Commitments
At the political level, committed to strengthening its mobilization to promote the women and peace and security agenda nationally, internationally and regionally. At the national level, we will increase the visibility of our plan of action. France, more than 20 per cent of whose ambassadors are women, is committed to achieving the target of 40 per cent women appointed to high-level diplomatic positions by 2018. That process is well under way.
will pursue our efforts in the Security Council to ensure that the provisions of resolutions on women and peace and security are well represented in the mandates of peacekeeping operations, as they are in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic.
Will continue to advocate for the inclusion of women in the Common Security and Defence Policy and to support the protection of women in conflict situations and in crisis resolution.
At the operational level, which, through the deployment of over 900 military and police personnel, is contributing to six peacekeeping operations — is committed to the utmost vigilance and resolve to ensure compliance with the rules laid down by the United Nations in the fight against sexual abuse and respect for human rights. The recruitment, training and deployment of our personnel to operations will continue according to a national process that ensures compliance with these rules. In the case of recent allegations of sexual abuse, our political leaders are deeply committed to the adoption of the most stringent sanctions, in addition to the judicial response, where such cases prove legitimate.
Financial Commitment
Contribute €50,000 to the United Nations Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women. The most recent biennial General Assembly resolution on the fight against violence against women (resolution 69/147), which France and the Netherlands have led since 2006, calls on States to contribute to the Fund. We hope that other States will follow. This contribution complements the financial support to the tune of €100,000 that France will offer UN-Women to strengthen women’s access to justice.
2016 Update:
National Action Plan: France is submitting its 2015 NAP to a national review (that will include civil society) next month.
Initiatives: France is in the process of organising a high-level conference on peacekeeping environments in francophone countries, which will recall the importance of the WPS Agenda. France will also present the bi-annual General Assembly draft resolution on Violence Against Women with the Netherlands.
France did not address last year’s commitment to “continue to advocate for the inclusion of women in the Common Security and Defence Policy and to support the protection of women in conflict situations and in crisis resolution.”
2017 Update:
French parity law has undeniably enabled France to achieve decisive progress. The French Government has achieved parity, as has the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York. France has also undertaken a comprehensive effort and set specific goals to increase women’s participation in its armed forces. Appointments have risen significantly, and women’s representation has virtually doubled since 1998 to 15 per cent of overall troops today a priority.France has supported the inclusion of a specific criterion on sexual violence in the sanctions regime concerning the Central African Republic and the inclusion of gender-related issues in the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, which in many respects is a model to follow.
In Syria, France funded an initiative to provide emergency medical assistance to protect women in a conflict where they are too often targeted, in particular through assistance in terms of sexual and reproductive health or psychological support services designed to improve the living conditions of women, especially those giving birth in very difficult conditions. Implementation: In Libya, France has supported training workshops for young entrepreneurs in Misrata, 50 per cent of whom were women, with the aim of strengthening the Libyan economic fabric by assisting young Libyan entrepreneurs and start-ups.
France is implementing its second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which covers the period 2015-2018.
France is taking action against impunity when crimes are committed against women, including to enable women’s access to justice.
France continues to support humanitarian programmes aimed at assisting women affected by the consequences of the crises in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Lebanon, as a result of the Syrian crisis, and Nigeria. France’s official development assistance already has fully incorporated the gender dimension, and the number of projects with a direct impact on the lives of women is rising as well.
France is also undertaking numerous projects to protect women from human trafficking.
Commitment:
France made a statement affirming support for the WPS Agenda, but no specific commitment made.
2018 Update:
France has supported the inclusion of a specific criterion on sexual violence in the sanctions regime concerning the Central African Republic and the inclusion of gender-related issues in the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, which in many respects is a model to follow.
In Syria, France funded an initiative to provide emergency medical assistance to protect women in a conflict where they are too often targeted, in particular through assistance in terms of sexual and reproductive health or psychological support services designed to improve the living conditions of women, especially those giving birth in very difficult conditions.
In Libya, France has supported training workshops for young entrepreneurs in Misrata, 50 per cent of whom were women, with the aim of strengthening the Libyan economic fabric by assisting young Libyan entrepreneurs and start-ups.
Commitments:
France is currently developing its third national plan of action for the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, which will be presented in the first quarter of 2019, and France will once again make that agenda a priority of its presidency of the Security Council in March 2019.