The forum is an initiative of the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, in his capacity as facilitator of the Luanda peace process for the DRC, and is being facilitated by the African Union, through the Office of the Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security.
In a statement, to which VerAngola had access, the African Union "recognizes that women's participation and leadership must be considered a primary element in the search for peace and security on the continent" and, therefore, "in recognition of the importance of women as equal partners in peace, security, governance and sustainable development, the African Union, through the Office of the Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, is facilitating a High-Level Regional Forum of Women from the Great Lakes Region focused on the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region".
With the theme 'Strengthening women's participation and leadership in peace and security processes in the Great Lakes region', the event aims to "promote dialogue and collaboration" as well as "achieve a holistic and effective implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, fully integrating gender perspectives into peace and security policies and programmes in the region".
According to the entity, women's participation "must increase not only the number but also the quality of contributions to peace and security in the Great Lakes region", considering that the security situation in that region "has had devastating effects on women and girls".
According to the African Union, delegates at the event will assess "women's contribution to peacebuilding initiatives", identify "gaps and opportunities for women's meaningful participation", develop "strategies to improve women's involvement and leadership in ongoing regional peace initiatives", and identify "ways in which women can support the Luanda peace process", with discussions focusing on the peace, security and humanitarian situation in "the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and its impact on women, and women's participation in peace and security processes".
The outcomes of this two-day forum will be crucial in indicating "paths to enhance a systematic, holistic and cohesive approach to gender issues in all security situations".
"The Women, Peace and Security Agenda presents a comprehensive approach to gender mainstreaming in peace and security to ensure women's participation in conflict prevention and resolution, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction," as well as "upholding women's rights in conflict situations and promoting their participation in conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts".
Quoted in the statement, Bineta Diop, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security, highlighted the continental entity's commitment to ensuring that "women's voices are heard clearly and taken into account in conflict prevention and peacebuilding."
"The Women, Peace and Security Agenda is a gender mainstreaming approach aimed at promoting the inclusion of women as active participants in peacekeeping and ensuring their protection and integrating gender perspectives into the peace and security agenda at the national, regional and continental levels," she added.
According to the African Union, the event will bring together delegates from 12 Member States of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), "including Heads of State and Government, Ministers of Gender or their representatives, members of the Network of African Women Leaders (WPS pillar leaders), members of FemWise Africa, WPS Advisory Board (Women, Peace and Security), representatives of the Regional Peace Security Monitoring Mechanism, Regional Economic Communities, especially the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), representatives of agencies of the United Nations system, heads of Diplomatic Missions, representatives of religious institutions and academics, among others".
The African Union further recalls that at the 3rd African High-Level Forum on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), which took place in December last year, it was recommended that "greater attention be paid to the crises" in the DRC, as well as in the Great Lakes region, and that the African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security "was also asked to support initiatives aimed at promoting the role of women in regional peacebuilding initiatives".
