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ACaseStudyontheComplementaryUseofCEDAWGR30andUNSCR1325“CEDAW General Recommendation 30 has provided a framework for activists to contextualize their work onwomenandpeaceandsecurity.ItisapowerfultoolsinceCEDAWisbindingforthegovernmentofIndia.GeneralRecommendation 30 also provided women civil society with common ground to come together and formalliances[topushthewomenandpeaceandsecurityagendaforward].”
--Ms.AnjumanAraBegum,WomeninGovernance(WinG),IndiaCEDAWGeneral Recommendation (GR) 30 is a key instrument in contexts such as India, where the nationalgovernment does not recognize the armed conflicts taking place within its territories. As a generalrecommendation of CEDAW—a convention ratified by India that is legally binding and requires periodicreporting—GR30 allows civil society to challenge the Indian government on a number of points, particularlyrelating to theprevalenceof violence againstwomen inborder zones, theparticipationofwomen in conflictresolution,andthedevelopmentofaNationalActionPlan(NAP)fortheimplementationofUNSecurityCouncilResolution(UNSCR)1325anditssupportingresolutions.IndiaandCEDAWIndiasignedCEDAWonJuly39,1980andratifieditonJuly9,1993,withcertainreservations.Indiahasnotyetratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW. The CEDAW Committee considered the combined fourth and fifthperiodicreportsofIndiaonJuly2,2014,duringits58thsession.1AstheIndiaperiodicreportsweresubmittedtothe CEDAW committee prior to the adoption of GR 30, the reports could not have mentioned therecommendation.However,thereportsmadenomentionofUNSCR1325—whichwasadoptedin2000—anditssupportingresolutionsonwomenandpeaceandsecurity(WPS)adoptedsince.BothUNSCR1325andGR30werealsoabsentfromtheopeningstatementoftheIndiandelegationduringthe58th CEDAW session in 2014. The opening statement did highlight several programs put in place to furtherwomen’sempowermentandacknowledgedcasesofviolenceagainstwomeninIndia.Yet,thedelegationstatedthatviolenceagainstwomenisnotwidespread,whichbroughtonpalpable—andattimesaudible—discontentamongthecivilsocietyrepresentativespresentintheroom.TheomissionofUNSCR1325andGR30onthepartofthe Indiangovernmentduringthe58thCEDAWsessionwasnotfortuitous.Inspiteofarmedconflict,heavymilitarizationandhighlevelsofviolenceagainstwomeninregionssuchasKashmir,NorthEastIndia,Chhattisgarh,OdishaandAndhraPradesh,thegovernmentdoesnotrecognize armed conflict on its territories. The localized and protracted nature of conflicts in India have alsocontributed to their lack of recognition at the international level, since these conflicts are not perceived asthreatsto internationalpeaceandsecurity.2Consequently, the IndiangovernmentconsidersthatUNSCR1325andthesupportingresolutionsarenotapplicable to theircountrycontext,and IndiadoesnothaveaNAPonUNSCR1325.IntheirquestionstotheIndiangovernmentdelegationduringthe58thsession,theCEDAWCommitteeinvokedGR30’sbroadapplicabilitytoraiseconcernregardingthegovernment’sresponsetotheviolenceinGujaratandNorth East India, where land rights, access to education, violence against women and basic infrastructure 1SeeCEDAW/C/IND/4-5andCorr.1andAdd.1.2ActivityReport,“TrainingontheUseofCEDAWGeneralRecommendation30onWomeninConflictPrevention,Conflict,andPost-ConflictSituations,”SariPanPacific,Jakarta,Indonesia,December15-16,2014.
