Briefing on Women, Peace and Security Interlinkage

Date | 30 October 2024

Tomorrow (31 October), the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene an open session on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). This session, marking the 1242nd meeting of the PSC, is being held in the context of the 24th anniversary of Resolution 1325, adopted by the United Nations (UN) Security Council (UNSC) on 31 October 2000.

Following opening remarks by Mohamed Gad, Permanent Representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for October, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), Bankole Adeoye and AU Special Envoy on WPS, Bineta Diop are expected to make statements. Statements are also expected from representatives of UN Women, the European Union delegation to the AU, the Representative of Switzerland and the Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF).

Since institutionalising WPS as part of its annual agenda item in line with the decision of its 223rd session held in 2010, the PSC has regularised the convening of annual meetings to commemorate UNSC resolution 1325. In addition to serving as a platform for following up on the progress and challenges of implementation of resolution 1325 in Africa, these meetings have served the PSC to reflect on a range of issues that affect women in conflict and crisis settings.

The last time the PSC discussed the WPS agenda was in March 2024 when it convened a high-level ministerial seminar on WPS with the participation of the Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention (FemWise-Africa) and its regional chapters, African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), Pan African Women’s Organisation (PAWO), as well as representatives of the UN and partners, including African Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and think tanks. Participants of the high-level ministerial seminar, acknowledging the WPS agenda would benefit from a continued engagement with diverse stakeholders, agreed to institutionalise the biennial seminar, to be formally called the Swakompund process, as a platform for the PSC to engage with local, national, regional and continental actors.

It is expected that tomorrow’s session will give a special focus to women’s involvement in Peace Support Operations (PSOs). AU-led PSOs cover a wide array of tasks aimed at stabilising conflict areas, supporting peace processes, and long-term security and governance. Women’s involvement in PSOs contributes to the multidimensional goals of these operations, which range from facilitating political processes and security sector reform to protecting civilians and promoting human rights. Yet, despite established frameworks and initiatives, women remain grossly underrepresented in peacekeeping forces across Africa, suggesting a need for continued advocacy and measurable action to bridge this gap.

One of the measures that has been taken to implement the WPS agenda is the development of National Action Plans (NAPs). Though several member states have developed national and regional action plans (RAPs), many N/RAPs were created with technical and financial support from the UN and bilateral donors. While this external support has been beneficial, there is a need for African states to take greater ownership of the process through sustainable, internal financing mechanisms set up for the WPS agenda. Sustainable and well-targeted funding is critical to translating commitments of resolution 1325 into concrete actions that empower women as agents of peace. The development of a robust accountability framework to monitor the use of financial resources allocated to the WPS agenda would ensure transparency and effectiveness in the implementation of R/NAPs.

The PSC in its 987th communiqué had reaffirmed the importance of including women in PSOs and required PSOs to adhere to AU and global frameworks for rights and equality such as that of WPS. Women’s participation is essential not only for inclusivity but also to ensure the operational effectiveness of PSOs. Women peacekeepers are often deployed in roles that increase community engagement and trust such as interacting with local women and children and addressing issues of sexual violence in conflict zones. For instance, in Darfur, female peacekeepers have received higher levels of trust from local women reporting cases of harassment or violence. This has enabled adjustments in PSO strategies, like modifying patrols to enhance community safety. Similarly, Nigerian female police units deployed to Liberia in 2007 contributed to reductions in gender-based violence and improved community cooperation, further underscoring the operational value of women’s involvement.

While some countries, like Ghana and Liberia, have shown modest progress in increasing female representation in peacekeeping forces, the lack of enforcement and accountability frameworks has allowed member states to overlook gender quotas in PSO deployment. One of the key outcomes highlighted in the conclusions of the High-level ministerial seminar was the importance of adopting a gender parity policy that would ensure the appointment of mediators, technical experts, special envoys and others relevant to the facilitation of formal peace processes would take into account the meaningful inclusion of women. The PSC had also called for the AUC to develop a policy framework of quotas for women’s participation in all conflict prevention and management missions, peace processes and election observation missions led by the AU, with a mechanism for tracking and monitoring implementation. It is expected that tomorrow’s session may deliberate on setting gender quotas in PSO deployments and require gender-disaggregated data of deployments for greater transparency of a more inclusive and effective peacekeeping model.

The recent adoption of UNSCR 2719 marks a critical juncture in the nature of PSOs in Africa. This change underscores the need to refocus on the WPS agenda, with an emphasis on actionable strategies for increasing women’s participation and leadership in peace support missions. Tomorrow’s session is expected to reflect on the enduring barriers to women’s engagement in PSOs and highlight the roles of women as essential for sustainable peace in Africa.

The expected outcome of this session is a communique. It is expected that the PSC will highlight the crucial role of women in the promotion of peace and security and commend the progress made in promoting women’s participation and leadership in PSOs. The session will likely call on member states who are yet to do so, to domesticate Resolution 1325 (2000) and urge for its full implementation at national and regional levels, emphasising the importance of adopting a gendered perspective for women’s involvement in peace processes, as well as the development of capacity-building programs that provide women with the skills necessary to lead in peacebuilding efforts. The Council may also condemn the violence perpetrated against women during conflicts and call for zero tolerance for sexual and gender-based violence against women. The session may also deliberate on plans for the next high-level ministerial seminar under the Swakopmund process.