Global Open Day for Women and Peace 2010

8 Jun 2010

Global Open Day for Women and Peace 2010

Dakar, June 8, 2010 - The United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) held, consultations in Dakar with West African Women Leaders within the framework of the Global Open Days in preparation to the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security that will be held in New York in October 2010. The meeting was attended by leading women from the academic and political circles, as well as the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

It was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). "This meeting aimed at brainstorming on ways to accelerate the implementation of this groundbreaking resolution in West Africa in order to enable women to fully participate in peacemaking and peacebuilding in the sub-region," said Maxime Houinato, the Deputy Regional Director of UNIFEM.

The Special Representative of UN Secretary-General for West Africa, Said Djinnit welcomed progress made in this regard, including the creation of the Working Group on "Women, Peace and Security in Africa West" in April 2009 in Dakar. However, he stressed the importance of continuing to support the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mano River Union (MRU), Governments and civil society to translate all the different aspects of this resolution into reality at the national and regional level for the benefit of the population of the sub-region.

To this end, Said Djinnit announced a regional conference in September 2010 to identify challenges and opportunities related to the implementation of resolution 1325 in West Africa ten years after its creation.

"The message of the Secretary General of is very clear", Mr. Djinnit said, "sustainable peace is possible only with women's full participation. Their perspectives, their leadership, their daily, equal presence wherever we seek to make and keep the peace."

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For more information, please contact
Laurence Gerard, Public Information Officer, United Nations Office for West Africa
Office: +221 33-869-8560 – Cell: +221 - 77- 3324928