Page 37 - The CoESPU Magazine N 1 - 2018

Workshop on

“Enhancing Diversity Skills in International Operations”

Following the violent experience of armed conflicts during the XX century and the changing global
scenario of peace and security after the cold war, the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly
women, became one of the central issues within the international community, and the gender
perspective was gradually included in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) international
peace and security agenda.
In 2000, the UNSC unanimously adopted Resolution
1325
on
Wo
men,
Peac
e and
Secu
rity (WPS), recognising, for the first time ever,
that gender inequalities exacerbated in
situations of armed conflict hamper the
establishment of sustainable peace and
development. The UNSCR 1325 acknowledges
the disproportionate impact of armed conflict
on women and children, and calls upon
international actors to introduce specific
measures and actions to tackle this crucial
problem.
Since the adoption of UNSCR 1325(2000),
Italy has strongly supported the Women, Peace
and Security Agenda. In this fast-changing
world and current international scenario, Italy confirms its efforts in this regard, also in line with the
outcome of relevant international Conferences, starting with the breakthrough of the Fourth World
Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995.
The Italian Government attaches the utmost importance to women’s role in transforming society:
this is the heart of UNSCR 1325 (2000) and confirms the importance
that Italy attaches to preventing all forms of discrimination and
violence. The Italian Government’s efforts are directed towards
implementing, inter alia, the National Extraordinary Action Plan on
Sexual and Gender-based Violence, adopted in July 2015, and the
more recent National Plan of Action on the Fight against Trafficking,
adopted in February 2016.
Furthermore, Italy’s Third National Action Plan in accordance with
UNSCR 1325 (2000) has a specific focus on the condition of women
and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations, as well as fragile
States, as survivors and, overall, “agents of change” with the objective of improving Italian capacity
to support affected populations during all stages of peace operations (conflict prevention and
mediation; peacekeeping; peace-making; peace-building; recovery and reconstruction).

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