International Women’s Day is an important reminder of the enormous role that women have historically played and continue playing in their communities and globally for the achievement of a peaceful and sustainable future. Yet, at UNITAR, we believe that celebrating women and their achievements should go beyond a single – albeit important – date, as each day presents opportunities to take an active step towards gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Therefore, starting on 6 March 2020, UNITAR will launch a social media campaign #TakeAStep dedicated to the amplification of women's voices and their achievements, as well as sharing tools which women can use to empower themselves. We want to acknowledge those ordinary actions and small stepping stones that lead women to greatness – however they choose to define it. To help translate awareness into action, as a capacity-building arm of the United Nations, UNITAR will offer concrete tools which can help along the way in the journey towards achieving gender equality. Every Friday, we will present a new or existing tool, an opportunity or an example of how it has been used/seized. Also, once a month, we will share a story of an inspiring woman who took an active step – however small – towards the empowerment of herself or others. Each such story will serve as an example of how women make use of the available opportunities, means and channels to amplify their voices and enable and inspire action, or – in the absence of such opportunities – of how they can be created, providing the tools that can be used to do so.

The campaign will initially focus on women in the security sector, working to be as inclusive as possible in its definition of ‘women’, encompassing differences in age, disability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic status, and gender identity. It will support the meaningful engagement of women in the promotion and defence of global peace, in line with the UNSCR 1325, Elsie Initiative, SDGs 5 and 16, and other relevant policies and instruments.

The campaign will aim to raise awareness of the available opportunities for women to succeed and make a difference in the security sector – whether through training, education, advocacy or other means – and will contribute to fighting stereotypes, inciting confidence, spreading knowledge, changing mindsets, and presenting opportunities for change in relation to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.

Want to find out which step you can take today to empower yourself and your peers? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. #TakeAStep now, share your story using the hashtag and let others know that you are joining the power movement!

We regularly share new tools below.

Because every step matters.

"On a socio-cultural level, women wanting to join the security sector often face discrimination, prejudice and stereotypes."

In a new issue of the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units magazine, UNITAR experts reflect on the progress made and persisting challenges related to women's recruitment into the peace and security sector. 

Access the full issue here or download the article in the "Interesting to Explore" section at the bottom of this page 👇

February marks two important occasions: Black History Month, observed in the United States and Canada, and the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated on 11 February. The most high-risk peacekeeping missions are on the African continent, where the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to take and disrupt lives and livelihoods. On the frontline of this public health crisis are women scientists, whose hard work and determination play a crucial role in the success of peacekeeping missions. Whether as electrical engineers, who manage power generation and distribution systems for UN peacekeeping camps, or geotechnical engineers designing airfield infrastructure, roads and bridges, women – and Black women in particular – play an incredibly important but often insufficiently recognised part. Take the example of Katherine Johnson, who was only recently widely celebrated for helping put the first person on the Moon.

We are therefore proudly shining a spotlight on Racky Balde and Tatenda Zinyemba, two talented scientists from Senegal and Zimbabwe who have studied the impact of COVID-19 in Africa. Read more about their work here: https://news.un.org/fr/story/2021/02/1089192

Words matter! Using inclusive language in mission mandates has a meaningful impact for uniformed women peacekeepers and "can help confront stereotypes about the roles and responsibilities of women in peacekeeping missions". 

#TakeAStep and read the policy brief and recommendations by Ms. Lisa Sharland published by the International Peace Institute: Women, Peace, and Security Mandates for UN Peacekeeping Operations: Assessing Influence and Impact.

Over the past nine months, committed to our role as a knowledge sharing hub, UNITAR’s dedicated team has been collecting, compiling and sharing stories, reports, studies, tools, celebrations, resources, events and much more exposing and challenging existing barriers and stereotypes in one of the sectors most affected by them – peace and security. Spreading the word about the impressive amount of work being done by women to promote peace and to encourage, inspire and enable other heroines to follow their path – through 34 posts in total – has been a fantastic learning journey for us as well. As 2020 – the year of unprecedented challenges presented by COVID, but also a milestone anniversary of both the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the UN itself – is coming to an end, it is not time to stop, but maybe time to take a breath and look back at the long and winding road behind. We invite you to do so with us by reading our mid-way article from the last UNITAR external newsletter in 2020.

