. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article by Boubacar Païtao in Maliweb (translation by CPNN)

In order to promote endogenous practices of conflict resolution and peacebuilding, the Union of Women of Cultural Communities for Peace in Mali (UFCPM) organized, from June 12 to 14, 2023, at the Auberge Titi de Fana, a capacity building workshop for influential women in their community and within their group on key concepts including peace, forgiveness, reconciliation, social cohesion, resilience.

The opening ceremony was chaired by the representative of the Governor of Dioïla, Jean Marie Sagara, in the presence of the president of the UFCPM, Kéïta Fanta Chérif Kéïta, the representative of the Norwegian Church Aid (AEN), Samake Loda Coulibaly.

After the words of welcome of the village chief of Fana, the president of the Union of women of cultural communities for peace in Mali (UFCPM), Kéïta Fanta Kéïta indicated that in these moments of multidimensional crisis in our country, it is the women who are innate champions for the maintenance of peace around us, and who are committed to the fight for pacification, stabilization, security, social cohesion, virtuous governance of Mali.

She added that they created the UFCPM with this in mind, with the aim of contributing to the reconciliation of hearts and minds to restore a definitive peace and strengthen social cohesion and the resilience of communities. According to her, UFCPM brings together all the women of the cultural communities of Mali who have decided to face the crisis situation with a clear vision. They are supported by courage and confidence in their power to strengthen the resilience of the communities very affected by the different crises and rebuild the socio-economic fabric deteriorated by these crises that our country has been experiencing since 2012.

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(Click here for the original in French.)

Can the women of Africa lead the continent to peace?

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Thus, she added, the women decided to use all their potential as mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, aunts, grandmothers to make Mali a haven of peace where assistance to the another is a cardinal value necessary for good living and the achievement of sustainable human development through stability, peace and social cohesion. According to her, the Union of Women of Cultural Communities for Peace in Mali (UFCPM) aims to contribute:

– the promotion of endogenous practices of conflict resolution and peacebuilding, the multiplication and application of regional, national and international legal and regulatory instruments;

– the promotion of intra- and inter-community initiatives to revive existing ancestral ties and maintain them for the benefit of social cohesion and the socio-economic emergence of the various localities;

– the creation of lasting mechanisms to strengthen the prospects for peaceful coexistence and reduce the risks of the outbreak and/or resumption and continuation of violent conflicts;

– the strengthening of intergenerational, intra- and inter-community dialogue for the respect of human rights and the promotion of the culture of peace,

– Consolidation of collaboration and consultation relations between Cultural Associations involved in conflict resolution, social cohesion and socio-economic development;

– the initiation of effective and efficient mechanisms to strengthen the actions of good governance.

In this dynamic, she continues, this workshop is designed to strengthen women in their intervention so that they can intervene in conflict situations.

Following her, the representative of the Governor of the Dioïla region, Jean Marie Sagara, welcomed the holding of this workshop for influential women in the communities, especially at a time when our country is facing a multidimensional crisis. . Given the importance of women in crisis resolution mechanisms, this workshop is timely. It will make it possible to better equip them on the key concepts of peace, forgiveness, reconciliation, social cohesion and resilience.

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from ECOWAS: Economic Community of West African States

About fifty Regional Stakeholders from the Regional Women Peace and Security Steering Group have converged in Lomé, the Togolese capital for a four day Capacity Building Workshop (Training of Trainers), 19th -22nd June, 2023, organized by the ECOWAS Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DHSA) with  the support of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) Project, co funded by the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ.

The Workshop on the African Union Continental Results Framework (CRF) is coming on the heels of the development of a Simplified CRF document by the ECOWAS Commission. The CRF is a tool that enhances the monitoring and reporting of WPS National Action Plans in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325). The Resolution accorded full recognition to the disproportionate impact of violent conflict on women and girls, the under-representation of women in formal peace processes and the undeniable value in women’s participation. It also clearly highlights the importance of mainstreaming gender throughout peace and security processes and architecture.

