UNITAR – Training for Civilian Peacekeepers on Special Needs of Women & Children in Conflict

UNITAR

A Training Programme
for Civilian Personnel in UN Peacekeeping Operations

For further
information please contact:

UNITAR (WCC),
Palais des Nations,
1211 Genève 10, Switzerland
Tel: (+41-22) 9171234, Fax: (+41-22) 9178047
E -mail: martin.bohnstedt@unitar.org

Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ)

En français:
Sommaire ¦ Foire
aux questions
(FAQ)

Training
goals

Familiarize peacekeeping staff with the specific needs of women and children during and after armed conflict; Refresh the participants’ knowledge in selected areas of international law that provide protection for women and children; Raise their awareness for the demographic structure of war torn-societies and for the consequences of conflict on women and children, including their political and economic marginalization; Enable them to understand the important role that women (and even children) can play as partners in assistance operations, during reconstruction, reconciliation and peace-building, and why their contributions to peace-building should be encouraged; Expose them to, and let them critically examine, the culture, history and social norms of the host country with a focus on gender relations; Provide training on the social behaviour required to deal with local counterparts in daily encounters in the field, including contacts with the local governmental and administrative structures; Increase their understanding for the challenges, but also advantages of operating in a cross-cultural environment and, thus, help them to become reliable and responsible members of multi-dimensional peacekeeping operations; Look at reconstruction efforts in the mission area with a focus on women and children; Publicize and support the United Nations’ “zero tolerance” policy in preventing and addressing cases of peacekeeping staff committing acts of sexual exploitation and abuse; Inspire peacekeeping staff to address women’s and children’s concerns in their daily work; Provide a forum for sharing experiences and exchanging views on gender mainstreaming and child protection in the mission’s area of operation.