We are happy to announce the third #TakeAStep interview, with Ms Mathilda (Tilly) Stroosnijder, a peacekeeping veteran and gender adviser in the security sector. She shared with us her extensive experience, exceptional career path, and her lessons learned on overcoming challenges as a woman working in the security sector. Follow our campaign to learn more about her work, and reflections on the progress (to be) made in the field of peace and security.  

The full interview is now available on UNITAR Medium.

31 October 2020 marked the 20th anniversary since the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. As a result of this landmark resolution, the face of peace and security has changed forever. 

#TakeAStep as we commemorate this occasion by sharing YOUR inspiring ideas and observations for current female changemakers and for the generations of women to come! 

More to come soon and thank YOU for your participation!

2020 is an important year in the United Nations calendar. With the 75th anniversary of the UN and the 20th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security agenda fast approaching, let us reflect on the historic achievements of the United Nations. The UN2020 Campaign and the Feminist and Women’s Movement Action Plan for Beijing + 25 highlight the importance of strengthening UN institutions, norms and processes, while increasing its accountability and accessibility to civil society.

To celebrate this, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders and Feminist and Women’s Movements Action Plan are coordinating the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (women, peace and security) chapter in the Thank You UN! book. Submissions can range from written, audio, video or artistic. #TakeAStep today and share your Thank you UN! by submitting your content (written, audio, video or artistic) here by October 25, 2020: http://bit.ly/1325-Chapter

Today and every day, let us say #ThankYouUN!

1 October 2020 marks the start of Black History Month in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Ireland - a month of celebrating the achievements of Black people throughout history. #TakeAStep today and celebrate this important month by learning about the essential work that Black women are undertaking in the field of peace and security. One such organisation is Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security. They are working tirelessly to advance the leadership and professional development of women of colour in the fields of international peace, security, and conflict transformation.

We are also delighted to share this upcoming exciting UN/AU initiative. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of UNSCR 1325, the African Union and the United Nations are collaborating to publish a commemorative book that aims to create a space for women who have been involved in maintaining and promoting peace and security on the continent. It will amplify the voices of the many African women who have made outstanding contributions towards building peace in Africa, sending a message of encouragement to the next generation of African women to claim their rightful place in history and create the ‘Africa they want’. Stay tuned for more news. Happy Black History Month!

As we remember the events of September 11th 2001 and other devastating terrorist attacks around the world, let us also take a moment to celebrate the brilliant and often underappreciated women working in counter-terrorism. 

As Joana Cook, author of "A Woman's Place: U.S. Counter-terrorism Since 9/11”, stated: "There is so much work that must be done in this space [women in counter-terrorism], and I hope that the next generation of women can see themselves getting involved in, leading, and shaping security policies and practices going forward. I hope that this can be further supported by diverse partners and governments who fund and support such efforts."

#TakeAStep today with this factsheet on gender and CVE from the UN Office of Counter-terrorism and brief remarks of Ms Alice M. Greenwald, President and CEO of the National September 11 Memorial Museum, which she delivered at the “Not Forgotten: Stories of Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism” event this past August (48:20-51:15). If memorials are the way that we make promises to the future about the past, then let us make a promise today to recognise the essential role that women play in counter-terrorism and  to encourage the next generation of leaders in this field. After all, you cannot be what you don't see.

The 19th of August every year is celebrated as World Humanitarian Day. This day marks a tribute to all front-line workers and those people who are generally facing the brunt of any crisis situation. Women humanitarian workers face these risks in a unique way. This illuminating article entitled Real Talk: The Thrills and Risks of being a Female Humanitarian Worker sheds a light on the reality of being a woman humanitarian in the field. As one Sudanese refugee mother so powerfully said: ‘This is a long battle, where there is no winner and loser. I am not fighting for me but for the next generation.’

Take A Step this week as we celebrate World Humanitarian Day by honouring the women humanitarians who risk their own lives to make the world a better place.

A picture speaks a thousand words and UN Peacekeeping's extraordinary photo essay, entitled Women Wage Peace - Visualising Progress on Action for Peacekeeping illustrates the picture of strength, leadership and invaluable contributions that women in peacekeeping are painting. From the Central African Republic to Kosovo, from peace agreements to economic empowerment, join us this week as we take a step to see women as agents of change in bringing about peace in their local communities.

