RESDAL is currently one of six
global implementing partners of the Elsie Initiative, funded by Global Affairs
Canada, through the implementation of the project titled: “Women in Peace
Operations: Supporting Inclusive Environments through Interregional
Collaboration and Engagement at the National Level.”. This project aims to
foster safer and more inclusive environments for women in security forces
across Troop and Police Contributing Countries (TPCCs), with a focus on the
African, the Asian, the Latin American, and the MENA regions. Grounded in the
principles of interregional collaboration, the inclusion of civil society and
academia, and the integration of voices from official institutions, the
initiative also prioritizes the use of national-level data and practices.
Its
overarching goal is to strengthen both the collaboration among southern TPCCs and
the oversight capacity of societies—at national and regional levels—on issues
related to sexual harassment and abuse against women in uniform and peace
operations. More specifically, the project seeks to contribute to the
development of norms, identify workplace challenges, and promote good practices
across defense institutions; amplify the voices of civil society and academic
actors from the four regions in global discussions; raise awareness of how
harassment and abuse impact women’s rights and participation in peacekeeping;
and build local capacities to address these issues effectively.
Involving 20 countries, since its start, the
project aims to encouraged TPCCs to take greater ownership of the conversation,
while reinforcing the need for sustained external engagement from civil society
and academia to ensure these issues remain on the agenda.
The program’s actions are structured around four main lines:
- Development of impactful outputs based on the collection of regulations,
good practices, and challenges related to sexual harassment and abuse, as well
as the Women, Peace and Security agenda within the armed and security forces.
- Creation of new spaces for experience-sharing among institutional, civil
society, and international actors.
Production of actionable information on the situation of uniformed
women, inclusive environments, and sexual harassment and abuse in countries of
the Global South.
- Outreach, advocacy and dissemination efforts to promote the active
participation of institutions, civil society, and academia in these issues.
The program will involve the participation of
institutional actors, uniformed personnel, academics, think tanks, and civil
society organizations from the Global South. Throughout the project, a
combination of research, institutional engagement, advocacy, and communication
activities is planned, with a primary impact on regions of the Global South.
The program aims to develop advocacy-oriented
outputs that highlight the regional context in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and
MENA. In addition, the project will include national case studies from Brazil,
Uruguay, Turkey, Egypt, Bangladesh, India, Cameroon, and Nigeria.
The program includes the participation of a network of experts from different regions, coming from civil society, academia, institutions, and research centers from the Global South. In addition, RESDAL has partnered with various institutions for the development of this project, including:
