WPS and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sexual Violence in Conflict

Abstract

This chapter explores the capacity of a dedicated office on Sexual Violence in Conflict (SVC) to facilitate meaningful change in UN operations. To do so, the chapter reviews research and policy trends on SVC as part of WPS agenda 2008–2016, as well as UN Security Council Resolution 1325.This chapter engages directly with the policy challenges and institutional developments leading up to and following the creation of the position of UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on SVC, which was proposed in UN Security Council Resolution 1889 (2009). It sets out the evolution of the role and the office in terms of leadership and competition within the UN and the global agenda on combatting sexual violence in conflict since 2010. In doing so, this chapter provides valuable insights and lessons regarding the institutionalization of WPS. Specifically, it is argued that the evolution of the office of the Secretary-General for SVC demonstrates the difficulties associated with reforming and coordinating strategies on WPS within the UN system.