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remainproblematic.3In2013,therewereover33,000reportedcasesofrape,alongwithover118,000reportedinstancesoftorture,andbothrateshaveincreasedmultifoldinthepastyears.4Therootcausesofthisdramaticincrease in violence against women are the deeply rooted inequality throughout Indian society wheremarginalizedgroups, includingwomen, are constantlydisregarded, andan overarching cultureof complicity.TheCEDAWCommitteealsobroughtupGR30inthecontextof Indianhousingprojects innorthernSriLanka,given that GR 30 addresses the extraterritorial application of the CEDAW convention.5Moreover, CEDAWexpertsreliedonGR30toaskwhatconcretemeasuresareinplacetoaddressinternaldisplacementthatresultfromtheconflictinIndia,whichisparticularlyaffectingwomen.In its responses to the CEDAW Committee, the Indian government delegation did not respond to questionsrelatedtoGR30. Instead, itstatedthatcasesofsexualviolenceare isolatedevents in Indiathataredistortedandexaggeratedbythemedia;thatthereareonlyveryfewwomenwhoare internallydisplacedin India;andthatthosedisplacedhaveallbeenprovidedtheappropriateservices.Following the 58th session, the CEDAW Committee’s Concluding Observations included specific references toUNSCR 1325 andGR 30. The Committee urged the Indian government to “ensure thatwomen in the north-easternstatesparticipateinpeacenegotiationsandintheprevention,managementandresolutionofconflictsin linewithSecurityCouncil resolution1325 (2000)and theCommittee’s general recommendationNo.30onwomen in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations.” 6 The Concluding Observations alsoemphasized that India’s “extraterritorial obligations extend to actions affecting human rights, regardless ofwhether the affected persons are located on its territory,” highlightingwomen’s human right violations as aresultofahousingprojectinSriLankaandadamconstructioninNepal.7AchievementsMomentumforcivilsocietyreporting,advocacyandtrainingonGR30andWPSPrior to theadoptionofGR30 inOctober2013,WPSwasnotapriority issue,evenamongnationalwomen’sgroupsinIndia.However,GR30createdmomentum:itenhancedcollaborationandboostedadvocacyeffortsonWPS issues among women activists. Given that the Indian government had submitted its fourth and fifthperiodicreportsbeforetheadoptionofGR30,itwascrucialforcivilsocietytorevisetheirshadowreportsafterOctober2013,sothattheycouldhighlightwomen’splightsinarmedconflictcontextsinIndiausingGR30asaninstrument.AsthefirstAsiancountrytoreporttotheCEDAWCommitteeaftertheadoptionofGR30,theIndiashadowreportsalsosetanexampleforthefuturereviewprocessofotherAsiancountries.8Sincethe58thCEDAWsession,IndiancivilsocietyorganizationsthatworkonWPSissueshavecontinuedtouseGR 30 extensively, both in international advocacy platforms like CEDAW, the Commission on the Status ofWomen(CSW)andtheUNSCR1325anniversarieseveryOctober,aswellasinnationallobbyinginitiativeswith
3TheCommittee’slistofissuesandquestionsiscontainedinCEDAW/C/IND/Q/4-5andtheresponsesofIndiaarecontainedinCEDAW/C/IND/Q/4-5/Add.1.4http://worldwidejournals.in/ojs/index.php/gjra/article/view/657/6575SeeGR30,Paragraphs8-12ontheTerritorialandextraterritorialapplicationoftheConvention,UNCommitteeontheEliminationofDiscriminationAgainstWomen(CEDAW),GeneralrecommendationNo.30onwomeninconflictprevention,conflictandpost-conflictsituations,1November2013,CEDAW/C/GC/30,availableat:http://www.refworld.org/docid/5268d2064.html[accessed10February2016]6SeeCEDAW/C/IND/CO/4-5.7SeeCEDAW/C/IND/CO/4-5.8Forexamplesofcivilsocietyshadowreports,see:https://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/1930_1406558243_int-cedaw-ngo-ind-17414-e.pdf
