Implementation of UN Security Council resolution no. 1325

Implementation of UN Security Council resolution no. 1325

For the first time in history, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security has evaluated the role and experiences of women in situations of armed conflict. Contemporary armed conflicts are characterised by the fact that civilians, especially women and children, are particularly vulnerable in conflict situations. The number of female combatants, whether forcibly recruited or voluntarily enlisted in armed conflict, is also growing. Nevertheless, the role of women is not recognised, and their experience is not appreciated.

The resolution calls on member states to increase women's participation at all decision-making levels in national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict; requests to provide training guidelines and materials on the protection, rights and the particular needs of women, as well as on the importance of involving women in all peacekeeping and peace-building measures, to incorporate these elements as well as HIV/AIDS awareness training into national training programmes for military and civilian police personnel in preparation for deployment, and to increase voluntary financial, technical and logistical support for gender-sensitive training efforts.

The resolution is important for Lithuania in terms of strengthening the role of women both in Lithuania’s society and the international dimension, also in the context of the country’s membership of the EU and NATO, both of which pay considerable attention to the implementation of the resolution, and, finally, in terms of implementing the objectives of national foreign policy, security policy and development cooperation policy, and of taking part in international peacekeeping missions. During its period of office, Lithuania’s Presidency of international organisations shall, inter alia, support a comprehensive and active role of those organisations in the implementation of equal opportunities for women and men, and of initiatives to protect women's rights.

On 22 June 2020, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania issued an Order No V-146, releasing the second National Action Plan (NAP) for the Implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 for the period 2020-2024.

The National Action Plan takes into account the lessons learnt and experiences gained over the last twenty years, during which the country was implementing the UNSC Resolution 1325, the conclusions of the Council of the European Union on women, peace and security, and the provisions of the EU Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) 2019-2024. The NAP includes objectives, targets, specific implementing measures, expected results and allocated budget. The NAP aims to strengthen women's role in the building of peace and to promote their participation in security and democratic processes at the national and international levels.

In Lithuania, the NAP shall be implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Ministry of Health, and the Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior. The majority of goals and objectives outlined in the UNSC Resolution 1325, such as an active international activity with a view to ensuring the implementation of the resolution in international organisations, support to initiatives of other countries, non-tolerance of violence against women during situations of conflict and the like shall be implemented using diplomatic actions that do not require separate funding.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs monitors the implementation of the NAP.

Related documents:

• UN Security Council Resolution No. 1325 (2000)
• UNSCR 1674 (2006)
• UNSCR 1820 (2008)
• UNSCR 1888 (2009)
• UNSCR 1889 (2009)
• UNSCR 1960 (2010)
• UNSCR 2106 (2013)
• UNSCR 2122 (2013)
• Lithuania's Action Plan for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security
• Report of the EU Member States annual meeting on UNSCR 1325 "Transitional Justice and Gender: Reducing Impunity" (27 May, 2013)
• European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) Statement Maximising EU Support to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda
• Résumé of a seminar on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania on 24 May 2012
• At the UN Security Council, Lithuania urges to put an end to violence against women (press release)
• 2013-09-04 Report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security

Statements and speeches:

• Statement by Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at the open debate of the UN Security Council on “Women and Peace and Security”. New York, 30 November 2012 (video, part 3)
• Statement by Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė, Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council open debate on "Women and Peace and Security". 17 April 2013
• Statement by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Neris Germanas at UN Security Council Open Debate “Addressing Impunity: Effective Justice for Crimes of Sexual Violence in Conflict”. New York, 24 June 2013

Useful links:

• NATO'S implementation of UNSCR 1325
• European External Action Service: "Women in Armed Conflict/Women's Role in Peace and Security"
• European Peacebuilding Liason Office: "Gender, Peace and Security"
• United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - UN Women

Lithuania's chairmanship of the forum for security co-operation of OSCE

Lithuania holds chairmanship of the Forum for Security Co-Operation of OSCE during the period May – August, 2013. In the view of active engagement in implementing OSCE’s Vilnius Ministerial decision No. 7/11, Lithuania considers implementation of UNSCR 1325 (2000) and related resolutions as one of its chairmanship priorities. Therefore two security dialogues were organized on the issues of Women, Peace and Security:

• Security Dialogue of 8 May, 2013. The main guest speaker was Mr.  Michael Larmas Smith, Program Director, Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) for the U.S. Department of State. His presentation was on “Implementing UNSCR 1325: Lessons-Learned by the United States’ Global Peace Operations Initiative”.
• Security Dialogue of 12 June, 2013. Main presentations were presented by Mr. Andrew Long, Senior Policy Adviser, and Ms. Jackie Upton, Policy and Programme Manager, Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom Government on “Women, Peace and Security, and the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict” and Ms. Bilge Koçyiğit, FSC Coordinator on matters relating to UNSCR 1325 on “How could we advance FSC work and strengthen co-operation: assisting in the implementation of UNSCR 1325”.

Lithuania's chairmanship of the organization for security and co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Under the chairmanship of Lithuania in 2011  OSCE’s Vilnius Ministerial Council at 7 December 2011 adopted two decisions, having impact on the issues of women, peace and security:

• Decision No. 3/11 on Elements of the Conflict Cycle, related to Enhancing the Osce’s Capabilities in Early Warning, Early Action, Dialogue Facilitation and Mediation Support, and Post-Conflict Rehabilitation;
• Decision No. 10/11 on Promoting Equal Opportunity for Women in the Economic Sphere.

Vilnius Ministerial Council has also adopted a decision No. 7/11 on Issues relevant to the Forum for Security Co-operation, which tasked the Forum, in accordance with its mandate to examine ways that it can assist in the implementation in the OSCE region of the UNSCR 1325 (2000) and related resolutions on the issue of gender and security.