As a member of the United Nations, Norway is responsible for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (2000). The resolution is legally binding. The aim of the resolution is to increase women’s participation in civil and military peace operations, peacemaking and peace building, and to enhance the protection of women's human rights in conflict areas.
In order to intensify Norway’s efforts to promote a more just world, the Norwegian Government (2005-2009) has presented an action plan for the implementation of Resolution 1325. The national plan of action was launched March 2006. The action plan marks the beginning of a process, and will be revised regularly in cooperation with relevant national authorities and other interested actors.
Norwegian researchers and NGOs also work for the effective implementation of the resolution – both nationally and internationally. Forum Norway 1325 – a group of active organisations and individuals - was established in 2004 in order to promote 1325-initiatives and solutions based on their competence and experiences.
United Nations
Resolution 1325
The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 is the first resolution the Security Council passed specifically addressing the disproportionate and unique impact of war on women, and women's special under-valued and under-utilized contributions to conflict resolution and sustainable peace. It urges women's equal and full participation as active agents in peace and security. SCR1325 was initiated in 2000 by Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, then Minister of Women’s Affairs in Namibia when that country took its turn chairing the Security Council. After lobbying by dozens of women's organizations and UNIFEM the resolution was adopted unanimously.
Translations
The number of available translations on PeaceWomen.org has increased, since February 2003, from 9 to 77.
The Norwegian Government
The Norwegian Plan of Action
The Government (2005-2009) has developed a Norwegian action plan to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The plan was developed by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Justice and the Police, and Children and Equality. The implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 is in keeping with Norway’s commitment to promoting global security, peace and justice, as set out in the Government’s policy platform.
Implementation of SR 1325 - Norway's 7th Report on Implementation of the CEDAW
A special project group has been established in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the purpose of coordinating implementation of the action plan relating to UN Security Council Resolution 1325. A joint inter-ministerial group and a broad-based cooperative body comprising representatives from NGOs and research institutions are also involved in this process.
Implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325 relating to women’s participation in peace processes and reconstruction is an important aspect of Norway’s support for peace and reconciliation in various conflict areas. Norway works through multilateral institutions to promote the participation of women in peace processes and development, as well as in various peace processes in which Norway has the role of facilitator.
In Southern Sudan, over 60 per cent of the population are women, but few women have the opportunity of participating in peace negotiations in that country. Through a number of specific measures, Norway has sought to ensure that Sudanese women are included in the important processes taking place in the reconstruction phase that the country is currently undergoing. For instance, Norway and the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) jointly arranged a women’s symposium prior to the Oslo Donors’ Conference on the Sudan in April 2005. Women from both Northern and Southern Sudan attended the symposium, at which they reached agreement on a joint memorandum setting out priorities for the peace and reconciliation processes. The memorandum was subsequently presented at the Donors’ Conference.
Norway has also supported the UNIFEM project “Promoting Women’s Participation and Gender Equality in Post-conflict Reconstruction and Peacebuilding in Southern Sudan”, in which funds are used to arrange and follow up regional and national women’s conferences in Sudan. As part of its cooperation with UNIFEM, Norway has provided funding to enable 20 women from Darfur to travel to Abuja to take part in the peace negotiations in December 2005.
Norway has also sought to help increase the capacity of UN agencies to promote a gender perspective in conflict areas. Based on funding provided by Norway, the UNHCR established a special post as special advisor on gender issues and advancement of women and seconded a Norwegian woman to this post. Norway is also financing a junior expert post in the gender issues unit of the UN’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DKPO). In connection with the negotiations concerning the establishment of the UN’s Peacebuilding Support Office, Norway, with the support of the G77 countries, secured the inclusion of a paragraph regarding women experts in the office, with a clear reference to SR 1325. This is an important step towards introducing similar references in resolutions for future integrated peacekeeping operations.
The launching of the Government’s plan of action for the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security
Speech by The Norwegian Minster of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre, in which he stated that " We still have a long way to go before the gender perspective has been fully integrated into our efforts to promote peace and security."
The Norwegian Government's implementation of resolution 1325 (2005)
This report was published in the Five Years On Report, From Local to Global: Making Peace Work for Women, published by the NGO Working Group on Women Peace and Security, 777 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, October 2005.
Norwegian Research
The Gender Perpective in Norwegian Peace Efforts
A study for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs made by researcher Kari Karamé, published by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs in 2006. The report suggests to create a gender and peace unit within the Ministry, to focus on the purpose of the use of a gender perspective in peace-promoting efforts, to support local women's peace-promoting initiatives, and to create a pool of shared experienc
Publications
The web site Gender in Norway gives an overview of Norwegian research publications. Gender in Norway is an English language information service about official gender equality work, gender research, and gender statistics in Norway.
Researchers
The web site Gender in Norway gives an overview of Norwegian researchers. Gender in Norway is an English language information service about official gender equality work, gender research, and gender statistics in Norway.
NGO advocacy in Norway
Envisioning a National Action Plan: The Centre for Gender Equality in Norway suggests that a National Action Plan should prioritize the following issues
These recommendations were published in the Five Years On Report, From Local to Global: Making Peace Work for Women, published by the NGO Working Group on Women Peace and Security, 777 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, October 2005.