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thegovernmentof Indiaandparliamentariansandon regionalmediaplatforms. Forexample,during the15thanniversaryofUNSCR1325inOctober2015,IndiancivilsocietyrepresentativestookpartinasideeventonthecomplementaritybetweenCEDAWGR30andUNSCR1325,highlightinghowGR30canbeusedbyindigenouswomeninNorthEastIndia.9Atthenationallevel,civilsocietyorganizationsheldpressconferencesthroughoutthe country, to widely disseminate their shadow report on GR 30 as well as the CEDAW ConcludingObservations.10This has enabled women’s groups to use these documents in their advocacy efforts and tofollowupontheCEDAWCommittee’s recommendations.Women’s rightsactivistsalsoheld informalmeetingwithparliamentarianstodiscussGR30andthereviewofIndia’slatestreporttoCEDAW.Inaddition,engaginginregionalconversationsonCEDAW,WomeninGovernance(WinG)-IndiaconductedanonlinediscussiononGR30withparticipantsfromtheAsia-Pacificregion.11Indian civil society representatives have also joined forces with regional networks, both in advocacy andtrainingseffortsintheAsia-Pacificregion.Forinstance,theAsia-PacificWomen’sAllianceforPeaceandSecurity(APWAPS)togetherwithWinG-Indiamadejointasubmissiontothe2015SecurityCouncilHigh-levelReviewandGlobalStudyprocess,which included languageon the relevanceofGR30 to the review.12InpartnershipwiththeGlobalNetworkofWomenPeacebuilders(GNWP),APWAPSalsoco-hostedatrainingontheuseof“CEDAWGeneralRecommendation30onWomeninConflictPrevention,ConflictandPost-conflictSituations”on15-16December 2014. During this training, representatives from WinG-India spoke of the achievements andchallengesinusingGR30intheiradvocacyworkatalllevels,andtobringaboutchangesingovernmentpoliciesandactionsthatwillmakeadifferenceinthelivesofwomeninconflict-affectedcommunities.13Recommendationsfromwomen’sgroupstakenupbytheCEDAWCommitteeCivilsocietyorganizationstookpart inabriefingwiththeCEDAWcommitteepriortotheconsiderationoftheIndia reports in July2014.During thebriefing, representatives fromWinG-India specificallyurged theCEDAWCommitteetomakeuseofGR30toaddressviolenceagainstwomenandgirls inheavilymilitarizedregionsofNorthEastIndia.Theimpactofwomen’sadvocacyeffortsonGR30wasevidentinthequestionsoftheCEDAWCommittee to the Indiangovernmentdelegationduring the58thCEDAWsession,aswell as in theConcludingObservations. As Bondita Acharya of WinG-Assam remarked in a public de-briefing in August 2014, “we aswomenactivistswerepleasedwith the levelofengagementwith theCEDAWmemberswhoplayedanactiverole in raisingquestions to thegovernmentof Indiadelegation,with reference towomen in conflict affectedregions.”14
9Fordetailsontheevent,pleasesee“TheComplementarityBetweenCEDAWGR30andUNSCR1325,”accessibleat:http://www.gnwp.org/blog/complementarity-between-cedaw-gr-30-and-unscr-1325[accessedon20February2016].10http://www.wing-india.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Report-on-De-briefing-on-CEDAW-in-Guwahati.pdf11https://apwaps.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/online-dialogue-on-unscr.pdf12Asia-PacificRegionalCSConsultationfortheGlobalStudyonImplementationofSCR1325withMsRadhikaCoomaraswamy,Kathmandu,February2015,accessibleat:https://apwaps.net/resources/13Thistrainingwasco-hostedbytheGlobalNetworkofWomenPeacebuilders(GNWP).Formoreinformation,pleaseseehttps://apwaps.net/2015/05/07/expanding-use-of-cedaw-gr-30-to-promote-accountability-on-women-peace-and-security/andhttp://www.gnwp.org/news/training-cedaw-gr-30-december-15th-16th-jakarta-indonesia14PressreleaseontheDebriefingonCEDAWwithSpecificReferencetoGR30,“Indiarequiresacriticalre-examinationofthehumanrightssituationofwomen,”Guwahati,August19,2014,availableat:http://www.wing-india.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Report-on-De-briefing-on-CEDAW-in-Guwahati.pdf[accessed18February2016]
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TowardstherepealoftheArmedForces(SpecialPowers)Act,1958CivilsocietyconcernsonsexualviolenceundertheArmedForcesSpecialPowersAct(AFSPA)inparticularwerehighlightedintheCEDAWConcludingObservations.Inthesectionon“Violenceagainstwomeninborderareasand conflict zones” of the Concluding Observations, the CEDAW Committee expresses concern over “theProvisions of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act requiring prior authorization by the Government toprosecute a member of the security forces and the reportedly high risk of reprisals against women whocomplain about the conduct of the