News Library

Ivet González interviews ANA GÜEZMES, regional director of UN-Women

A decade after the last attempt to end Latin America's longest-running insurgency failed, the Colombian government and the country's largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are to sit down at the negotiating table in the Norwegian capital Oslo later this month.

BBC Africa Debate comes from Malawi this month and asks whether African women are winning the power battle. Presented by Audrey Brown from Lilongwe, the debate takes a look at change brought about by African women who have made inroads into traditionally male spheres such as politics, business, the church and management.

The Irish government acknowledges the benefits of involving women in conflict resolution, as “clearly evident in Northern Ireland, where women played and continue to play a pivotal role in building peace.” Building on that recognition of the strategic role played by women, Ireland appointed Dame Nuala O'Loan, former Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland, as Ireland's Special Envoy on Women and Peace Making. Further, the Irish government recognises in its National Action Plan (NAP) on UNSCR 1325, the need to “engage with appropriate Northern Ireland authorities to encourage development of policies and measures consistent with the aims of UNSCR 1325, in consultation with civil society organisations”. However, Northern Ireland's constitutional positioning remains to date within the UK and the positioning of UNSCR 1325 in the area of external affairs keeps the work on UNSCR 1325 in Northern Ireland in a ‘virtual' rather than in an actual reality.

Fawzia Koofi is not the first woman to run for president, but she and her positions on the issues are well-known, which should boost her campaign.

Edna Adan has spent much of her life being first. The daughter of a prominent medical doctor in Somaliland, she was the first girl in her country to learn to read, the first Somali woman to drive, the first certified nurse-midwife, and the first lady of Somalia — her husband was Prime Minister Ibrahim Egal.

"Women continue to play a major role in the efforts for peace. Women continue to be those peace builders; continue to promote the environment that enables all citizens to search for peace, maintain peace and use the security that peace brings to be able to join in the processes of development that will touch the lives and change the condition of humankind," President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said.

It is a burning question within Tunisian society and abroad, whether Tunisia will regress on respect for women's rights or not.

The conflict that Somalia endured for more than 20 years took a heavy toll on the women of the country who now look to the new government for hope of better times ahead.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres on Monday night presented the Nansen Refugee Award to Somali humanitarian, educator and women's rights advocate Hawa Aden Mohamed. She was unable to attend in person for health reasons.