African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD)’s Post

Talk about women's empowerment and leadership! Africa has had six women presidents, showcasing the strength and leadership of women in the continent's political landscape. Africa's First Ladies of Peace are significantly reducing conflicts across the continent. Prior to colonization, African women held leadership positions, and many communities practiced democracy. It's inspiring to see the impact of Africa's female leaders. Contrastingly, the United States has yet to elect a female President, highlighting Africa's progress in this regard. There's much to learn from the leadership of Africa's First Ladies of Peace. Let's hope for positive changes in the upcoming years. Despite facing marginalization in various cultures, African women have promoted democracy and peace, significantly reducing conflict in many communities. Epic! Read more about Africa's First Ladies of Peace leading the way in conflict resolution: https://lnkd.in/eSiKwixe

#OurNewPublication is out: "Young women's leadership in advancing the implementation of the Youth, Peace, and Security agenda in the DRC" My colleague Lydie and I share a lot about how we are decentering traditional hierarchies and how young women leading the NAP process have been labeled "too naive" and "too close to politicians." They have been assigned too many labels and adjectives, but they have overcome this by involving more actors in the NAP process (see page. 8-9). The publication can be found here, supported by Cordaid : https://lnkd.in/gxQj9EdK I also contributed to a paper published by Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) on the role of young women in advancing the YPS agenda in the DRC, which can be found here: "Young Women in the Lead: A thematic paper on actualizing the nexus between Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) on the occasion of the UN Secretary-General’s third report on YPS to the Security Council" https://lnkd.in/gsmzH_rj UN SDSN Youth - Nigeria Youth LEAD United Nations Youth Office Christine Odera Réseau Des Femmes Leaders Africaines - AWLN-Tunisie

Call for Abstracts: Summit of the Future, Horn of Africa Bulletin September 2024 Issues life-peac.org https://lnkd.in/e9d4-a9J This is a broad call compared to previous issues. We are calling for abstracts that focus on any of the following topics in relation to engagements in the Horn of Africa and African Great Lakes: Multilateral institutions’ engagement in conflict prevention, transformation and peacebuilding. The role of donor coordination in supporting or hindering peace processes and security efforts. Financial mechanisms supporting peace and human security. Systematic reviews of peace and security architectures for countries and multilateral institutions. Genuine and meaningful youth engagement in the multilateral system. The role of environmental programming and climate financing on peace and security. The connection and experiences of poverty and peace. The opportunities and challenges to advance gender equality within the multilateral system.

Since the 1990s, I was privileged to know the Former Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan. Over the years, his leadership at the UN has demonstrated the strength and commitment to a better global society by the African community through its active participation in world affairs. As the Ambassador to the UN for the World Safety Organization, I continue to have the pleasure of not only working with the African Nations, promoting safety in all aspects of industry and social welfare, but to assist the African community in developing its network of competent certified safety officers, and, as Secretary General Annan envisioned and promoted, through a deep sense of human rights. ————————- African members are among the most steadfast supporters of the UN and favor institutional reforms to make it a more effective, equitable, and inclusive international system. African members are among the most steadfast supporters of the UN and favor institutional reforms to make it a more effective, equitable, and inclusive international system. Historically, African countries have used their representational strength as the largest single voting bloc to resist efforts to weaken, undermine, or dilute the UN. Rather, they have tried to preserve the integrity of the UN system, address its shortcomings, and make it more responsive to African and Global South concerns. Apart from Egypt (which became independent in 1922) and Ethiopia and Liberia (which were not colonized), African countries had no role in creating the current rules-based international order. However, they all joined the UN almost as soon as they won their freedom. Universal African membership to the UN was followed by the growth in representation of African NGOs and civil society observers in its various organs. African countries, moreover, did not forget the role the UN played in the fight against colonialism and apartheid. (African Center for Stratregic Studies)