security forces.”15The CEDAW Committee calls upon the Government ofIndia “toamendand/or repeal theArmedForces (SpecialPowers)Act so that sexualviolenceagainstwomenperpetratedbymembersofthearmedforcesoruniformedpersonnelisbroughtunderthepurviewofordinarycriminallawand,pendingsuchamendmentorrepeal,toremovetherequirementforgovernmentpermissiontoprosecutemembersofthearmedforcesoruniformedpersonnelaccusedofcrimesofviolenceagainstwomenorother abusesof thehuman rightsofwomenand to grantpermission toenableprosecution in all pendingcases.”16ThislanguagemarksanimportantvictoryforwomenadvocatesonWPSinIndia,whohaveworkrelentlesslytobringvisibility to thegrowingcasesofviolenceagainstwomenand the impunityenjoyedby theperpetratorsand preserved by the AFSPA, in areas affected by conflict and heavymilitarization.17The CEDAWCommitteerecommendationwasechoedinarecent IndiaSupremeCourtruling inJuly2016,whichcondemnstheuseofexcessiveforceinareasdeclareddisturbedunderAFSPA.However,theGovernmentof IndiahasyettorepealAFSPA.TowardstherecognitionofconflictandtheapplicabilityofUNSCR1325inIndiaGR30 isparticularlyconsequentialwhenthestate is indenialoftheconflictsaswellasoftheapplicabilityofWPSlegalinstrumentswithinitsterritories,asisthecaseinIndia.GR30coverstheapplicationofCEDAWinabroadspectrumofconflictsituations,including“conflictprevention,internationalandnon-internationalarmedconflicts,situationsofforeignoccupationandotherformsofoccupationandthepost-conflictphase”aswellas“internaldisturbances,protractedandlow-intensitycivilstrife,politicalstrife,ethnicandcommunalviolence,”which may not be classified as armed conflict under international humanitarian law, but nonetheless resultgravewomen’srightsviolations.18EventhoughtheIndiagovernmentdelegationremainedsilentonGR30duringthe58thCEDAWsessionandheldfastinitsdenialofthewidespreaddiscriminationagainstwomeninIndia,theexchangebetweenthedelegationandtheCEDAWCommitteemadeclearthatfailingtoreportonGR30andtheWPSresolutionswillnolongerbeanoption. Indeed, the concernsbroughtupbywomen civil society around issuesofGR30andWPS in IndiawerereflectedintheConcludingObservationsandrecommendations,andthegovernmentofIndiawillhavetoreportonGR30implementationduringitsnextCEDAWperiodicreview.
15SeeParagraph12,(a)CEDAW/C/IND/CO/4-5.16SeeParagraph13,(a)and(b),CEDAW/C/IND/CO/4-5.17SeeWomenCount–SecurityCouncilResolution1325:CivilSocietyMonitoringReport2014,“India,”GlobalNetworkofWomenPeacebuilders(GNWP),NewYork,NY,May2015,accessibleat:http://www.gnwp.org/resource/women-count-–-security-council-resolution-1325-civil-society-monitoring-report-2014[accessedon20February2016].18SeeGR30,Paragraph4onthescopeofthegeneralrecommendation.UNCommitteeontheEliminationofDiscriminationAgainstWomen(CEDAW),GeneralrecommendationNo.30onwomeninconflictprevention,conflictandpost-conflictsituations,1November2013,CEDAW/C/GC/30,availableat:http://www.refworld.org/docid/5268d2064.html[accessed10February2016]
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ChallengesEnduringgovernmentresistancetoWPSEven thoughGR30will nowoblige theGovernmentof India to coverWPS issues in itsnextCEDAWperiodicreport, thegovernmentcontinuestodenythattherearearmedconflicts inthecountry. Itcontinuestorejectthe applicability of UNSCR 1325 and the supporting resolutions. As Ms. Helam Haokip from WinG-IndiaexpressedduringacivilsocietytrainingonGR30inDecember2015,“TheGovernmentofIndiaisturningdeafearsandblindeyestotheexistenceofarmedconflictandwiththis,thedevelopmentofaNAPremainsadistantdream.”CivilsocietywillhavetofollowupontheConcludingObservationsoftheCEDAWCommitteeMembers,andtocontinuetolobbywiththegovernmentforrecognitionofarmedconflict,theproperimplementationoftheWPSrecommendationsandforthedevelopmentofaNAPonUNSCR1325.LackofawarenessoftheviolenceinlocalcommunitiesNationalgovernmentofficialsbased in thecapitalaredisconnected fromthedaily realitiesofwomen in ruralcommunities,inparticularthoseofindigenouswomeninconflict-affectedcommunities.Indigenouswomenfacedaily violence at the hands of the national military and are largely excluded from