UNDP's eight point agenda for women's empowerment and gender equality in crisis prevention and recovery: ......

• Position: United Nations Development Programme - Report

UNDP's eight point agenda for women's empowerment and gender equality in crisis prevention and recovery: the eight point agenda: practical, positive outcomes for girls and women in crisis/Plan d'action en huit points du PNUD pour l'Habilitation des femmes et l'Egalite des genres dans la prevention des conflits et dans le retablissement apres les conflits: Le Plan d'action en huit points: Des resultats pratiques, positifs pour les ...

1. Strengthen women's security in crisis: Stop violence against women

   * Violence against women is an affront to the foundations of human rights, human decency and human dignity.

   * Rape and sexual violence are not collateral damage: they are methods of war.

   Perpetrators of these war crimes must be held accountable--by their communities, governments and by the international community, including through the International Criminal Court (ICC).

   * Violence against women also impedes progress in poverty eradication; combating HIV/AIDS; and peace and security.

   * Men and boys have a critical role to play in reversing the pandemic of violence against women.

2. Advance gender justice: Provide justice and security for women

   * Laws to protect women's rights must be included and enforced within legal frameworks.

   * Women must know their rights and be able to access legal systems, e.g., through free legal services.

   * Custom, tradition or religious beliefs should never serve to excuse or justify violence against women.

3. Expand Women's Citizenship, Participation and Leadership: Advance women as decision-makers

   * Women need the skills and confidence to influence the decisions that directly affect their lives, including through direct participation in government and the security sector.

   * Women often are denied access to business transactions and excluded from negotiations surrounding land titles, legislation needs to change to allow women to access business and land ownership.

   * Women need to be represented in social, political and economic spheres, giving them a voice in the peace and recovery processes.

4. Build Peace with and for women: Involve women in all peace processes

   * Women must be involved in all stages of the peace and recovery processes, including as high-level negotiators in peace talks.

   * Peace agreements offer opportunities for inclusiveness, democratic reform and for gender equality. These opportunities must be seized.

   * Gender provisions must be included in peace agreements and given priority as agreements are implemented.

5. Promote gender equality in disaster risk reduction: Value women's knowledge and experience

   * Women's unique needs must be incorporated in analyses of disaster risk and post disaster risk assessments.

   * As community structures crumble and...