The number of victims of sexual violence during armed conflict in Africa is staggering, and tackling the issue of conflict-related sexual violence is one of the critical areas of concern in my new mandate, requiring urgent and effective action at the community, national, regional and international levels. Additional areas of my mandate relate to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and women's participation in peace processes.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission has made the protection of women's right across the continent a priority, and she is committed to promoting and working to achieve gender equality. She is also making sure that the Commission has a 50/50 workforce parity, in line with the gender policy adopted by the African Union (AU) in 2009.
Moreover, we need to raise the profile of women's networks and civil society organizations, which in many instances serve as first responders to address the scourge of conflict-related sexual violence and are the first to stand in solidarity with survivors.
In January I assumed my mandate as Special Envoy of the African Union Commission Chairperson on Women, Peace and Security. With that appointment, I recommitted to continuing to work closely with the women of the African continent. I resolved to amplify their voices and concerns within the African Union and other decision-making bodies, and to ensure that women assume their rightful role in ensuring peace and security in Africa.
Implementation of the Protocol and all existing AU instruments that address the issue of conflict-related sexual violence must be accelerated. There is still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done. We must start by doing away with the tradition of inequality between women and men, which is one of the overarching reasons why violence against women is widespread and so easily carried out.
If it is agreed that women's rights are human rights and that women are essential to the establishment of peaceful societies, we need, in our approach to tackling conflict-related sexual violence, to enable the full participation of women during peace processes. The African Union and the United Nations should continue to build a critical mass of women mediators and appoint more women as lead mediators.
I am therefore pleased to report that in January of this year the AU Commission signed a cooperation framework, with the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, on preventing and responding to sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.
As we approach 2015, the Common African Position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda commits us to the eradication of all forms of violence against women and children. The African Union's Agenda 2063, which represents a commitment to build a prosperous and peaceful Africa, puts particular emphasis on the engagement of women and youth in the continent's development.
As long as we take the view that these are problems for women alone to solve, we cannot expect to reverse the high incidence of rape and child abuse. Domestic violence will not be eradicated. We will not defeat this scourge that affects each and every one of us, until we succeed in mobilizing the whole of our society to fight it.
