Gendering the Security Sector

Though gender issues are largely a part of the policy debate in the UN system, there are significant challenges to materialize efforts to more gender-balanced approaches to peacekeeping and peace-building missions. In practice, gender issues are often separated from other security concerns and/or added ad hoc in training of security sector forces. Instead, the central argument of the report is to understand gender issues as an integral approach to the Protection of Civilians (PoC) framework. This report seeks to identify three core elements of gendering the security sector reform approaches in the Democratic republic of Congo. These include (1) the physical protection of civilians, (2) the social protection of civilians and (3) the legal protection of civilians in the DRC.
Solhjell concludes in the report 'Protecting Civilians Against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence that "despite its achievements, the Comprehensive Strategy faces severe challenges due to the lack of functioning formal state institutions and a professional police force. Less costly initiatives that build on active involvement from local communities may prove far more efficient. This can be achieved through re-building social networks to provide for better security and protection for the civilians in the eastern DRC. Additionally, professionalization of the police can be achieved through vetting mechanisms, secured payment and logistic facilitation provided by the Congolese government, the UN Police and the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC)."
She has also published the findings in a NUPI policy brief .