Women Sharpen Skills as Peace Negotiators in West Africa
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The second session of the Regional Training Series on Mediation from West Africa took place in early October. The training helped 32 women civil society leaders cultivate capacities for mediation, advocacy, negotiation and implementation of peace agreements.
“This training aims at sharpening the knowledge and skills of the participants, so they can bring the gender dimension into mediation processes, said Josephine Odera, UN Women Regional Director for West Africa.
The initiative is linked to the West Africa Regional Action Plan for the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325, on women, peace and security, and resolution 1820, on stopping sexual violence in conflict. One of the aims of the plan is to further empower high-level women mediators from civil society to play effective roles in conflict resolution.
Odera stated that UN Women and the United Nations Office for West Africa will continue to back efforts to ensure that women leaders and negotiators are adequately skilled, and called for their increased participation in the consolidation of peace in the region.
Said Djinnit, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa, declared, “Sustainable peace is possible only with women's perspectives, their leadership, and their daily, equal presence wherever we seek to make and keep the peace. He reiterated the determination of the United Nations to remain mobilized behind women's participation.
Participants from 16 countries gathered at the training, which brought in experts from the United Nations Office for West Africa, the West African Network on Peace, the Peace Network and Security for Women in the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), Swisspeace and UN Women.
For further information, contact Mariam Tendou Kamara, Communications Officer, West Africa, UN Women, mariam.kamara[at]unwomen.org, +221 33 869-9978.