Welcome to Our Secure Future’s monthly Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Digest, “the done for you” newsletter on WPS. Every month we curate the latest articles and reports on intersectional, cross-cutting issues focused on women’s rights, and international peace and security matters. Here's what we found in the month of June.
Climate Change
Experts warn of serious health impacts from climate change for pregnant women, children, and older people (World Health Organization)
“Pregnant women, newborns, children, adolescents and older people are facing serious health complications due to climate change, according to a new collection of papers published in the Journal of Global Health, and yet the specific needs of these groups have been largely neglected in the climate response”.
Women are 14 times more likely to die in a climate disaster than men. It’s just one way climate change is gendered (The Conversation)
“Women are 14 times more likely to die in a climate change-related disaster than men. Women represent 80% of people displaced by extreme weather. Although extreme weather events such as fires and floods might appear to affect everyone equally, the evidence shows crises exploit existing social faultlines. This means people who are already socially marginalised suffer exacerbated impacts”.
A climate crisis is a gender equality crisis – Life on small island states in the Pacific (United Nations Population Fund)
“Climate related disasters – which are becoming stronger and more frequent – pose a risk to people's lives, livelihood, homes, safety and access to services. The risk is not gender natural. During a crisis, incidences of gender-based violence (GBV) increase, while services, including GBV support and lifesaving maternal and newborn health care, are disrupted – at a time when they’re most needed.”
WMO Gender Action Plan (World Meteorological Organization)
“Over the last 10 years, WMO has adopted a Gender Action Plan then an Updated Gender Action Plan. Why the push for accelerating the inclusion of women within the Organization as well as in projects and activities on-the-ground? Because the voices of both women and men should contribute to and participate in the development and implementation of climate mitigation and adaptation, early warning services and disaster risk reduction.”
From drought to floods: Climate crisis after crisis keeps women on edge in East Africa (The Fuller Project)
“Unprecedented rainfall has hit much of eastern Africa over the past nine weeks, causing some of the worst flooding the region has seen in almost two decades... With sudden flooding increasingly preceded and followed by severe droughts, especially for those in the drylands — areas defined by a scarcity of water — climate change is giving East Africa’s residents whiplash.”
Technology
Tech’s Gender Blindspots: How to Create a Safer Digital Future (Our Secure Future)
“Technology has become an integral part of everyone’s daily lives. However, the digital ecosystem is not immune to the gender inequalities that persist in society.”
Left to Shoulder the Worries of AI (Center for Strategic and International Studies)
“The human body and gender identity continue to be crucial sites for a fact unlikely to change with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning–curated images, and deepfakes... This assault falls heaviest on women and requires the U.S. body politic to meet the challenge by extending legal protection with the bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) against artificially created and nonconsensual explicit material targeting women and children.”
Artificial Intelligence: Veteran Suicide Prevention Algorithm Favors White Men (The Fuller Project)
“An artificial intelligence (AI) program designed to prevent suicide among U.S. military veterans prioritizes white men and ignores survivors of sexual violence, which affects a far greater percentage of women, an investigation by The Fuller Project has found.”
Big Tech and The Weaponization of Misogyny in Moldova’s Online Ecosystem (She-Persisted)
“Moldova has exhaustive experience, some might say exhausting, combating digital threats to democracy as part of hybrid warfare tactics aimed at a country caught in a geopolitical crossroad between Eastern and Western spheres of influence.”
Atrocity Prevention
In the Shadows of Conflict: The Role of Sudanese Women in Building Peace and Stability (Our Secure Future)
“Amidst the ongoing turmoil in Sudan, a nation plagued by a history of strife, a new chapter of conflict has unfolded between the Sudanese national army and the paramilitary forces. As the power struggle grips the nation, affecting a widespread humanitarian crisis, Sudanese women are emerging as vital agents of change... As Sudan teeters on the brink, the imperative to include women's voices in the peace process has never been more urgent.”
“UN Women’s latest Gender Alert on the war on Gaza reveals the staggering challenges Palestinian women-led organizations face, highlights their unwavering commitment to save lives, and calls for urgent, coordinated investments in their operations on the ground.”
The IRC urges immediate implementation of UNSC Resolution 2735 to scale up humanitarian aid in Gaza (International Rescue Committee)
“The IRC welcomes the passing of UN Security Council Resolution 2735, calling for a three-phase ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza. The resolution also sets the path for the release of hostages, protection of Palestinians from further harm and calls for the distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale.”
General WPS
Global Gender Gap Report 2024 (World Economic Forum)
“The Global Gender Gap Index annually benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity across four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment). It is the longest-standing index tracking the progress of numerous countries’ efforts towards closing these gaps over time since its inception in 2006.”
