A Critique of the UK National Action Plan on WPS: Examining Implementation Gaps, Funding Shortfalls, and Limited Consultation in Addressing Gender-Based Violence

The document is a Policy Critique of the UK National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), specifically focusing on its effectiveness in addressing gender-based violence (GBV). The UK's NAP on WPS aims to prevent and respond to GBV in conflict and post-conflict situations, strengthen institutional frameworks, and engage with civil society to promote gender equality and women's empowerment. However, the critique argues that the plan is not practical in preventing GBV and suffers from several major failures: Implementation Gap : There is a significant disconnect between the policy commitments and actual practice. Statistics are used to demonstrate this gap, noting that in 2023, about 1.4 million women experienced gender-based violence and that in 2022, about 9% of women aged 16 and over suffered domestic abuse in the UK. Furthermore, only a small percentage of rape cases reported in England resulted in police charges or convictions. Lack of Funding : The policy lacks the necessary funds to turn plans into action. This failure affects support for local women's organizations, women's participation in peace and security efforts, and the ability to provide emergency funds for victims of GBV. The document also highlights funding issues related to transgender identity support within prisons and training for law enforcement. Lack of Consultation : The plan is criticized for limited consultation with civil society organizations, women's organizations, and grassroots activists, which is deemed essential for successful implementation. Lack of Proper Planning : The plan fails to address the needs of women already victimized by GBV (like access to essential services and support for livelihood) and lacks adequate approaches for recording, investigating, and prosecuting cases. Recommendations and Policy Alternative The critique offers recommendations for improvement: The government should allocate more resources and funds to support women victims of GBV. The national plan must include all stakeholders, especially human rights advocacy organizations. The plan needs to enhance ways in which the police investigate and prosecute cases related to GBV. As a policy alternative, the critique references Zambia’s anti-gender-based violence act of 2011, which criminalizes a wide range of offenses, provides fast-track courts, establishes protection orders, sets aside emergency funds, and creates victim support units and shelters.