. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .
An article by Tata Sane for Le Soleil
Women have always been the fundamental actors in the search for peace. This was reiterated yesterday in the meeting organized by the Working Group, “Women, Peace and Security in West Africa”, in partnership with the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (Unowas). The activity is held in preparation for the International Day of Peace, edition 2016. It is, according to the representative of Senegal on the working group “Women, Peace and Security in West Africa,” a favorable opportunity to reflection and exchange on the mechanisms of action and intervention of women and youth to consolidate peace and sustainable security in the Sahel which has been strongly shaken recently by the threats of extremists.
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Diago Ndiaye believes that facing the terrorist threats that spare no nation, women must play their role in order to build a lasting peace. In his message issued on the occasion of this day, the Secretary-General of the United Nations stated that “peace can not be reduced to a simple truce. Peace means building on a global scale, a society in which people live free of poverty and everyone benefits from prosperity.” Therefore, sustainable development is essential for the establishment of a stable peace. Respect for human rights is also a prerequisite. “The lack of resources is often the cause of conflicts. Therefore, we must rely on the sustainable development program for 2030 to prevent conflicts by ensuring that no one is left behind,” added the Secretary-General.
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What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?
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A high-level panel on the role and position of women and youth in the processes and peace and security programs in Senegal was scrutinized. Considering the theme “Women’s Leadership, peace, security, conflict prevention, mediation and peacebuilding: What role for women? “Dr. Christiane Agboton Johnson recalled that the 17 sustainable development goals that have been chosen for this year all contribute to the building of peace.
The involvement of women and youth
Speaking of women’s role, Ms. Agboton remarks that all women have a role to play at different levels. However, she wondered how this can be done so that women become a force for change. “Today, after all is said and done, has this potential been realized? Women represent 50% of the population, but, nevertheless, conflicts persist. This is the meaning of my question about how they can become a force for change, “she said. The gender adviser to the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (Unowas) recalled Resolution 2250 of the United Nations on youth, peace and security.
Agathe Telou believes that this resolution comes at a time when all players require the involvement of young people in search of peace worldwide. “This resolution recognizes the efforts that young people provide to help establish peace and security in the ECOWAS space,” she advised. Mrs. Agathe Telou addressed the sub-theme “Youth, Peace and Security: Resolution 2250 of the UN Security Council.”