Monitoring
- To continue making progress towards the objectives set out in resolution 1325 (2000), we wish to take this opportunity to reaffirm some of the commitments taken on by Argentina. First is the implementation of quantitative and qualitative tools to measure and to know in numerical terms — but also strategically — what the situation is with regard to the participation of women in peacekeeping operations. On that point it is worth emphasizing that we are planning to publish in March 2011 the results of the surveys undertaken with the contingent deployed in Haiti. It gathers their experience in gender matters prior to deployment and looks at their experience with the effective implementation of a gender perspective during the mission
- Another point is continuing to develop a database that gathers statistics on the voluntary participation of women in peacekeeping operations, including the number of women deployed and their roles in the missions, inter alia.
Policy
- Further, we will move forward with programmes of training on issues of gender and human rights for contingents that are soon to be deployed. That will include developing curricula that consider the gender perspective in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, by integrating both women in the contingents and women in the local population.
- Finally, in the Argentine National Centre for Joint Training for Peacekeeping Operations, the annual curriculum will include an international seminar on gender and peacekeeping operations, an initiative has no precedent at the international level.
Commitments made October 26, 2010 (see SC Open Debate)
Policy
- Continue with an active policy for Dissemination, in order to guarantee the participation of women in PKO, since the access to information is a fundamental right in ensuring full participation with no gender discrimination of any kind.
Therefore, all materials and publications are sent to key actors in the field, both in Argentina and Latin America.
Within the Armed Forces, dissemination activities on gender issues and PKO are carried out in the military units all across the country, in order to promote fuller participation by women. These activities are carried out in an integrated framework with other gender policies in the sphere of Defense and are cross-cutting to all actions undertaken by the Ministry.
- Continue the development of databases for volunteer participation in PKO, the number of women deployed, roles within each mission, among others. These are indispensable tools to further strengthen public policy in those areas identified as lacking, as well as to move forward in the implementation of policies to achieve a sustained and growing participation of women in PKO.
- Strengthen the role and tasks assigned to the designated Gender Focal Points, through training and enhanced visibility within each Mission. The reports presented by Focal Points are key elements for the development and review of policies.
- Promote the quantitative participation of women through the implementation of positive action measures in preparing contingents to be deployed in peacekeeping missions.
- Progress in training programs that enable us to adequately train contingents that are about to be deployed in gender and human rights, developing curricular contents that include the gender perspective in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, both as regards the women in the contingent and the female local population.
- Assume an active and protagonist role in fostering measures and actions for gender equality at the sub-regional and regional levels. As an example, on the First Seminar on Lessons Learned in PKO in South America within UNASUR, we shared the experience of Argentina in this field and promoted the resolve to promote issues linked to the gender perspective in PKO for UNASUR in the document that will be presented to the South American Council of Defense (CDS).
- Include in the annual curriculum at the Joint Training Center CAECOPAZ an International Seminar on Gender and Peacekeeping, an initiative that has no equivalent at the international level.
- Appoint a Psychologist specialized in psycho-trauma as part of contingents in peacekeeping missions. Among his or her duties are the psychological education related to reinsertion in the social and family environment for all personnel.
Monitoring
- Implement quantitative and qualitative tools to measure and identify in numeric as well as strategic terms what the situation of female participation in PKO is. In this regard, in March 2011, the launch of the results of surveys within the Haiti XI contingent is planned, which includes their experience in gender issues prior to deployment as well as the experience garnered during the mission on the implementation of a gender perspective.
- Remove all obstacles thus identified, either formal or informal, through the use of mechanisms such as gender focus inspections.
Commitments made via commitments form, September 2010.