Participation

To date, the African Peace and Security Architecture has striven to strengthen women’s participation in peace, security and post-conflict reconstruction in Africa and to improve the quality of early-warning mechanisms and the effectiveness of the institutions responsible for addressing issues related to protecting women and children in conflict and post-conflict contexts. In that respect, the African Peace and Security Architecture Roadmap should be seen as a key contribution to mainstreaming gender issues into the African peace and security agenda. It concretely seeks to ensure women’s and children’s protection and the increased participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution and peacebuilding strategies.

As we seek to enhance women’s participation in prevention and mediation efforts, I have the pleasure, as already mentioned by the German delegation, to announce that the African Union Commission, in partnership with UN-Women and the Federal Republic of Germany, is organizing a high-level forum on women leaders for Africa’s transformation, from 31 May to 2 June here in New York. The three-day forum will serve as a platform to launch the African Women Leaders Network, a new initiative aimed at bolstering women’s leadership in governance, peace and security for the transformation of Africa. The initiative represents an important milestone in our shared path towards implementing resolution 1325 (2000) and the women and peace and security agenda in Africa.