The workshop is expected to enhance the capacities of regional and national stakeholders in monitoring and reporting the WPS agenda using the CRF tool. It will also enhance the capacity of participants in delivering training on the Simplified CRF in future training and capacity building events, including the planned Pilot, In-Country Stakeholders Training, improving the understanding by key stakeholders of their roles in monitoring and reporting on the WPS agenda and strengthening the internal coordination of the Regional WPS Steering Group.

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ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Humanitarian development and Social Affairs, Professor Fatou SOW-SARR, in her welcome remarks, stressed the urgent need to ensure that Women in the region are included and involved in all national and regional peace and security agendas and processes to increase their involvement in conflict prevention, management, resolution, reconciliation and peace building. Additionally, she said that the data gathered from the workshop would enable the commission to generate input that can be used to formulate concrete policies, plans, programmes and activities aimed at empowering and involving women in the implementation of the various commitments of ECOWAS to improve the collective peace and security of the region.

The Togolese Minister of Social Action, Women’s promotion and Literacy, Madame Adjovi Lolonyo APEDOH-ANAKOMA in her welcome address, congratulated all the participants on their successful entry into the Women Peace and Security Regional Working Group, praising their profound commitment to promoting peace and security in the region. She outlined the importance of peace to any developing nation, because without peace there can be no progress, quoting Kofi Annan, then Secretary General of the United Nations, “Without progress, there can be no peace. Without peace, there can be no progress”.

She stressed the importance of the involvement of women in peace building, Women are naturally inclined to respect life, to educate and to defend. Women play a pivotal role as advocates for peace and are a voice for the vulnerable. She opined that with the natural maternal instinct and maternal heart beating in the core of any nation, it would be difficult for war to still break out.

In conclusion, she called on all participants to make the most of the workshop and use it to acquire skills in evaluating the effectiveness of the “Women, Peace and Security” program in their various countries. She said, in so doing, they will play a crucial role in ensuring the advancement of women’s rights and promoting a culture of peace in the entire West African region, highlighting the importance of emphasizing that peaceful coexistence is essential for the well-being of our citizens and for having a better future for our countries and our region.

The opening ceremony was concluded with a symbolic ceremonial inauguration of participants into the steering Regional Working Group on Women Peace and Security which reaffirmed the commitment of the participants to contribute to the full implementation of the “Women, Peace and Security Agenda” across the region. Representatives of Guinea Bissau, National Defence College Nigeria, Togo, WANEP, UNOWAS were presented with plaques and decorated with customized scrolls, representing all members of the Steering Group.

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from the African Media Agency

The Angolan vice-president, Esperança da Costa, will open this Thursday, May 25, the 1st International Women’s Forum for Peace and Democracy, in an event that will also involve, as speakers, like Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (former President of the Republic of Liberia), Epsy Campbell Barr – former Vice President of Costa Rica (Member of the UNHCR Permanent Forum for People of African Descent) and Zahira Virani (Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System Nations in Angola).

Video of the event

The 1st International Women’s Forum for Peace and Democracy, which takes place over two days (May 25th and 26th, at the Hotel Intercontinental Miramar), is an event that focuses on women’s struggle for equality, emancipation, continental development for Peace and Democracy, part of the Luanda Biennial – Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, which is a joint initiative between the Government of Angola, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) and the African Union (AU).

Operatively coordinated by the Minister of State for Social Action, Dalva Ringote Allen, the 1st International Women’s Forum for Peace and Democracy, which takes place under the theme “Technological Innovation and Education for the Achievement of Gender Equality” and with the motto “Innovation Technology as a Tool for Achieving Food Security Combating Drought on the African Continent”, aims to:

* Reaffirm and strengthen political commitment to action on gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls and their human rights, ensuring high-level engagement,

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(Click here for information in Portuguese)

Can the women of Africa lead the continent to peace?

