Launch of lessons learned study From words to actions: The experience of UN Special Political Missions in Colombia on Women, Peace and Security

High-Level Event for 20th Anniversary of UNSCR 1325

• Presented by: United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and the UN Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC)
• Tuesday 20 October 2020, 10:00-11:30AM/ New York  - 9:00-10:30AM/Bogota

The Colombian peace process and 2016 Final Peace Agreement are widely regarded as setting global standards for women’s participation in peace talks and the integration of gender issues into peace agreements. From 2016, the UN Security Council authorized two consecutive Special Political Missions (SPMs) in Colombia to verify the implementation of provisions of the Final Agreement. The verification arrangements have provided a unique example of how the United Nations can support Governments and other partners in the gender-sensitive implementation of peace agreements.

To document and learn from these ongoing efforts, the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and the UN Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC) commissioned an independent lessons learned study on the SPMs’ experiences supporting the gender-sensitive implementation of the Colombian Peace Agreement. The study identifies good practices and key challenges and provides recommendations for future UN efforts to support gender-sensitive verification of peace agreements in Colombia and beyond.

In the context of the 20th Anniversary of UNSCR 1325 (2000), DPPA and the UNVMC are presenting the study at a high-level launch event. The event will feature remarks from the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and head of  DPPA, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Women interim Representative in Colombia Patricia Pacheco, and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Colombia and head of the UNVMC, Carlos Ruiz Massieu.

A panel of esteemed Colombian women will take part in a conversation moderated by the Director of DPPA’s Policy and Mediation Division, Teresa Whitfield, featuring:

• Gheidy Gallo, Presidential Counselor for Women´s Equity (Colombian Government)
• Rosa Emilia Salamanca, Director of the NGO Corporación de Investigación y Acción Social y Económica.
• Victoria Sandino, Senator of the Republic of Colombia for the FARC political party and Leader of FARC Gender Commission

The author of the study, Marcie Mersky, will join the discussion. The event will be broadcast live through Facebook and YouTube channels of the Mission, and opened up for discussion with the audience. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided. The Member States, UN officials, Colombian authorities, civil society, former combatants, activists and academia are encouraged to join.

More information at peacemaker.un.org

Download here the summary report of the study

Download here the full version of the study