International Women's Day

International Women’s Day is about equality between men and women, boys and girls. It is about equal rights. We can celebrate what has already been achieved but we have also to acknowledge the shortcomings and wrongs.

It is an ongoing struggle. In many societies, there is still a long road ahead. It must be walked without further delays. A nation that leaves behind the women does not belong to today’s times. It must catch up.

In our part of the world, it is more about attitudes that have yet to change, it is about implementing what we know it is right, transforming into reality the nice words we pronounce.

In both cases, and in very practical terms, it all begins with education and putting an end to all types of violence practised against women and girls. 

The best way to move forward is to have women in positions of power, including political and economic power. I know that men in leading roles can also fight for women’s rights. We have several cases we could mention. But in my own experience, I have learned that it is much better, more impactful, to have those leading roles taken up by women.

Cologne raises many questions

Referring again to the New Year´s criminal incidents in Cologne, I think it is important to note that the total number of complaints filed with the police has now reached 379. This is an incredible high figure, but possibly lower than the actual number of cases. In these types of crimes some victims do prefer not to file a formal charge. In any case, the total figure registered so far clearly shows the magnitude of the problem. It leaves no room for a light treatment of the matter. This is more than just a law and order issue. As it is also bigger than just police failure to anticipate and later on to respond to the occurrences.

There are many questions that call for a frank and courageous answer. But also for serenity. The citizens have to be reassured. And the refugees have to see the authorities as strong enough and ready to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Lessons from Cologne

Regarding the sexual attacks against young women and thefts in Cologne, and also in some other European cities, I certainly wish to add my voice to those who have expressed shock. It is important to make it clear that such actions are criminal acts. Therefore, the perpetrators ought to be brought to face justice. The police work needs to be done without any outside interference. This is no time for political meddling in police affairs.

But it is time to draw some very serious political lessons from these abhorrent incidents. They call for a frank debate about the challenges of integrating in Europe large numbers of people coming from cultures that are very different from ours – and in some ways, unacceptable, because they are a negation of key human values Europeans take for granted. It is not an easy debate but has to be clearly discussed. 

The impossible job of leading a peacekeeping operation

The UN Secretary-General has just forced his Special Representative in the Central African Republic (CAR) to resign. The reason is directly linked to the rape of a young girl in Bangui by one or more peacekeepers. The Special Representative, who is also the head of the UN peacekeeping operation in the CAR, had to go, in the opinion of Ban Ki-moon, to show that the SG does not take these matters lightly.

Ban Ki-moon could not afford to display any shade of hesitancy.  There have been, in the past, some serious cases of gender-based violence in the country associated to the external troops. The most notorious case was perpetrated by the initial deployment of French soldiers and the UN was perceived as timid in dealing with it.

This sort of violence has been a recurrent problem in peacekeeping. At present there is no tolerance to it. And that´s the correct approach. But that does not prevent it from occurring.

That was again the case in the CAR. However, now that the Special Representative has been so summarily sacked I should add that he had tried his level best to prevent sexual violence from happening again. It´s fair to say it in a clear manner. It’s true that the ultimate responsibility in a mission comes always to the Special Representative´s level. But it also true that he cannot be behind each one of his soldiers. There are thousands of them in a mission like the one in the CAR. Each military contingent comes from a different country and the responsibility has to start with the national commanding officer at the head of each contingent.