Boosting Women’s Participation in Peace- building Processes in the Horn of Africa

Addis Ababa , 06 October 2009 (ECA) - Within the framework of the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 calling respectively to enhance women’s equal participation in decision-making regarding peace building, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is organizing, in collaboration with the Club of Madrid and its partners, a Regional Workshop on Women’s Leadership for Peace and Security in the Greater Horn of Africa (Addis Ababa, 6-9 October 2009). 

The Club of Madrid is made up of seventy current and former Heads of Sate and Government from fifty countries.  Its partners in organizing tomorrow’s workshop are: Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, Isis-Women’s International Cross-Cultural Exchange and the Institute for Security Studies. 

Club of Madrid Members, Kim Campbell, former Primer Minister of Canada and Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, will co-chair this inaugural activity in Addis Ababa, which is part of a 3-year project launched with the support of the Governments of Norway and Germany. 

To support African member States to implement Security Council Resolution 1325, UNECA organized, in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, a High-level Policy Dialogue in February 2008. The initiative aimed at raising awareness about the importance of implementation of this Resolution in Africa, especially in countries emerging from conflict. The dialogue also aimed at building national capacities including those of national gender mechanisms to accelerate implementation of SCR1325 through the development of a training manual that was shared with the participants. Prior to the High Level Policy Dialogue, a needs assessment was undertaken on the status and awareness on the SC Resolution. The assessment showed that questions still abound on the representation of women at all levels within those peacekeeping missions and the attention paid to gender and women’s human rights across all aspects of peace and security.

In order to keep the momentum, the Cub of Madrid is organizing the Regional workshop mentioned above as a move towards harnessing the variety of female leadership at national, personal, professional and cultural levels. Its goal is also to take a strategic approach to tap a rich melting pot of ideas and experiences across multiple skill sets and areas of expertise, so as to transform conflict and strengthen peace building. 

 The Workshop which brings together 40 women leaders from the region will include intensive training, thematic group work and a high-level roundtable discussion. Its objective is to produce specific policy and action recommendations aimed at increasing the presence and impact of women in decisions regarding peace building and conflict resolution in the Horn of Africa.