Like men, women play a wide variety of roles in peacekeeping missions – from Force commander to doctor, from radio host to a helicopter pilot. Yet unlike men, they are underrepresented, particularly when it comes to uniformed personnel: in 2019, women constituted only 4.7% of military contingents and 10.8% of formed police units in UN Peacekeeping missions. Their exceptional presence is reflected in the language we use: we would never refer to “male peacekeepers” because they are seen as the norm; whereas women in male-dominated fields often get this modifier – whether they’re female peacekeepers, female presidents, or female firefighters.

Various initiatives – including the Elsie Initiative and the UN Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy – work on increasing the recruitment and retention of female peacekeeping personnel from various angles. The targets for 2028 have been set to 15% for women serving in military contingents, 20% for those serving in formed police units, and 30% for individual police officers.

But numbers are just half the story: we need to be working on changing mindsets as well, and dismantling the overwhelming (visible and invisible) barriers women face in every step of their way to their blue helmet or beret. We need to normalize their presence to the point where a female peacekeeper comes to mind as effortlessly as a male one, when we’re asked Who do you picture when you hear the word “peacekeeper”? Until then, our gratitude goes out to all those women who have paved the way for others, those currently serving for the cause of peace, and to the many, many women yet to come!

It is often said that the hardest part of any journey is taking the first step. As part of the #TakeAStep campaign, we introduce an interview series that aims to empower, engage and inspire those considering taking that first step by profiling women who are already on their journey. From small steps to great leaps of faith, we invite you to embark on a journey of your own. For our inaugural interview, the #TakeAStep team spoke to Kossiwa J. Tossoukpe, founder of KESecurix – Diversity in Security. 

Overcoming various gender-related barriers, serving your community in a predominantly white and male work environment, and promoting diversity in the security sector - all this, and much more, in the powerful personal story to be released next Friday - don't miss! 

The interview is available on UNITAR Medium. 

The first-ever guide for United Nations field missions on preventing & responding to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) was recently released. We invite you to #TakeAStep and learn about the different ways in which women, girls, men and boys are impacted during conflict – and what field missions will be doing to help #endCRSV. #WPSin2020

Access the guide here. 

Women in uniform, whatever form that uniform may take, face a burden on the basis of their gender that is heavy and can be oppressive. They face challenges and carry a load that their male counterparts do not. However for women of colour (and particularly black women), this burden is doubled as they face discrimination on the grounds of both their gender and on their race. The intersections of this with other factors such as economic status, religious affiliation and sexual orientation can further amplify this inequality.

Of the small number of women that we see in leadership positions, in both peacekeeping and WPS more broadly, the majority tend to be white. We invite you to #TakeAStep today by reading, implementing and distributing these valuable resources on fighting racism: https://www.un.org/en/letsfightracism/. We challenge each individual and organisation to undress their own internal biases and dismantle the systemic racism that places yet another burden on women in the field of peace and security. Being a woman is hard enough. Take A Step today to ensure that there are no other grounds on which a woman may be held back. 

Some countries are gradually and carefully easing restrictions on movement due to COVID-19, including re-opening schools. However, for many essential personnel – particularly (uniformed) women – the double burden of caregiving and work continues. To support those with children at home, we’d like to highlight two tools this week: UN Women’s Visualizing Generation Equality colouring pack, as well as the IASC COVID-19 storybook. #TakeAStep with the children in your life to help them better understand the unprecedented situation which has changed the way they learn and play, and to encourage them to visualize a better, more equal world.

The UN Secretary General recently stressed that many women under COVID-19 lockdown face violence where they should be safest: in their own homes. UN Peacekeeping missions are stepping up to find new ways of reaching victims and reminding them that whilst they may be closed off from the world, they are not alone. According to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), social isolation has always been a key factor that domestic abuse survivors have in common. It serves as a potent tool abusers can use to perpetuate cycles of violence by curtailing their partner's freedom, severing support networks and enforcing feelings of hopelessness. 

According to the Beijing + 25 Global Data Analysis, 17.8 per cent of women experienced violence at the hands of an intimate partner in the last 12 months. Due to low reporting rates, the real figures are likely to be much higher: in most countries with available data, less than 40 per cent of the women who experience violence seek help of any sort. As our world has plunged into lock-down with individuals largely confined to their homes, these figures have only got higher. Not only are valuable prevention and response resources being diverted away from the women who need them due to the size and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic, but essential sexual and reproductive health services are also under threat. Quarantine and isolation policies, critical to flattening the pandemic's exponential growth curve, exacerbate the conditions for those already vulnerable to domestic violence, estimated to be at least one third of all women.

