NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands have produced four NAPs, the first for 2007-2011, then 2012-2016, 2017-2020 and now their fourth NAP for 2021-2022.
Objectives/Aims of the 2021-2025 NAP:
Netherlands current NAP has five interlinked strategic objectives, each one supported by sub-outcomes.
1. Participation: more women hold leadership positions, and women participate equally and meaningfully in decision-making processes at every level in the interests of peace and security, including conflict prevention and resolution, peacebuilding, protection, relief, reconstruction and recovery.
2. Prevention: conflict prevention and the prevention of violent extremism, including of related violence against women and girls, is based on the human rights approach and starts from the principle of human security. Prevention policy and its implementation are conflict-sensitive, gender-sensitive, gender-responsive and gender-transformative.
3. Protection: women and girls, as well as men and boys, in and from conflict situations, are protected against all forms of conflict-related violence, including sexual and gender-based violence. Their rights are safeguarded and enforceable.
4. Relief, reconstruction and recovery: relief, reconstruction and recovery meet the needs and contribute to the empowerment and human security of women and girls.
5. WPS mainstreaming: a gender lens is applied to every reorganisation, improvement, development and evaluation of analysis, policy and policy implementation with regard to peace and security.
Commentary:
The Netherlands reassessed its efforts to carry out the WPS agenda and developed their fourth NAP arguing that existing international agreements and National Action Plans lack practical implementation. Their current NAP notes that despite significant progress made through WPS programmes in countries where there is ongoing conflict (eg Burundi, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Libya, Mali), yet women and girls worldwide are not sufficiently involved in peace and security processes or sufficiently, protected before, during or post conflict.
This fourth NAP includes a matrix setting out a clear monitoring and evaluation framework, including indicators for achievement and naming agencies responsible for implementation. However, there is no budget for implementation.
Civil Society’s involvement in development of the NAP:
As part of the development of this fourth NAP, 15 consultation sessions were held. Representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Justice & Security, and Education, Science & Culture, as well as from the police and over 60 civil society organisations, including development, humanitarian, peace, women’s and diaspora organisations, participated in the process. Government and civil society together constitute the Dutch NAP partnership, and bear joint responsibility for implementing the 4th NAP.
UN Peacekeeping statistics:
At May 2023 Netherlands was contributing a total of 17 UN peacekeeping personnel, of which 9 were mission experts, 2 senior police, 5 officers, and 1 soldier.
Women’s role in peacekeeping:
Of the 17 personnel being contributed by Netherlands in May 2023, only 3 were female (2 of 9 mission experts, and 1 of 5 staff officers).
References:
Netherlands 4th NAP 2021-2025 can be found at: NAP4-Netherlands.pdf (gnwp.org)
United Nations Peacekeeping. (May 2023): Troop and police contributors | United Nations Peacekeeping
Contribution of Uniformed Personnel to UN by Country, Mission, and Personnel Type (May 2023): 05-Missions Detailed By Country
