Gender, Women, Peace and Security

UNOWA open door event on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), November 2015. Photo: UNOWA

Gender issues are a key focus for UNOWA, particularly gender mainstreaming in conflict prevention, management and peace building processes as well as within all UNOWA programs and activities.

Gender, women, peace and security in West Africa issues are carried out by UNOWA through two key actions:

  1. Gender Mainstreaming within UNOWA and CNMC mandate implementation by
    • The integration of gender issues in good offices and early warning missions;
    • The adoption of UNOWA Gender Focal Points priority areas; and
    • The designation of Heads of Sections as Gender focal points, in November 2011;
  1. Promoting the implementation of UNSCR 1325 (2000) and the subsequent resolutions on women, peace and security in West Africa by:
    • The support of ECOWAS in developing a sub-regional and integrated plan of action for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) and the subsequent resolutions on Women, Peace and Security. The ECOWAS first Plan of Action for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and 1820 was adopted in Dakar-Senegal in September 2010, during the celebration of 10th Anniversary of the resolution 1325 (2000).
    • The joint coordination with UNWOMEN of the Working Group on Women, Peace and Security in West Africa (WGWPS-WA) established on 29 April 2009 in Dakar.
    • The training of women mediators at sub-regional, national and community levels, in partnership with UN Women and/or Crisis Management Initiative. 32 (2 from each West African country) women mediators were trained in 2011, 60 Malian women in 2012, 16 men and women members of the Working Group trained on “Conflict analysis for mediation program design” in 2014.
    • The launch in February 2014 of an online database on Gender, Women, Peace and Security in West Africa (www.womencount4peace.org).
    • The support of the establishment and management of Women’s Situation Rooms and the coordination of the Working Group solidarity missions in countries.
    • The Annual Exchange between the SRSG and the sub-region women leaders: Open Day.
    • The development of tools, information, knowledge, best practices and lessons learned collection and sharing with all stakeholders in the sub region.

 

Learning Kits - UNSC Resolutions 1325 and 1820

Resolutions 1325 and 1820 from which these learning kits are drawn, call for collective responsibility to ensure respect of citizens’ rights and to promote collaboration between men and women in the fight against
 impunity for gender based violence.

 The R.1325 was adopted by the UN Security Council at its 4213th meeting, on 31 October 2000. It focuses on women’s participation on in conflict prevention on and management.
 The R.1820 was adopted by the Security Council at its 5916th meeting on 19 June 2008 which specifically addresses the protection on of women and girls as a weapon of war.

Directory of institutions working for Peace and Security in West Africa

After 10 years of existence of the United Nations Resolutions 1325 and 1820 in the West African region, the results of implementation of the resolutions in the West African region leave a lot to be desired. The regional forum on 1325 + 10 organised by UNOWA in September 2010, in collaboration with its partners including African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Mano River Union (MRU), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Fund for Women (UNWOMEN), UN-INSTRAW, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights...

Gender and Elections - Full participation of women in the electoral process

Within the framework of Open Day on the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 implementation in West Africa, UNOWA held in Dakar, on 13 September 2012, a videoconference with West African Women leaders to exchange information and discuss trends, constraints and perspectives to better involve women in peace and security issues. The 2012 Open day was organized in partnership with UN missions in West Africa (UNOCI, UNIOGBIS, UNIPSIL), as well as UNWOMEN, UNDP and the UNCTs/UN Gender Theme Groups in the sub-region...

Available in French and English

RAPPORT DE LA MISSION DE SOLIDARITE ET D’APPUI AU PROCESSUS ELECTORAL EN GUINEE CONAKRY

Ce rapport a été élaboré à la suite d’une mission de solidarité et d’appui au processus électorale Guinée. Cette mission a été effectuée à Conakry par le Groupe de Travail Femmes, Paix et Sécurité en Afrique de l’Ouest (GTFPS-AO) du 20 au 29 septembre 2013.

Elle consistait à appuyer le processus électoral en Guinée et à apporter un soutien aux acteurs et actrices guinéens en termes d’animation de la « Case de Veille », de la participation à lacélébration de la Journée Internationale de la Paix et de contribution à la mise en oeuvre des actions ciblées, avant, pendantet après les élections législatives.

Journée portes ouvertes régionale pour les femmes, la paix et la sécurité

Dakar, 13 septembre 2012 – Dans le cadre des journées « portes ouvertes » sur la résolution 1325 (2000) du Conseil de Sécurité des Nations Unies sur les femmes, la paix et la sécurité, le Bureau des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest (UNOWA) a organisé à Dakar, une vidéoconférence pour échanger sur ces questions avec des femmes leaders dans la sous-région. La rencontre était organisée en collaboration avec le bureau régional d’ONU-Femmes, les missions de paix des Nations Unies et le Groupe Genre du système des Nations Unies en Afrique de l’Ouest.

Compte rendu du soutien apporté aux femmes guinéennes Par les femmes leaders du GTFPS

Selon vous, quelle a été l’utilité des m-observatrices et de la « case de veille » pour soutenir des élections pacifiques ? Ont-elles été capables à faire une différence dans l’optique d’action préventive ? Quels ont été les limites de l’initiative?

 - Oui elles ont permis des actions préventives pour celles qui étaient sur la capitale Conakry, elles nous ont envoyé par les analystes des alertes au niveau de la case des décisions d’où nous avons pu réagir promptement en envoyant des responsables politiques sur le terrain pour constater et calmer certaines situations délicates

ECOWAS Plan of Action for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and 1820: Three (3) years later

On 27 June 2013, UNOWA organized the fourth edition of Open Day on UNSCR 1325 through a videoconference. This edition was held in collaboration with United Nations peacekeeping missions in the sub-region (UNOCI, UNIOGBIS, UMNIL), the West African Regional Office of UNWOMEN, the UNCTs/UN Gender Theme Groups in the sub-region and the Working Group on Women, Peace and Security in West Africa.
 This maiden edition coincided with the mid-term review of the Regional Plan of Action on the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 & 1820, which, it will be recalled, was adopted in Dakar,

Available in French and English

Mission de solidarité à la « Casa das Mulheres para o accompanhamento do Processo eleitoral »

Sur la base de l’expérience réussie au Liberia, Sénégal, Sierra Leone, Mali, Togo, et plus récemment en Guinée, un dispositif de monitoring des élections présidentielle et législatives du 13 avril 2014 a été mis en place à l’initiative du Réseau Paix et Sécurité pour les Femmes  de l’espace CEDEAO section Bissau (REPSFECO –GB) et de la Plate-forme Politique des Femmes de Guinée-Bissau (PPM-GB).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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