Failures in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda are Stunting Peace in the Middle East (The Wilson Center)
“Women’s voices have been woefully absent from the policy table over rising conflicts in the Middle East, particularly Gaza. We are approaching the 25th anniversary of the United Nations’ Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, which called for greater recognition of the distinct impacts of conflict on women alongside the importance of their roles in enabling peace. Despite the proliferation of National Action Plans on WPS in most countries, the agenda has faced poor implementation and ongoing roadblocks 24 years later.”
Building a Secure Future: The Role of Male Allies in Advancing Women, Peace and Security (International Business Times)
“UN Security Council Resolution 1325 is approaching its 25th anniversary, and it's clear that the work of the MAWPS project remains crucial. ‘Our program on engaging male allies for Women, Peace and Security, MAWPS, initiative serves as a powerful reminder that men have a vital role as partners,’ explains Sahana Dharmapuri. ‘Male allies in this endeavor can achieve a more just and secure world for all by working together.’”
GIWPS Convenes Sudanese Women Peacebuilders in Kampala for Conference on the Current Crisis (Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security)
“The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security convened Sudanese women peacebuilders in Kampala, Uganda last month to discuss the current crisis, explore lessons learned from the past, and develop recommendations for policymakers.”
Mexico Elected its First Woman President: What Does this Mean for the Country’s Gender-Based Violence and Insecurity Crisis? (The Wilson Center)
“On Sunday, 2 June, Mexico elected its first woman president: Claudia Sheinbaum. Symbolically, this represents a huge leap forward for women in Mexico. While the country has been a regional forerunner in terms of the participation of women in politics, its most powerful role has never been held by a woman. Her victory should not be examined in isolation. It is the result of the extraordinary social, institutional, and cultural changes the country has experienced in questions of gender parity and women’s participation in public positions.”
OSF Builds Capacity for WPS Implementation Through its National Action Plan Academy (Business Insider)
“The WPS Caribbean National Action Plan Convening, co-hosted by Our Secure Future and UN Women, provided training and resources to enhance women's leadership in peace and security, emphasizing regional cooperation in the Caribbean.”
Upcoming Notable Events
July 8-17, 2024 - High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 2024 (UN)
“The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will be held from Monday, 8 July, to Wednesday, 17 July 2024... The theme will be "Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions.”
September 10-12, 2024: PeaceCon 2024 (Alliance for Peacebuilding)
“On September 10th - 12th, join the Alliance for Peacebuilding—in partnership with the U.S. Institute of Peace—for our 12th annual conference, PeaceCon 2024—Status Quo No More: Building Peace in the Time of Rising Violent Conflict, in hybrid format.”
September 22-23, 2024 - Summit of the Future (UN Foundation)
“The Summit is a high-level event, bringing world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future.”
September 24, 2024 - 2024 Women In Defense National Conference (Women in Defense)
“The 2024 Women In Defense (WID) National conference will bring together more than 500 women from across the nation to network and learn from government and industry experts. WID’s National Conference seeks to strengthen the defense industrial base by educating, empowering, and supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce”
September 23-24, 2024 - Save the Date! IWPR 2024 Power+ Summit! (Institute for Women’s Policy Research)
“IWPR’s Power+ Summit is not just another conference—it’s a call to arms. It’s a space where we come together to reimagine the future of gender equity.”
Opportunities
Open Call for Proposals on Gender Data (Complex Risk Analytics Fund)
“The Complex Risk Analytics Fund (CRAF'd) and its partners are excited to announce the launch of an Open Call for Proposals on gender data for better crisis anticipation, prevention, and response. Together with our partners, we believe in the power of data to highlight the challenges women and girls face in fragile and crisis-affected settings and to support impactful solutions. Submit your concept note by 4 August 2024 and join the CRAF'd crisis data ecosystem. A total of $3 million in funding is available.”
Evaluation Consultant for Irish Aid GBV Strategic Partnership (International Rescue Committee)
“The Irish Aid Strategic Partnership supports the IRC to respond effectively and with accountability to women and girls experiencing gender-based violence (GBV) in humanitarian settings.. The main purpose of this evaluation is to assess successes, challenges, and lessons learned from the 2022-2024 Irish Aid Strategic Partnership and related experts to inform recommendations for future strategic partnership approaches.”
Senior Advisor - Gender, Women, and Democracy (The National Democratic Institute)
“The National Democratic Institute (NDI) seeks a Senior Gender Advisor to provide the Institute with expert guidance in designing and leading cross-cutting global programs in democratic governance that promote gender equality and women's empowerment. The Senior Gender Advisor is a senior position within the Institute.”
Director, Government Relations (Malala Fund)
“Malala Fund advocates for resources and policy changes needed to give all girls a secondary education. The girls we serve have high goals for themselves and we have high expectations for leaders who can help them. The Director, Government Relations will be responsible for strategically building and managing Malala Fund’s relationships and engagements with governments, elected officials, administration leaders and civil servants to further advance our global advocacy initiatives.”