The United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 1325

On October 31, 2000, upon the 20th anniversary of the United Nations, the UN Security Council
unanimously adopted Resolution 1325. This resolution is significant, it is the first resolution passed by the Security Council that specifically addresses the distinct and disproportionate effects of war on women and their often under-valued and underutilized contributions to both the prevention and resolution of conflicts and the maintenance of peace and security. Therefore, The UN Security Council called for the “adoption of a gender perspective in the negotiation and implementation of peace agreements; active participation of women in the maintenance and promotion of peace and security; and the support of local women’s peace initiatives and indigenous processes for conflict resolution”. The aim of the resolution reaffirms the need to increase women’s role in decision-making concerning conflict prevention and resolution, it also stresses the importance of women’s equal participation and full involvement in all peace promotion processes and calls Member states to increase women’s representation at all decision-making levels at national, regional and international levels for conflict resolution, conflict management and conflict prevention.

The Geneva Convention is the foundation of modern international humanitarian law, which at present day encompasses four conventions and three additional protocols. Collectively, the clauses of this convention represent modern efforts to protect people in times of armed conflict. 

An international conference conducted in 1949 consisted of high-profile diplomats to build on the earlier treaties for the protection of war victims, revising and adding them into new four conventions comprising 429 articles of law—known as the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949. 

The Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005 supplement the Geneva Conventions.

The Geneva Conventions apply in all war cases, or any other armed conflict between nations. Additionally, the convention clauses apply in cases where a nation is partially or fully occupied by soldiers of another nation, even if when there is no armed resistance to that occupation.

Cyber Security and Digital Security are concepts advocate safeguarding data on the Internet. The difference is that Cyber Security covers more ground in protecting the whole network and the entire computer systems and other digital components from any unauthorized access. Digital Security is an aspect of cyber security, it involves protecting the presence online data of the personnel such as their
assets, identities and financial accounts.

There is a growing concern for many humanitarian organizations today due to the serious harm cyber attacks could cause to the humanitarian sector on several levels. Humanitarian organizations are one of the most targeted entities to be attacked by terrorists and some authoritative regimes leaving the organization and its staff vulnerable and posing serious threats. If computer systems used by impartial humanitarian organizations are disrupted by cyber operations, their relief work slows down, becomes dysfunctional, and cannot reach people at scale. The risk of cyber-attacks is affecting directly the safety and integrity of humanitarian personnel and operations.

Emphasizing the impartial role of our organization in conflict management and peace-building, we also affirm that one of the organization’s essential mandates is protecting its staff and people’s confidential data from migrants, refugees, civilians, conflict leaders, detainees, children, women and whoever involved in our humanitarian activities by safeguarding their privacy and take the best applicable measures in preventing any digital breach that might pose them to a threat. On this occasion, the organization would like to adopt Resolution 12 of Safeguarding Humanitarian Data enriched in international humanitarian law.

Our organization believes that Goal 16 is the most important goal among the 17 SDGs. It must be prioritized and turned into an urgent action agenda at the international and national levels. Goal 16 focuses on tackling all violence forms, specifically military intervention and terrorism that could lead to serious conflicts breach societies’ safety as well as result in violation of human rights. It must be applied in all available tools and standards to properly accomplish the rest of the global sustainable development goals.

Military intervention and armed conflict are the key drivers for poverty and famine, it will also damage the agricultural system and destruct the
sewage, which causes water pollution and the spread of diseases. Moreover, conflicts and wars cause the destruction of roads and thus will affect logistical support and paralyze the movement of aid to people who are in dire need. Certainly, these conditions will affect the growth and
prosperity of nations and weaken their economies. Even countries that are not part of the conflict, will find themselves involved in depleting their resources to resolve the conflict of some countries instead of harnessing these resources to serve humanity.

Our vision assures that achieving Goal 16 should have zero tolerance as none of the rest 16 goals could be met without
achieving peace and preventing all forms of conflicts.