This report places the outcomes – resolutions – at the beginning of the document. Trying to be practical this Conference adopted resolutions with action plans. One of the first ones were “1.2.3. Resolution 2: 4-year action plan for the implementation of international humanitarian law”, to which was annexed “Annex 1: Action plan for implementing international humanitarian law, Objective 2: To enhance the specific protection afforded to certain categories of person, in particular children, women and persons with disabilities” which specifies that
“Specific protection is due to certain categories of person in recognition of factors such as age, gender or disabilities, which make such persons more vulnerable in times of armed conflict. To safeguard adequate protection for all victims of armed conflicts, including in situations of occupation, without discrimination, such factors must be taken into account”, and goes on to a “Objective 2.2: To enhance the protection of women in armed conflict”[i].
This, in turn, has subsections including “a) Ratification, implementation and enforcement of relevant international law”; “b) Prevention of sexual and other gender-based violence against women”; and “c) Displaced women” [ii].
[It is perfectly possible to believe in a volunteer-based Movement without believing this is a document that might actually serve any sensible purpose!]
Later in the same document, the International Conference agrees on something which is not casting women exclusively as victims and beneficiaries (in between there are plenty of examples of that):
“III. Commitment to gender equality and non-discrimination:
Promote gender equality, non-discrimination and end violence against women and children National Societies are called upon to:
1) scale up efforts for social inclusion by nondiscrimination programming and by ending violence against women and children;
2) set the example of gender equality in their own policies and programmes and to serve as role models for governments, civil society organizations and the private sector;
3) as auxiliaries, encourage States to adopt the principle of equity in legislation and public policies, and set the example of ensuring children’s rights by considering the needs and rights of children in programme and policy making, as well as serving as role models for States, civil society organizations and the private sector;
4) encourage women for greater decision making and ownership and enable men to take on their responsibilities linked to sexual activity and fatherhood[iii]”.
in the same section,
“States are strongly encouraged to:
…
7) empower women and girls, and engage men and boys in empowering women and girls, in the planning process and delivery of outreach on gender equality, non-discrimination, and ending violence against women and children, and engage men and boys in challenging damaging gender stereotypes[iv]”
There are several other instances of use of the word
“Women” in the document, but only as victims, vulnerable or beneficiaries:
these have been omitted here.
[i] Report of the 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent : including the summary report of the 2011 Council of Delegates : Geneva, 28 November – 1 December 2011; Geneva : ICRC : Federation, [2014]; P 28: P 29/304 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DOC/icrc-002-1129.pdf
[ii] Report of the 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent : including the summary report of the 2011 Council of Delegates : Geneva, 28 November – 1 December 2011; Geneva : ICRC : Federation, [2014]; P 28: P 29/304 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DOC/icrc-002-1129.pdf
[iii] Report of the 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent : including the summary report of the 2011 Council of Delegates : Geneva, 28 November – 1 December 2011; Geneva : ICRC : Federation, [2014]; P 39: P 39/304 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DOC/icrc-002-1129.pdf
[iv] Report of the 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent : including the summary report of the 2011 Council of Delegates : Geneva, 28 November – 1 December 2011; Geneva : ICRC : Federation, [2014]; P 39: P 39/304 in the electronic version at https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/DOC/icrc-002-112 9.pdf