#TakeAStep today to find out what the UNFICYP is doing to support outreach efforts for women who may be experiencing domestic violence during the quarantine > learn now.

#GenderEquality starts with equal opportunities. If women keep being underrepresented, inter alia, in the field of peace and security, it is often because institutions and employers don't think carefully enough about the language used when posting job openings.

An inclusive and diverse workplace starts with inclusive vacancy announcements. This week, we invite you to #TakeAStep and have a look at a new tool: "The Examples of Good Practice and the Top Tips for Inclusive Vacancy Announcements". It will help you create a working environment that embraces equality, eradicates bias and is inclusive for everyone.

Because achieving greater diversity in the workplace is not just a noble and compliance-related goal, it is a fundamental principle of social justice.

*Note:These principles are based on the UN Women Vacancy Announcement Examples of Good Practice.

Despite the advances made, women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of peacekeeping, as well as in the field of peace & security.

There are many complex reasons for this, but one is the so-called confidence gap, as outlined in this article by The Atlantic. Studies have consistently shown that men tend to overestimate their abilities and performance, while women – due to gender norms and internalized stereotypes – underestimate both, even if their performances do not differ in quality. This often results in women not applying for jobs unless they meet all the criteria, whereas men apply if they meet a little over half.

To rectify this gap, the UN Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018 – 2028 sets targets for military, police, justice and corrections personnel with recruitment & training measures outlining approaches to create an enabling environment, improve outreach, and get support from UN Member States. #A4P

The UN Secretariat also launched the Senior Women Talent Pipeline (SWTP), dedicated to increasing the share of women in UN Peace Operations by creating a dedicated talent pool of qualified female candidates, who will receive personalized support in their applications for senior (P5, D1, D2) positions.

Finally, we encourage all women to think critically but confidently about their qualifications, and consider applying for the many openings in the UN system – in peace & security and beyond. #TakeAStep towards improving your career today: https://careers.un.org/lbw/Home.aspx

Women’s voices are resonating loudly and clearly from the frontlines of the current COVID-19 pandemic, with each of them taking active steps to protect and serve their communities. We invite you to #TakeAStep and explore inspiring profiles compiled by UN Women, for example, that of Natawan Pintho, Police Captain, who continues to work towards peace and security at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. 

Learn more and read the full article: https://bit.ly/34Y9Ppn 

Labyrinth (noun): a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way; a maze.

The Labyrinth theory describes how women find themselves trapped in a maze, encountering "a series of complexities, expected and unexpected barriers, twists, turns, detours, dead ends and unusual paths". Women face multiple difficulties along the way while men often follow a much straighter route with fewer obstacles to leadership positions.This labyrinth includes gender discrimination, stereotypes and prejudice.  Women's domestic responsibilities and sometimes women's own failure to believe in themselves are also crucial challenges they have to face during their professional career.

If women can't see the labyrinth they are trapped in, how can they be expected to climb their way out?

This week we seek to #TakeAStep and shine a light on this Labyrinth theory, for we can only navigate the paths and shatter the glass ceilings that we see.

Read more:

"Women face a maze, not a glass ceiling", Stefan Stern, Financial Times, 2015

"Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership", Alice Eagly & Linda L. Carli, Harvard Business Review, 2007

The new Gender and Security Toolkit, developed by DCAF, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and UN Women, is a series of practical and policy guides to promote gender equality and integrate a gender perspective in the security and justice sector. Each Tool outlines why integrating a gender perspective is important, what it looks like to advance gender equality, and how this can be achieved, and features concrete experiences from around the world: in national reform processes, in international missions, and in local projects. 
 
How can this valuable resource be used to #TakeAStep towards gender equality in your community or institution? 

For more information on the Toolkit: http://ow.ly/Vsc650z44mu 

The recent UNDP Gender Social Norms Index revealed that, despite decades of progress in closing the equality gap between men and women, close to 90 percent of people worldwide – men and women alike – hold some sort of bias against women.

But what happens if we go a layer deeper, into implicit associations? The Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures attitudes and beliefs that people may be unwilling or unable to report. Specifically, it measures the strength of associations between concepts (e.g. men, women) and evaluations (e.g. good, bad) or stereotypes (e.g. athletic, clumsy). We highly encourage everyone to consider using this educational tool to develop awareness of their implicit preferences and stereotypes, and we’d particularly recommend the Gender-Career IAT.

A full description of the project and the IAT, as well as FAQ and Ethical considerations, can be found on the project website:

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html