2022-11 A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS: THE IMPACT ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN ACTION IN UKRAINE
Whereas#1 the key problems women face during the war are - direct threat to life because of hostilities, mass evacuation, disposition of IDPs, as well as psychological deterioration; and
Whereas#2 women demonstrate leadership during the war - both in civil and military affairs, and it is important to establish self-organization and coordination with local authorities;
Whereas#3 women’s leadership and their role in decision-making has increased at the family level and partially at the community level, they participate on equal terms in family decisions in response to the crisis. When it comes to the humanitarian needs of IDPs, locals and households, women do most of the work—they drive, they provide hospitals and locals with medication and food, [and] they care for their disabled relatives and children; and
Whereas#4 at the formal decision-making level, the centralization of power and increased role of the military has made it more difficult for women to exert influence in formal political and administrative decision-making processes, thus decreasing women’s overall participation; and
Whereas#5 issues of social development and gender equality tend to be sidelined, and the voices of women are not included meaningfully in planning and decision-making around the humanitarian response or wider peace processes; therefore, be it
Resolved#1 that the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) adopt that the Global norms and standards on Women Peace and security and the Compact Five Issues areas on Women, Peace and Security: Financing the WPS agenda and gender equality in humanitarian programming, Protection of women in conflict and crisis contexts, including women human rights defenders, Women’s meaningful participation in peace processes, Women’s economic security, access to resources and other essential services, Women’s leadership and agency across peace, security and humanitarian sectors, UNSC resolutions: 1325-2000[S/RES/1325 (2000)]; 1889 (2009) [S/RES/1889(2009)]; 2122 (2013) [S/RES/2122(2013)]; 2493 (2019) [S/RES/2493(2019)] and Humanitarian Action be effective immediately applicable to Ukraine; as they form the foundation of the women, peace, and security agenda. These resolutions and related thematic and country-specific decisions by the Security Council and other bodies—such as the UN General Assembly, the Peacebuilding Commission, and the Human Rights Council—promote gender equality and strengthen women’s participation, protection, and rights across the conflict cycle, from conflict prevention to post-conflict reconstruction.
Resolved#2 that the NCWC urges the Government of Canada to: a) to act without delay in the implementation of the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action signatories Five Issues areas on Women, Peace and Security, as per Gender Equality Forum, Paris 2021; and the UNSC resolutions 1325-2000[S/RES/1325 (2000)]; 1889 (2009) [S/RES/1889(2009)]; 2122 (2013) [S/RES/2122(2013)]; 2493 (2019) [S/RES/2493(2019)] in Ukraine. To coordinate with the government of Ukraine in order to action the above resolutions; and
b) to support financially local women’s NGOs to enable self organization independently and hastily, as the efforts to overcome war challenges often consolidate on the ground; and
c) to recognize, encourage and support financially the role of women during and post war - to create real opportunities for women in decision-making in accordance with Canada’s commitments to Women Peace and Security.