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One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

One-third of the MPs in Tanzania’s parliament are women, making it one of global leaders on women’s representation. The Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group (TWPG), a women’s parliamentary caucus, collaborated with the IPU on advancing gender equality through the work of the National Assembly.

As part of this collaboration, the IPU organized two events in Dodoma in September 2017. The first was a workshop to develop a mentorship programme for women MPs.

The second event was a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

As most Tanzanian women MPs are newcomers, mentoring is a particularly effective way to build capacity through the support of more experienced MPs. The activity aims to support new women parliamentarians in developing their own network and in strengthening their knowledge and skills as MPs.

The workshop concluded that the mentoring programme should include parliamentary, party and constituency work. Monicah Amoding, the Chair of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), said that the UWOPA also involved male colleagues, an idea that TWPG said it would follow up on. Participants agreed to start a pilot project for six months with 20 women MPs as mentees and 20 mentors.

The parliamentary seminar on the implementation of CEDAW aimed to sensitize MPs on the principles and commitments of gender equality, and to take stock of how Tanzania was doing on these commitments. It also aimed to help the National Assembly identify its own strategies with respect to CEDAW implementation, by applying the IPU gender-sensitive parliament framework and assessment methodology.

Margaret S. Sitta, Chairperson of TWPG, who opened the meeting, stressed the importance of CEDAW as a powerful mechanism for enforcing women’s rights, facilitating their empowerment and promoting gender balance. The meeting was also addressed by the Ministers of Gender (Mainland and Zanzibar), the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, a member of the CEDAW Committee, Hilary Gbedemah from Ghana, and a member of the Ugandan Parliament, Winifred Masiko. Participants pointed out that although Tanzania had done a lot of work on gender equality, much still remained to be done. For example, the Law of Marriage Act, 1979, discriminates against girls: boys have to be 18 before they can be married, whereas girls can be married off at a younger age. The importance of sexual and reproductive education for children was also emphasized.

Recommendations from the thematic group discussions included setting up a system that would ensure that gender issues are taken into account in bills, policies, guidelines and laws; learning from best practices of other parliaments, including through setting up a parliamentary committee on gender equality; and having gender-balanced committees.

Source: IPU

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women

African advocates, pioneers, and thought leaders of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, together with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, took stock of the achievements and challenges for women building sustainable peace on the continent at a high-level event on 22 September during the 72nd General Assembly. 

“If peace processes do not include women, civil society and youth, they are not sustainable,” Børge Brende summarized the common understanding motivating all panellists in their endeavour. 

When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in 2000 and acknowledged the multifaceted role women play for peace and conflict, it was a milestone. In the aftermath, advocates all around the globe pushed Member States for its tangible implementation via National Action Plans (NAPs). 

Since then, the nature of conflict has evolved. “National and Regional Action Plans are more important now than they have ever been,” said UN Women Chief of Peace and Security Unit, Paivi Kannisto, opening the discussion that she co-facilitated with UN Women Representative in South Africa, Anne Shongwe. 

While many of the underlying factors of conflicts in Africa have remained the same, such as governance, security and political violence, new challenges have emerged. Climate change, forced displacement and migration and violent extremism were among the emerging challenges highlighted by Professor Cheryl Hendricks from the University of Johannesburg in her remarks. 

With the number of conflicts on the upswing since 2010, Professor Hendricks called for all countries to develop and adopt or review their National Action Plans to adequately reflect these new challenges. She stressed that NAPs needed to speak to the particular context of each country. “From a feminist perspective, we need to call not only to be included, but to be transforming processes that have not delivered on sustainable peace,” she advised. 

The Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, explained the importance of sustaining peace. “Namibia’s experience is that we cannot take our peace for granted,” she said. “Peace is not self-sustaining, it needs to be nurtured.” The country emphasizes training and education for peace, early warning systems and a holistic understanding of violence prevention—from the family and community to the national and international level—in its NAP. Namibia was a champion in the Security Council, supporting the adoption of UNSCR 1325. 

Representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gender Minister Chantal Safu Lopusa, shared concrete actions taken on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the recent years, including the training in conflict resolution and women’s rights of 525 mediators in three provinces affected by armed conflict; the training of military and police on sexual violence; and the promotion of women in the army and police. “For the first time, DRC has women generals in the military and the police,” she said. 

South Africa is embarking on a similar approach training women in conflict resolution, mediation and prevention. Trainings target women from all over the continent, but also at grassroots level and young women. “We need to invest more and more in women. The fact that we don’t have a conflict, does not mean that we do not need a framework to sustain peace,” the South African representative said. 

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Following the Norwegian understanding that “NAPs must be living documents. They must be updated regularly, reflect the present and prepare us for the future,” as the Foreign Minister put it, Nigeria has already implemented its second NAP. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Director of Women and Gender Affairs at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, shared that the country’s first Action Plan on women, peace and security, which was established during a time of peace, didn’t hold up to the prevailing situation of conflict, which is characterized by systematic kidnapping of and violence against women and girls. 

UN Women’s leadership, partnership and support for National Action Plans was lauded by speakers from Nigeria to Norway and by the representative from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The inter-governmental organization supports its members in the region in developing, adopting and implementing NAPs. 

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, called for more investment in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and concurred with other speakers that the absence of conflict was not equal to peace. “As long as women’s bodies are constantly being attacked in many ways, being perpetually in war, we cannot talk about peace,” she said. 

The Executive Director was energized to see the progress that has been made across the continent and the enthusiasm demonstrated by all participants to ensure women play a more important role in peace and security. She concluded with a simple, but important ask to participants and the audience: “We need meaningful and significant representation of women everywhere. It’s a game-changer.”

Source: UN Women