Canada’s 3rd national action plan on women, peace and security “Foundations for Peace” is now available from the Government of Canada (https://lnkd.in/gttx8-9J) The new Action Plan “presents an ambitious vision that incorporates many of the suggestions that emerged in more than two years of discussions. The plan builds on more than 20 years of work by activists, peacebuilders and human rights defenders and by people working across ten government departments,” as stated by the WPSN-C chair, Katrina Leclerc, at the official launch in March 2024. In May and June 2022, WPSN-C organized, with financial support from Global Affairs Canada, WPS Dialogue FPS, a series of online dialogues and other opportunities for inputs from Canadian civil society that sought to inform the substance and structure of the action plan on WPS. The outputs included a ‘what we heard’ report, a WPS 101 webinar, background materials and more, all available on the WPSN-C website (https://lnkd.in/giBhs7Ve) WPSN-C is a broad coalition of organizations and individuals with the mandate to monitor Canada’s implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Given the breadth of its membership, there are diverse perspectives and priorities within the Network. Members who have indicated their interest in being available for comment to the media can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gs9ddcPF

Read our report on the civil society's priorities for the upcoming Swiss National Action Plan on the implementation of UN Resolution on Women, Peace and Security.

Thilina Kaushalya Madiwala, Zainab Hassen, and Kiruthika Thurairajah are Salzburg Global Fellows who are in the third cohort of the Asia Peace Innovators Forum. Their narratives and countless other women in Sri Lanka serve as reminders of the indispensable role that women from diverse backgrounds play in peacebuilding efforts. Read how three Sri Lankan women from different backgrounds are leading the charge for peace and justice: https://ow.ly/BSzV50SsHIV

Many thanks Gender Action for Peace and Security for circulating this interesting report on Empowering Palestinian Women’s Active Political Participation: Key Findings from Youth-led Research. Underpinned by primary data collected in 2022, it offers some interesting insights related to women's political leadership and conflict transformation in Occupied Palestine Shannon, Airlie & Devin. https://lnkd.in/e9HDFDvM

#Democracy In #Danger 8 coups in Sub-Saharan #Africa in just 3 years! @RfldOrg calls for action: strengthen institutions, empower women & youth, address root causes. We can't let democracy erode! #Africa #HumanRights Discover the article : https://lnkd.in/eV8GUKBi

Civil society leader, Ms Kholood Khair briefed the United Nations Security Council today giving focus to the situation of women, peace and security in #Sudan as part of the Security Council's discussion on “Sustaining WPS Commitments in the context of accelerated drawdown of peace operations”. And in doing so, amplifies Sudanese women's voices, often missing and ignored in 'talks' and decisions about Sudan. Her powerful statement (attached) highlights the grave situation for women and girls and their sustained exposure to conflict related #sexualviolence. She says, "There is currently no body in-country to adequately monitor human rights, no body to effectively protect civilians, and no body to sufficiently support women, who have so far been almost entirely excluded from participating in any aspect of resolving the current crisis, despite being on the frontlines of the response". She calls for the international community to work towards a ceasefire while at the same time put in measures for the protection of civilians, including physical protection. She stresses that #womensrights must be prioritized, as well as ensuring that conflict-related sexual violence be included as a component of sanctions. While there may not be full agreement on the value of peace operations, given its deficiencies and shortcomings, including in Sudan, there is resolute agreement that more must be done to protect women and girls, and to end the war in Sudan. #keepeyesonsudan #notatarget #IHL #WPS #POC #TalkaboutSudan #endviolenceagainstwomen #ceasefirenow #womensleadership #famine NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security UN Women Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) Network UN Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) International Peace Institute (IPI) Human Rights Watch USAID - Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance African Union IGAD SOAS University of London Georgetown University GWL Voices Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism Women's Peace & Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Volker Türk UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women Global Fund for Women UN Security Council Briefing on Women, Peace and Security by Kholood Khair - NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (womenpeacesecurity.org)