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Date: 21-22 October 2011

Venue: United Nations Headquarters, New York

Coordinator: Mr. Olivier Portoff

Objective:

Although negotiations on peace and security are strongly determined by members of the Security Council, other countries have successfully brought their negotiation skills to work and constructively influenced the Council’s agenda and decision-making. In addition to Security Council members, non-membeArs of the Council have crucially contributed to the development and inclusion of new concepts and issues on the agenda, such as the protection of civilians in armed conflict, in particular children and women.

Eleven years ago, the Secretary-General reported for the first time on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/1999/957). Since that time, Member States have adopted several resolutions, hence developing mechanisms to protect those most vulnerable in situations of armed conflict, notably children and women. 2010, for instance, marks the tenth anniversary of the landmark Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) emphasizing the special needs and important role of women and girls. Five years ago, in resolution 1612 (2005), the Security Council focused for the first time exclusively on the protection of children in armed conflict. Despite widely shared concern about the issues at stake, negotiators preparing for and conducting negotiations in the Council or contributing from outside still face numerous challenges. Many of these challenges will be addressed in the context of this workshop.

In order to provide delegates with the skills necessary to negotiate effectively, this workshop will introduce participants to the particular dynamics of Security Council negotiations and address the challenges involved from the negotiator’s perspective in above-mentioned areas.

Related Documents:

Working documents of 2010 Workshop:

Information note

Draft programme

Working documents of 2009 Workshop:

 Session II) The negotiating environment in the Security Council

• S/2007/749, Note by the President of the Security Council, 19 December 2007, United Nations
• S/2006/507, Note by the President of the Security Council, 19 July 2006, United Nations 
• Security Council Transparency, Legitimacy and Effectiveness: Efforts to reform Council working methods 1993-2007. Special Research Report 2007 / Nr.3, Security Council Report, 18 October 2007, New York.

Session IV) The protection of civilians

• Robert Young, ICRC: Protection of Civilians in situations of armed conflict, powerpoint presentation, 14 September 2009. 
• Simon Bagshaw, UN Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): Protection of civilians in armed conflict and the Security Council, powerpoint presentation, 14 September 2009.
• Security Council resolution 1674, United Nations. 
• Report of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, S/2009/277, 29 May 2009, United Nations.
• What is International Humanitarian Law? Advisory Service on International Humanitarian Law, 7/2004, ICRC, Geneva.
• ICRC Protection Policy, Update, 10 December 2008, Geneva. 
• Protection of Civilians. Cross-Cutting Report 2008 / Nr. 2, Security Council Report, 14 October 2008.

  Session V) Women, Peace and Security 

• General and specific protection of women under international humanitarian law - Annex I to the Guidance Document, ICRC, Geneva.

  Session VI) Children and Armed Conflict 

• Ms. Ann Makome, UN-DPKO, Child Protection in UN Peacekeeping, powerpoint presentation, 15 September 2009.
• Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) 
• Security Council resolution 1882 (2009)
• Legal Protection of Children in Armed Conflict. Advisory Fact Sheet on International Humanitarian Law, ICRC, 2/2003, Geneva.  
• Summary table of IHL Provisions specifically applicable to children. ICRC, Januaryy 2009, Geneva.