IAWG RH CrisesMay 31-June 1, 2013

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Role of Public Health in the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace

and Security

Center for Global Health

International Emergency and Refugee Health Branch

Dr. Basia TomczykMs. Samira Sami, MPH

Outline

Public Health Significance

US NAP on Women, Peace, and

Security

CDC’s Role

Next Steps

Summary

Public Health Significance

Public health in humanitarian settings Large population displacement (refugees and IDPs) Destroyed public health infrastructure Higher incidence of morbidity and mortality Increased risk factors for epidemic diseases, malnutrition,

war-related injury, poor reproductive health outcomes, etc.

Women’s health in humanitarian settings Women and children are disproportionately affected Increased risk for sexual violence Risk of poor maternal and neonatal outcomes Lack of access and availability of RH services

US NAP on Women, Peace and Security

Mechanism to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security

Joined over 30 countries with a National Action Plan (NAP)

December 2011: President Obama released the US NAP and signed an Executive Order directing NAP as policy High impact, necessary, achievable and feasible High level policy engagement

Inter-agency Policy Committee (IPC) Chair: NSS Director of Security and Human Rights

Policy Lead: DOD, DOS, USAID Members: CDC, DOJ, DOT, Homeland Security, USUN,

Peace Corp

US NAP on Women, Peace and Security (cont’d)

Five National Objectives 1. National Integration and

Institutionalization2. Participation in Peace

Processes and Decision-making3. Protection from Violence4. Conflict Prevention5. Access to Relief and Recovery

Population: Conflict-affected or fragile state Peacekeeping mission Refugees Humanitarian emergency

CDC’s Role Address four of the NAP National Objectives

National Integration and Institutionalization• Enhance staff capacity for applying a gender‐

sensitive approach • Establish mechanisms to promote accountability of

gender-related policies and evaluate NAP initiatives Protection from Violence

• Decrease risks of GBV in crisis and conflict‐affected environments

Conflict Prevention• Engage women in preparedness and response

initiatives• Increase access to health care and education

services for females Access to Relief and Recovery

• Evaluate and integrate gender and protection issues in response

• Enhance capacity of partners to prevent and respond to GBV

CDC’s Role (cont’d)

Using a Public Health Strategy for NAP Implementation

Significant public health impact Impact on indicators for violence, physical security, and reproductive health

Evidence based and feasible Build into existing CDC programs Country prioritization

Metrics to assess performance Existing and new CDC tools

CDC’s Role (cont’d)

CDC Internal Working Group Multiple programs across the agency Role of CDC Working Group

Facilitate communication across agency Seek strategic opportunities in existing initiatives Achieve NAP objectives Establish reporting mechanism

External Partners US Civil Society Working Group UN Partners: UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR, WHO

CDC’s Role (cont’d)

CDC’s Implementation Plan to achieve NAP outcomes

Report on existing activitiesViolence Against Children SurveysGBV and HIV programs

Propose new activitiesPolicies and StrategiesPublic Health InvestigationsOperational Research GuidelinesEmergency Response

CDC’s Focus Countries Criteria

Country context Active conflict, post-conflict or undergoing political

transition High risk of instability or fragility Active peace negotiations International peacekeeping mission Existing host country NAP Neglected emergency or protracted refugee

situation

CDC HQ and Country Office capacity and interest

Next Steps (cont’d) Operational Research Improve the evidence base for GBV prevention and response

during conflict and relief and recovery Population based studies on magnitude and scope of GBV in Liberia and

Uganda to inform programs and policies (UNFPA, UNHCR) Methodology for measuring violence against children in armed conflict

(UNICEF, Columbia University) Rapid qualitative study focusing on abduction and recruitment of children

including attacks on education and sexual violence Solar Light evaluation Haiti

Guidelines Support development of guidelines on RH/GBV issues and

indicators (e.g. SPHERE) in humanitarian settings Interagency Field Manual for RH in Humanitarian Settings Technical meeting on measurement of selected SPHERE indicators

Next Steps (cont’d)

Partnerships Plan and maintain partnerships with strategic organizations

MOU with UNFPA and UNHCR; Cooperative Agreement with IRC GBV sub-cluster and Interagency Working Group (IAWG) for RH in Crises

Identify intra- and inter-agency linkages for emerging opportunities to address WPS through existing USG initiatives

Link with other Presidential initiatives (e.g. PEPFAR, PMI, GHI)

Emergency Response Deploy staff to support UN/NGO partners to improve RH/GBV

access and coordination 2011 Horn of Africa response (UNFPA, UNHCR); 2010 Pakistan floods

(UNFPA) Advocate for data collection by IERHB and UN partners to

include gender indicators or sex-disaggregated data

Next Steps (cont’d)

Public Health Investigations Conduct gender-integrated assessments, surveillance and

program evaluations in humanitarian settings Assessment of GBV response in Uganda settlements (UNHCR and

partners) KAP study to inform UNSCR 1308 on impact of HIV/AIDS on international

peacekeeping in Haiti and Liberia

Capacity Building Enhance capacity for mainstreaming gender among CDC

emergency response staff and external partners Integrate the NAP in emergency preparedness and response

trainings through CDC regional centers

Summary

The NAP is a roadmap for how the United States will accelerate and institutionalize efforts across the government to advance women’s participation in preventing conflict and keeping peace.

The policy represents a fundamental change in how the U.S. will approach its diplomatic, military, and development-based support to women in areas of conflict, by ensuring that their perspectives and considerations of gender are woven into the fabric of how the U.S. approaches humanitarian assistance.

For more information please contact Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333Telephone, 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)/TTY: 1-888-232-6348E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov Web: www.cdc.gov

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thank you!