Looking Back, Looking Forward: Consultations on Canada’s WPS National Action Plan was a consultation process in the spring of 2017.
Canada’s first National Action Plan (C-NAP) for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) was launched in 2010 and expired in March 2016.
The global history of WPS implementation indicates that close cooperation with civil society experts is an important element. The Government and civil society, under the auspices of the Women, Peace and Security Network – Canada (WPSN-C), co-chaired a two day consultation conference. The conference brought together the government C-NAP partners and civil society experts to build on the consultations on development assistance and defence of 2016, exchange information on C-NAP renewal, and work collaboratively in developing an ambitious and robust renewed C-NAP.
The consultations also included webinars, background documents, other material submitted by civil society, and a survey evaluating the process.
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Report of the Joint Government – Civil Society Consultation on a New Canadian National Action Plan (C-NAP) for the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (WPSN-C, April 28 2017)
Overview
On April 20 and 21st, 2017, the Government of Canada and civil society co-chaired a two-day consultation conference under the auspices of the Women, Peace and Security Network – Canada (WPSN-C). The conference brought together 50 members of Canadian civil society and over 35 government representatives, including C-NAP (Canadian National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security) government partners and potential partners, parliamentarians and political staff.
Government representatives included staff from GAC’s Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (PSOPs), International Humanitarian Assistance (IHA), and Geographic and Multilateral branches, DND/Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), the RCMP, Public Safety Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Status of Women. Representatives from GAC, DND/CAF and the RCMP also presented on their respective departments’ achievements to date and proposed plans for moving forward on the WPS agenda and with a new C-NAP.
Also participating were Hannah Bond from Gender Action for Peace and Security – United Kingdom (GAPS-UK), Mavic Cabrera-Balleza from the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) and Jacqueline O’Neill from Inclusive Security.
The objective of the consultation was to provide a space for government and civil society to further exchange information on lessons learned, discuss new ideas, and work collaboratively to build an ambitious and robust new C-NAP. This report provides a summary of the discussions held during the two-day conference. In addition to the two-day conference, the consultation also included three one hour webinars (on April 10, 12 and 18), a Twitter conversation and an online survey. The webinars addressed women, peace and security in Canada’s defence policy,
Canadian policies on refugees, and feminist foreign policy and international assistance. Where relevant, their findings are also incorporated in this report.
The conference portion of the consultation took part under Chatham House Rule and therefore is not for attribution. Exceptions include information presented during the webinars and during the formal presentations by international civil society experts (Q&A section excluded).
How to read this report
The report is divided into three sections. Section 1 looks back at lessons learned from the first CNAP. Section 2 looks at the new context and opportunities for Canada, including considerations for building an effective NAP and Canada’s comparative advantage. Section 3 looks forward by identifying a number of priorities for a new C-NAP. The annex presents specific advice and considerations per government department present at the conference. It also provides additional resources on the C-NAP and NAPs in general.
Summary of the Evaluation: Consultations on Canada’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security
Agenda for the in-person consultation
Draft background documents from the Government of Canada
Elements for the Second Generation C-NAP FY2017-22
Reflections on Canada’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security
Background documents prepared for WPSN-C
Background Note #1: Four Pillars of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda
Background Note #3: WPS National Action Plans: Lessons Learned and Best Practices
Background Note #4: Canada’s New WPS NAP: Emerging Issues
Video from panels at the April 20, 2017 in-person consultation
Context and Opportunities for Canada
Moderators : Parliamentary Secretary Matt DeCourcey , MP for Fredericton & Beth Woroniuk, WPSN-C Coordinator
Speakers: Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, and Jacqueline O’Neill , Inclusive Security
Lessons Learned on Building Effective Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans
Moderator: Tony Anderson , Senior Policy Advisor on WPS, Global Affairs Canada
Speakers: Hannah Bond, Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS)-UK; Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, Global Network of Women Peacebuilders; and Jacqueline O’Neill , Inclusive Security
Webinars
More than Counting Women in the Military: Women, Peace and Security Perspectives in Canada’s Defence Policy
Beth Woroniuk talks with Stéfanie von Hlatky and Maya Eichler
Canadian Policies on Refugees: A Women, Peace and Security Perspective
Diana Sarosi talks with Muzna Dureid and Fahima Hashim
Feminist Foreign Policy & International Assistance: Lessons for Canada’s Next National Action Plan
Sarah Tuckey talks with Rebecca Tiessen and Rebecca Wolsak
Submissions from WPSN-C members & others
The following documents represent the opinions of the authors. They have been submitted to contribute to the larger conversation around Canada’s next national action plan and the women, peace and security agenda.
Summary of #CNAPConsult Twitter conversation
Gender Issues are Security Issues: Canada’s Next C-NAP and the Conclusive Link Between Women’s Empowerment and Peace (By Sarah Tuckey, PhD Candidate and Management Consultant, April 2017)
Memory Check for a Holistic Women, Peace and Security Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (Prepared by CARE Canada for the WPSN-C as a contribution to the C-NAP Consultations, April 2017)
The Conjugal Slavery in War Project (Compiled by the Conjugal Slavery in War (CSiW) Research Project, Professor Annie Bunting, Dr. Izevbuwa Ikhimiukor, and Professor Althea-Maria Rivas for the WPSN-C as a contribution to the C-NAP Consultations, April 2017)
English