Implementation of the action plan
Implementation of this action plan will take place at many different levels and in different forums – nationally, bilaterally, regionally and multilaterally. In third countries, the focus will continue to be on selected priority countries where Norway has a presence or plays a special role that makes effective engagement possible. The list of priority countries will be dynamic and can be adjusted as conditions change. For 2023, the list is as follows: Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Jordan, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Palestine, the Philippines, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela and Yemen. The new action plan also follows up some of the recommendations in Norad’s evaluation of Norwegian work on women, peace and security for the period 2000–2020,27 which focused mainly on efforts funded through Norway’s aid budget. At the same time, the action plan retains the approach of integrating the women, peace and security agenda into the whole breadth of peace and security work rather than creating budget items specifically for this area.
Regional and multilateral forums will continue to be given priority. These include NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the EU, the Council of Europe, the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the UN. As regards the UN, there will be a special focus on Norway’s membership of the Peacebuilding Commission in 2023–2024 and its candidacy for the Human Rights Council for the period 2028–2030. The processes in connection with NATO accession by Sweden and Finland have highlighted the importance of Nordic cooperation. Cooperation, competence building and the exchange of information with civil society organisations and research institutes will continue to be key elements in the implementation of this action plan and the development of the global Women, Peace and Security Index.28
This action plan has a longer time frame, up to 2030, to give more predictability and encourage a long-term strategic approach to integrated implementation of the women, peace and security agenda. An interministerial review of the plan will be carried out by 2027. This will include an assessment of whether updates or adjustments are needed. based on preliminary results and relevant knowledge generation. The end of the time frame for the action plan coincides with the 2030 deadline for achieving the SDGs and the 30-year anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325. It also corresponds to the time frame for the new action plan for women’s rights and gender equality in Norway’s foreign and development policy.
The thematic priorities for the action plan were identified as areas where Norway's efforts and the potential impact of these efforts are considered most significant. The lead ministries for the different action points are listed in the table below. Lead ministries for one or more action points are required to prepare their own documents for following up the action plan and for integration of a gender perspective into their work relating to peace and security by the end of 2023. The lead ministries will also be responsible for providing annual reports on their efforts, results, and any problems related to implementation of the plan in their areas of responsibility.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be responsible for synthesising the information and publishing the annual reports by 1 August of the following year. In the course of 2023, the Ministry will develop a reporting tool in connection the process of updating its Guide to the Foreign Service’s Work on Women, Peace and Security. The Ministry will obtain reports on results from relevant missions. Norad will provide assistance in obtaining aid statistics and reports and analyses from Norwegian civil society organisations. The implementation process will also include annual meetings with other ministries that are involved, civil society and relevant research institutes.
The table below lists the lead ministries for all the action points in the plan. Other ministries, subordinate agencies, civil society and research institutes may also be involved in implementation and development of the action points during the plan period.
Norway’s National Action Plan | Ministry |
|---|---|
Integrate the women, peace and security agenda and a gender perspective into Norwegian peace and security efforts nationally and internationally, and into relevant national policy planning. | MFA, Defence, Justice |
Support action to strengthen women’s participation and influence in all areas discussed in the action plan. | MFA, Defence, Justice, Equality, Inclusion, Climate |
Play a leading role in developing, integrating and implementing the women, peace and security agenda internationally. | MFA, Defence, Justice, Inclusion |
Promote mutual learning by intensifying the exchange of experience and competence-building activities with other countries that have reached different stages in the development and implementation of national action plans. | MFA, Defence, Justice |
Promote inclusive peace processes and work systematically to encourage more women to take part in peace processes, dialogue initiatives and work on de-escalation and ceasefire agreements, both at grassroots level and in formal processes. | MFA |
Ensure a good gender balance in Norway’s own delegations to peace negotiations and to international meetings where peace and security work is discussed, and promote relevant Norwegian and international candidates for roles in the UN and other international forums for peace and security. | MFA, Defence, Justice |
Take a strategic approach to promoting gender issues in negotiations and peace processes, build bridges between civil society and the parties to negotiations, and work systematically to ensure that there are inclusive structures for the implementation of peace agreements. | MFA |
