Gender Advisory Unit

18 April 2012. Abu Shouk: Small girls from Abu Shouk camp for Internal Displaced People (IDP), North Darfur, dance and sing to celebrate the opening ceremony of ten new classrooms in three primary schools in Abu Shouk camp for Internal Displaced People (North Darfur). The rooms have been built for the last five months by the UNAMID Rwandan battalion 29 as part of a Quick Impact Project (QIP). Photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran, UNAMID

Gender Advisory Unit

Gender Advisory Unit derives its mandate from UNSCR-1769 (2007) and UNSCR- 2113  (2013) and from the Women, Peace and Security Resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010),  2106 (2013) and 2122 (2013) specifically addressing the disproportionate and unique impact of conflict on women and girls. These resolutions reinforce UNSCR-1325 that has set the agenda for women’s important role in the prevention and resolution of conflict and peace building and for their equal participation and full involvement at decision making levels in conflict resolution and maintenance and promotion of international peace and security. In  implementation of these resolutions, GAU implements its mandate in accordance to the UNAMID overall strategy, the UN Strategic Results Framework on Women, Peace and Security 2011-2020 that commit DPKO  to strengthen support to national implementation, strengthen the basis on which to assess progress and improve system-wide coordination with UNCT on the area of women, peace and security. GAU facilitated the establishment of many mechanisms on the ground including Women Legislative Caucuses (WLC), GBV States’ Committees, 1325 Committees in the five Darfur States and maintained collaboration with states’ governments and civil society organizations and women led organizations in Darfur.

Within the mission, the unit spearheads gender mainstreaming in all aspects of the mission’s mandate implementation including policies, planning, procedures and reporting This entails ongoing review and analysis of the policies and interventions of the Mission’s mandate and the needs and priorities at the ground to ensure that the principle of equality between men and women in Darfur is fully integrated into all functional areas of the missions’ work. This is done through capacity-building of  senior management, gender focal points and UNAMID staff, the provision of policy advice and technical assistance to sections and components to ensure that they promote gender equality through gender-responsive workplans and activities, advocate actions and policies within the mission on key gender issues, monitor and report on gender-related issues (within and outside the mission), and report on the mission’s achievement of its gender mainstreaming efforts and improvement in gender balance in mission staffing.

GAU also reaches out to state governments, the Darfur Regional Authority, civil society, internally displaced peoples, local leaders, women, localities and communities to mobilize support and advocate for the resolution of gender issues affecting Darfur.  The primary focus is on increasing women’s participation in peace processes and governance, and protection of women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence, women’s equitable access to services and resources and women’s socio-economic empowerment.  The unit also ensures adequate implementation of DDPD articles  related to gender mainstreaming, monitoring and evaluation. The early recovery response of the gender advisory unit focuses on economic, social and political empowerment of women in Darfur. This is done by increasing awareness about the women’s potential, capacities and rights, and developing an enabling environment for women’s active and equitable participation in the entire decision making and recovery related processes. The unit in partnership with other UNAMID sections and UN agencies mobilizes the resources necessary for early recovery interventions.

Mission
Promote  gender equality  by  integrating gender perspective in all the UNAMID operations, protect women and girls from violence and  support and actively  engage  the economic, social and political empowerment of women in Darfur.

Vision
To help create a society where women are protected against all forms of violence including gender based violence; the gender disparities are reduced in all spheres of life and women’s equitable accessibility and control over resources and services are attained. A society where women are politically empowered and play an equal role in economic and social development of society and where their contributions are taken into account and reflected in the national policies

Goals
1.    1. Ensure gender mainstreaming in mission operations with improved gender-responsiveness of all senior management in UNAMID;
2.    Protect and promote women’s rights in all operational work-plans of UNAMID;
3.    Promote enabling environment in Darfur for the promotion of gender justice and women rights;
4.    Respond to and mitigate gender-based violence;
5.    Enhance women’s participation in the peace process;
6.    Ensure women’s involvement in key transitional institutions and processes as enshrined in the Interim National Constitution 2005 and DDPD.
7.    Enhance women’s participation in political decision-making;
8.    Promote women’s participation in livelihood and economic development  initiatives;
   . Strategies
   • Capacity development
   • Research
   • Advocacy
   • Social and economic transformation  and Change Communication
   • Partnership building
 Scope of work
Gender Mainstreaming:
1.    Provide technical advice in planning and decision making processes at senior level to ensure that gender issues within the mission are adequately addressed;
2.    Ensure integration of gender perspectives in operations of all mission components;
3.    Conduct regular training and provide assistance to UNAMID civilian, military and police components to ensure the integration of gender in the respective operations;
4.    Build the capacities and provide assistance to the government institutions and Darfur Regional Authority in integrating gender perspectives into their policies and programs.

Protection
1.    Conduct studies to assess gender dimensions of the conflict aimed at promoting evidence based advocacy.
2.    Advocate with Government officials, community gatekeepers and policy-makers to develop and strengthen mechanisms for prevention and response to gender based violence.
3.    Develop partnerships with the state institutions and strengthen their capacities to respond to the special protection needs of women.
4.    Enhance UN, government and civil society readiness for the prevention and response to SGBV through active participation in various forums and working groups.
Early Recovery and Empowerment of Women:
1.    Lobby and advocate with the relevant authorities for the acceleration of the implementation of women related articles  in the DDPD and subsequent agreements.
2.    Ensure women’s participation and representation in peace building and decision making processes;
3.    Build the Capacity of women’s groups and other civil society organizations to integrate gender into their programs and operations;
4.    Raise awareness and sensitization among various stakeholders to improve women’s access to services and resources, especially access to justice, protection and health;
5.    Develop the capacities and support communities for the promotion and protection of women, men, boys and girls’ human rights in Darfur;
6.    Conduct comprehensive gender sensitive needs assessment on early recovery social and economic needs in Darfur focusing on the impacted communities including IDPs, refugees and returnees;
7.    Mobilize resources to support early economic recovery projects and programs.

Partnerships
   • UNAMID substantive sections;
   • UNCT;
   • Civil Society Organizations;
   • Government Ministries, Departments and Committees;
   • Darfur Regional Authority;