Addressing the Gendered Interests of Victims/Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and Their Children Through National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security

Abstract

There is growing acknowledgement of the need to address the impacts of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), with less recognition of conflict-related reproductive and maternal harms and children born of war (CBW). An intricate set of common as well as distinctive interests arise for both victims/survivors and their children that remain unfulfilled. National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security (NAPs-WPS) present an opportunity to redress these gaps. This article examines to what extent are NAPs-WPS responsive to the specific rights and gendered interests of victims/survivors of CRSV and their children? It advances thinking on gender planning for peace and security and makes three significant analytical contributions: a ‘Typology of Impacts and Losses’ advancing understanding of CRSV; a ‘Gender Interests Analysis’ framework, identifying the practical and strategic gender interests of victims/survivors and their children; and application of these frameworks to produce a critical analysis of the NAPs-WPS of Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines and Timor-Leste. It finds that planning under WPS is failing to ensure that multi-sectoral services are available, while reproductive and maternity issues and CBW are completely neglected in the selected NAPs-WPS. The article discusses the implications of these findings for gender planning through NAPs-WPS going forward.