In connection with the implementation of peace agreements, facilitate women’s participation and seek to ensure that women’s rights, needs and priorities are safeguarded, and that any provisions on women’s rights in the agreement are implemented in practice. | MFA |
Contribute to the protection of women peacebuilders and human rights defenders who are taking part or have taken part in peace processes and peace efforts in which Norway is involved. | MFA, Defence, Justice, Inclusion |
Ensure that Norwegian military and civilian personnel have a sound knowledge of the women, peace and security agenda, including how to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence and to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH). | MFA, Defence, Justice |
Integrate a gender perspective into the planning, implementation and evaluation of education, training, exercises, operations and missions nationally and internationally, when applicable. | MFA, Defence |
Play a part in developing the international framework for women, peace and security in international forums, and in implementing UN and NATO policy and operational guidelines relating to women, peace and security. | MFA, Defence, Justice |
Play a part in international expertise and capacity building relating to women, peace and security in the security sector. | Defence, Justice |
Work towards a good gender balance in the Armed Forces and the police, especially in operational and leadership positions. | Defence, Justice |
Integrate measures to identify, prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence into operational planning nationally and internationally, when applicable. | Defence, Justice |
Promote understanding of conflict-related sexual violence through multilateral forums, and advocate international action to prevent, respond to and prosecute conflict-related sexual violence. | MFA, Defence, Justice |
Ensure that there are good guidelines and systems in place for preventing, reporting and responding to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment in the security sector. | Defence, Justice |
Have a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment in the security sector, in line with national and international guidelines and legislation. | Defence, Justice |
Include women and integrate a gender perspective into national efforts to prevent and combat violent extremism. | MFA, Defence, Inclusion |
Promote the integration of a gender perspective and women’s participation in counterterror efforts and in the prevention of violent extremism internationally. | MFA, Justice |
Build and share knowledge about the links between the women, peace and security and climate, peace and security agendas, and seek to ensure that a gender perspective is an integral part of the basis for making decisions in national and international forums. | MFA, Climate |
Seek to ensure coordination of work on the women, peace and security and climate, peace and security agendas, and that they are dealt with as two interconnected and cross-cutting issues in Norway’s multilateral and international cooperation on peace and security. | MFA, Climate |
Work towards greater participation and more direct influence by women and girls on national and international decision-making processes relating to climate and environment. | Climate, MFA |
Support the UN’s work on climate, peace and security internationally, regionally and at country level, and advocate the integration of a gender perspective and women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in this work. | MFA, Climate |
Maintain efforts to ensure compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights, and play a part in holding the parties to conflicts accountable. | MFA, Justice |
Promote women’s participation in planning and implementing the humanitarian response, and help to ensure that women’s voices are heard. | MFA |
Work to prevent and combat sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict, post-conflict situations and during humanitarian crises in peacetime. | MFA, Justice |
Continue efforts to ensure that a gender perspective is integrated into work on arms control and humanitarian disarmament, for example through follow-up of the political declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA). | MFA |
Strengthen implementation of the Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security nationally, and integrate a gender perspective into national and local crisis and emergency planning. | Justice |
Strengthen research and develop knowledge on how war, conflict and serious crises can affect different groups of women and men in different ways, in Norway as well as elsewhere, and how the emergency planning and response system can be made more gender sensitive. | Defence, Justice |
Integrate a gender-sensitive approach into all stages of the asylum process, and integrate a gender perspective into the design of measures. | Justice |
Ensure that relevant personnel have a high level of expertise on integrating a gender perspective into issues relating to protection and asylum. | Justice |
Seek to ensure that women human rights defenders in conflict and post-conflict situations have access to protection mechanisms through the UN and civil society. | MFA |
Work to enable women human rights defenders from areas affected by conflict and who receive protection in Norway to continue their engagement. | MFA, Justice, Inclusion, Equality |
Promote the participation of women human rights defenders in multilateral forums and international meetings on peace and security, and work towards stronger guidelines for protecting participants and preventing reprisals. | MFA, Equality |
The lead ministries for each action point in 2023 are abbreviated as follows in the table above:
MFA – Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Defence – Ministry of Defence
Justice – Ministry of Justice and Public Security
Equality – Ministry of Culture and Equality
Inclusion – Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion
Climate – Ministry of Climate and Environment