peace and Security (SCR 1325) was unanimously adopted.

This is the first resolution passed by the Security Council that specifically addresses the unique impact of war on women, and women's contributions to conflict resolution and ongoing peace.

SCR 1325 recognises that if women are not present in preventative discussions, ceasefire negotiations, peace talks and peace agreements, it is near-impossible to increase women's status and visibility in peace processes.

In adopting SCR 1325, the Security Council placed an obligation on all member states to establish National Action Plans (NAPs) for the implementation of SCR 1325.

More than a decade since the adoption of the resolution, Australia has dragged its feet on introducing a NAP. After years of lobbying by non-government organisations in the gender and development sectors a consultation draft was released in mid-2011. Almost a year on, little progress has been made.

With less than a month to go until celebrations for International Women's Day 2012, it is a timely reminder for all of us to consider our global responsibilities when it comes to gender equality and to agitate for our national Government to take a lead on these issues.

For too long, the public debate around Australia's involvement in post-conflict situations has been focussed around timeframes for withdrawal of our troops. However, the lack of gender-responsive strategies implemented during our involvement in conflicts and post-conflict reconstruction are regularly overlooked.

Creating a realistic, implementable action plan in response to SCR 1325 will not only demonstrate Australia's understanding that women experience conflicts differently to men, but will show our global commitment to gender issues globally.

As a member state of the United Nations and as a country with a stated intent to gain a seat at the United Nations National Security Council, solid action by Australia to implement SCR 1325 is well overdue.

Nations across the globe who have had to deal with turmoil on their own soil have already taken leaps and bounds to meet their international obligations by introducing NAPS. Countries such as Rwanda, Cote D'Ivoire, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Nepal, Sierra-Leone, Uganda, Serbia and the Philippines have all introduced NAPs.

Australia lags behind these and other nations we are more often compared to such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Sweden and Denmark - all having also introduced NAPs.

While a consultation Draft is a welcome move after a decade of limited action, it currently lacks clear targets, timeframes or indicators, all of which are crucial to ensuring that the NAP would be effectively implemented and measured.

For example, bodies such as the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Federal Police and AusAID play an important role in building the capacity of women's organisations in the countries they operate. However, no clear assignment of responsibility exists holding these organisations accountable for their operations and internal structures.

NAP needs to deliver a comprehensive set of guidelines and processes that ensure bodies such as these to take a leading role in its implementation.

The NAP also currently sits within the responsibility of the Office for Women for coordination which faces the challenges of being under-resourced and continually de-funded by Governments of all stripes.

For a NAP to be successful it needs to be prioritised on the Government agenda across all portfolios.

It also needs to be backed up by a fully funded program for implementation. Without a genuine financial commitment and willingness for Australia to put its money where its mouth is, little will be achieved in real terms for women in conflict situations.

As we approach the 12 year anniversary of SCR 1325's adoption we want to ensure Australia's response includes actions that are enforceable and measurable, and implementation that can be evaluated.

This International Women's Day we are calling on the Federal Government to release its final NAP.

As a nation that prides itself on being a leader in the world community it is disappointing that it has taken so long for us to make any firm moves towards meeting our international obligations regarding women's peace and security in conflict situations.

International Women's Day is celebrated across the globe on March 8th each year. This International Women's Day UN Women Australia is helping make marketplaces safe for women in the Pacific by fundraising for UN Women's Partners Improving Markets program.

You can lend your support to this year's campaign by donating, buying official International Women's Day merchandise, hosting a fundraising event, or attending one of UN Women Australia's flagship events across Australia. For more information visit www.unwomen.org.au.