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa?

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* Foment discussion events through round tables, high-level interactive dialogues, to exchange experiences, lessons learned and good practices.
* Debate on the status of gender equality on the African continent, identifying goals and achievements achieved, and challenges to fill existing gaps

The 1st International Women’s Forum for Peace and Democracy also has the following specific objectives:

* Identify areas of convergence within the national chapters of the Bienal de Luanda and expand the position of groups of young women leaders at national level,

* Establish regional, continental and international cooperation protocols,

* Propose concrete actions for the qualification of young women, promoting opportunities for access to the labor market.

In order to materialize these objectives, five thematic panels were programmed, globally, for the two days of work, namely “The challenges of globalization in the process of gender empowerment”, “Technological innovation and education to achieve gender equality” , “Formalization as a mechanism for social and financial inclusion”, “Challenges of food security and climate change on the African continent” and “The role of women in consolidating peace and preventing conflicts”.

The program of the 1st International Women’s Forum for Peace and Democracy includes two master classes in the conference auditorium of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, with the themes “Challenges of Food Security and Climate Change on the African Continent”, by Papa Abdoulaye Seck (former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Equipment and Ambassador of Senegal to Italy) and “Financing for Development in Africa Calls for a Paradigm Change: The Driving Role of Domestic Resources”, by Cristina Isabel Lopes Duarte – Adviser to the Secretary General of UN for Africa.

The 1st International Women’s Forum for Peace and Democracy is aimed at Women Leaders of African Regional Organizations, Women Leaders, Heads of Government and members of the PALOPS, CPLP and OEACP. International and National Organizations, Representatives of Diplomatic Missions, Representatives of public sector entities, Public and private companies and Private sector entities.

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from the African Development Bank (reprinted as non-commercial use)

Women’s proven role in conflict resolution makes the unique position of First Ladies even more important as agents for resolving conflicts in Africa.

“Men make wars, women make peace. Women must therefore be included in peace making, peace building, conflict resolution, and reconstruction efforts.” African Development Bank President told guests at the inauguration of the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) state-of-the-art headquarters in Abuja heard on Tuesday.

“There can be no development without peace and security,” said Dr Adesina in a speech delivered on his behalf by the African Development Bank’s Director General for Nigeria, Lamin Barrow.

Nigeria’s first lady and outgoing chair of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, Aisha Buhari, emphasised the significance of women’s role  in conflict resolution.

“As women leaders and mothers, our role in peace and security is to continue to say no to the culture and structures of violence that make people accept and unleash violence on innocent victims, the majority of whom are women and children,” she said.

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She told the gathering that the African First Ladies Peace Mission has received the endorsement and support of partners led by the African Union. AFLPM has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the African Union to cooperate on peacebuilding, Buhari said.

The African Development Bank has partnered with the African Union to develop security-indexed investment bonds to help mobilise funding to address the root causes of political instability, protect businesses and livelihoods, and rebuild infrastructure in conflict-affected areas.

The bank is also providing support to vulnerable and internally displaced women living in refugee camps in the Sahel region.

“Nothing works without peace and security,” Adesina said, adding his voice to the African Union’s call to ‘silence the guns.’  “Many parts of Africa face major security challenges from conflict and war. Today, 85% of Africans live in or near a country in conflict.”

Women and children are disproportionately affected by wars, he said, adding that sexual violence, abductions, forced conscription and trafficking in women must end.

“Women’s voices must never be silenced,” Adesina added.

The Bank chief described African first ladies as critical to the efforts of African leaders and the African Union to ensure a peaceful and secure Africa by 2063.

“Your focus on addressing violence, promoting the role of women, fostering a culture of peace, and reducing conflict, are truly commendable,” Adesina said. “The African Development Bank stands ready to support your efforts and we look forward to a strong partnership with your organisation.”

He also stressed the importance of a collective responsibility to unite in order to resolve conflicts, break cycles of violence and address fragility.