This project understands the concept of women, peace and security in the larger gender equality framework, which includes,
UNSC Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888, 1889 and 1960; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the MDGs. It is also perceived as part of a larger human rights framework, which includes the ICCPR, the ICESCR, the Refugee Convention, UN special procedures and mechanisms, International Humanitarian Law and the Rome Statutes of the International Criminal Court.
Within this conceptualizing, this project seeks to establish the link between the frameworks of UNSCR 1325 and CEDAW, particularly for purposes of documentation and information gathering on the main pillars of UNSCR 1325 – Prevention, Protection and Participation and for the purpose of holding the Sri Lankan government accountable for the fulfilment of the rights of women affected by conflict. The recommendations offered by the CEDAW Committee to the Sri Lankan government on women and armed conflict during its last periodic reporting before the Committee in January 2011 will be used as a guideline to monitor implementation. For this purpose the project will seek to:
Build the capacity of women in the conflict affected districts to use UNSCR 1325 inclusively with other international mechanisms such as CEDAW.
Facilitating and providing expertise to ensure follow up of CEDAW Concluding Observations on women, peace and security in Sri Lanka incorporating a UNSCR 1325 framework so that the principles of UNSCR 1325 can be incorporated into a monitoring mechanism that can hold the Sri Lankan government accountable to its international obligations.
The preparation of a comprehensive national report on women, peace and security that can be used for the provision of information to the UN Secretary General in the context of his mandate to report before the Security Council on the implementation of UNSCR 1325. And the preparation of a Shadow Report to the CEDAW Committee when Sri Lanka is next due to report before it on women and conflict.
The information gathered will also be developed in audio/visual media and new media formats for awareness raising and advocacy related to women, peace and security.
The community of women using new media will be strengthened to disseminate the information gathered on women, peace and security for advocacy and monitoring purposes.