decision-making andpeacebuildingefforts,inregionssuchasNortheastIndia.Insuchconflict-affectedregions,customarylawsoftenclashwithstatutorylaw,andtheexistinglegalsystemfailstohelpwomeninanyway.19LackofawarenessonGR30andWPSresolutionsThelevelofawarenessonGR30andtheWPSresolutionsamonggovernmentofficialsremainsextremelylow,which in partmay have accounted for their absence in the statements of the Indian government delegationduring the 58th CEDAW session. The level of awareness of GR 30 and UNSCR 1325 also remains low amongwomen in general, in particular in the communitiesmost affectedby conflict,wherewomen and girlswouldbenefitthemostfromtheiruseandimplementation.ConclusionsandRecommendationsAlthough GR 30 provides authoritative guidance to State parties to CEDAW to ensure that women's humanrights are protected before, during and after conflict, the Indian government’s denial of conflict hinders theimplementationofGR30andofUNSCR1325andthesupportingresolutions.ToensurethatGR30andtheWPSresolutionsareusedcomplementarilytoempowerandprotectwomen,aswellastorecognizeandputanendtoconflictsinIndia,WPSactorsmustconsidertherecommendationsbelow.TotheGovernmentofIndia:
- ActontherecommendationsoftheCEDAWCommitteesetforthintheConcludingObservations.- RepealtheAFSPAtoendimpunityforsexualviolencecasesandallhumanrightsviolations.- DevelopaNAPonUNSCR1325andthesupportingresolutionswithactivecivilsocietyinvolvement
particularly women from conflict zones. The NAP should have a monitoring and evaluationmechanismandadequatebudgetforimplementation.
- SupporttrainingonGR30,UNSCR1325andthesupportingresolutionsforgovernmentofficialsatnationalandlocals,inpartnershipwithcivilsociety.
19SeeWomenCount–SecurityCouncilResolution1325:CivilSocietyMonitoringReport2014,“India,”GlobalNetworkofWomenPeacebuilders(GNWP),NewYork,NY,May2015,accessibleat:http://www.gnwp.org/resource/women-count-–-security-council-resolution-1325-civil-society-monitoring-report-2014[accessedon20February2016].
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Tocivilsociety:- ContinuetouseGR30toadvocatefortheimplementationoftheUNSCR1325andthesupporting
resolutions,inparticularinconflict-affectedcommunities.- Continuetolobbythenationalgovernment,toensurethattheycomplywiththerecommendations
setforthintheCEDAWConcludingObservations.- Trainnationalandlocalgovernmentofficials,aswellasnationalandlocalcivilsociety
representatives,womenandgirlsontheuseGR30,UNSCR1325andthesupportingresolutions.- ForgepartnershipwithlocalauthoritiestoimplementalocalizationstrategyonUNSCR1325andthe
supportingresolutionsatthelocallevelincludingthedevelopmentofLocalActionPlans.- ContributetothedevelopmentofguidesandpracticaltoolstargetedatCSOstoraiseawarenessand
useofGR30.TotheCEDAWCommittee:
- ContinuetoprovideauthoritativeguidancetotheGovernmentofIndiaonthelegislativepolicyandotherappropriatemeasurestoensurefullcompliancewithitsobligationsunderCEDAWtoprotect,respectandfulfillwomen’shumanrightsinconflictprevention,conflictandpost-conflictcontexts.
- Provideauthoritativeguidance to theGovernmentof India todevelopaNAPonUNSCR1325andthe supporting resolutions with active civil society involvement, monitoring and evaluationmechanisms,andanadequatebudgetforimplementation.
- UrgetheGovernmentofIndiatorepealtheArmedForces(SpecialPowers)Act.- Continuetoengagewithcivilsocietyandto integratetheirconcernsandrecommendations inthe
CEDAWCommittee’sreviewofIndia’speriodicreports.Totheinternationalcommunity:
- SpecifictotheUNcountryteam:InitiateadiscussionwiththegovernmentonaNAPforUNSCR1325andassurethemoffinancialandtechnicalsupport.
- IncreasefundingandtechnicalassistancetoIndianCSOsfortheimplementationofUNSCR1325andthesupportingresolutions,especiallylocalandgrassrootsorganizationsinconflict-affectedcommunities.
Author:EléonoreVeilletChowdhury,GlobalNetworkofWomenPeacebuilders(GNWP)Contributor:AnjumanAraBegum,AsianForumforHumanRightsandDevelopment(Forum-Asia),WomeninGovernance-India(WinG-India)ContributingorganizationinIndia:WomeninGovernance-India(WinG-India)Editors:MavicCabrera-BallezaandErinQuinn(GNWP)
