FRANCE
France’s current National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security has an implementation period of 2021–2025. It is preceded by two earlier NAPs launched in 2010 and 2015. France is committed to promoting the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and girls, and domestic violence (known as the Istanbul Convention) which aims to get each State to recognise its responsibility in fighting these forms of violence.
Objectives of the 2021-2025 NAP:
This latest NAP is structured around four key commitments: prevention, protection, participation, and promotion of the WPS agenda. Each of these four overarching commitments are supported with detailed objectives and activities:
- PREVENTION through awareness-raising of the challenges linked to fighting gender-based violence, and on women’s rights and gender equality.
- PROTECTION of women and girls, including the fight against impunity.
- PARTICIPATION of women in decisions regarding peace and security.
- PROMOTION of the Women Peace and Security Agenda and the National Action Plan.
Commentary
This NAP includes a summary of the lessons learnt from previous NAPs, and builds upon those findings.
The NAP states that civil society will be closely involved in monitoring implementation. To this end, a regular dialogue will be institutionalised with French civil society and that of the priority countries listed in the NAP (p21) in relation to all aspects of the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda.
Implementation will be evaluated by France’s High Council for Gender Equality and the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights; a report on the NAP’s progress will be presented to the National Assembly and the Senate.
UN Peacekeeping Statistics
As at 31 May 2023 France contributed the following personnel to UN missions:
The majority of France’s peacekeeping personnel (540 in July 2023) were deployed under the UN’s Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Women’s role in peacekeeping:
Although women comprised only 9.5% of France’s peacekeeping personnel in May 2023, the NAP specifically takes on board encouragement of women into its military services and introduced a Gender Parity Plan that includes 22 measures for achieving gender equality throughout its Ministry for Armed Forces (NAP p10). Hopefully this will lead to more women being recruited for deployment as peacekeepers.
References and sources:
France NAP 2021-2025 - ‘Implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on the “Women, Peace and Security” Agenda’ (2021) English translation : pna_eng_vf_cle0c99c8.pdf (diplomatie.gouv.fr)
United Nations Peacekeeping. (July 2023): Troop and police contributors | United Nations Peacekeeping
Contribution of Uniformed Personnel to UN by Country, Mission, and Personnel Type (May 2023): 05-Missions Detailed By Country
Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention: Home - Istanbul Convention Action against violence against women and domestic violence (coe.int)
