Engendering Justice: The Promotion of Women in Post-conflict and Post-transitional Criminal Justice Institutions

Abstract

The acute need to address security-related concerns of women in conflict and post-conflict scenarios has been noted and emphasized by powerful actors including the United Nations Security Council, evidenced in the passing of 12 relevant resolutions, including Resolution 1325 (Women, Peace and Security 2000), Resolution 1820 (Women, Peace and security: Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict 2008), and Resolution 1960 (Women in peacekeeping missions in civil, military, and police functions 2010). The inclusion of gender-related issues within security sector reform (SSR) policy and academic circles also reflects another important policy trend, that of gender mainstreaming, within development and aid circles. Gender-related issues may not be dominant within SSR, but are gaining traction. OECD DAC (now the OECD-DCD-DAC) publication urged policy makers and funders to include gender-related SSR policies into their programs. This includes gender-related program assessments (such as reviewing policies for any gender discriminatory provisions), promotion of policies that address gender-specific needs, inclusion of policies to address gender-based violence, collaboration with women’s and human rights organizations when creating reforms, and mandating gender-related trainings for security personnel. The publication also stressed the importance of women’s participation and consultation in security and justice issues, including the greater physical representation of women within the security sector. The report stated that “creating more representative security system institutions—i.e. institutions with a diversity of personnel that reflects the population they seek to serve—through increased capacity, recruitment, retention and advancement of women strengthens operational effectiveness and can generate greater civilian trust” (OECD DAC, 2009, p. 2).

The authors wish to thank Leonid Lantsman and M. Kathleen Coogan of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Office of Criminal Justice Assistance and Partnership (CAP), US State Department, for their feedback on this project. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice Office for the Advancement for Research in funding travel expenses for an initial presentation of project findings at the American Society of Criminology conference in Washington, DC, in November 2014.