Napak District on 19th January 2024, conducted a validation meeting to review and refine its Local Action Plan (LAP) on Women, Peace, and Security. The meeting saw active participation from a diverse array of stakeholders, underscoring the community’s collective commitment to promoting gender equality and sustainable development.

The validation meeting, attended by 35 participants, aimed to critically assess the initial draft of the LAP, ensuring that it accurately reflected the needs and aspirations of the Napak community. Participants in the meeting, included religious leaders, cultural representatives, civil society organizations, and women’s rights advocates, who facilitated a comprehensive review process that incorporated a wide range of perspectives and insights.

Throughout the session, participants meticulously examined the LAP document, scrutinizing each element to ensure clarity, accuracy, and relevance. From refining the LAP’s vision, mission, and goal to fine-tuning strategic objectives and interventions, stakeholders actively engaged in shaping a robust and actionable plan for advancing women’s empowerment and peacebuilding initiatives in Napak District.

Modifications were made to various sections of the LAP, including strategic objectives and interventions, reflecting stakeholders’ commitment to crafting a comprehensive and effective action plan. Key revisions included setting more realistic targets, refining strategic interventions, and aligning activities with the district’s priorities and resources.

The validation meeting also provided a platform for stakeholders to share valuable insights and recommendations for enhancing the LAP’s efficacy and impact. From emphasizing the importance of traditional leadership structures in promoting peace to highlighting the interconnectedness of food security and gender-based violence, participants offered invaluable perspectives that will inform the LAP’s implementation and monitoring framework.

Following rigorous deliberations and amendments, the validated LAP document was endorsed for presentation to the District Technical Planning Committee and subsequently forwarded to the District Executive Committee for further review. The culmination of these efforts will see the formal approval and adoption of the Napak LAP, marking a significant milestone in the district’s journey towards creating a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous community.

The 67^th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) took place from the 6^th to 17^th March , 2023 under the theme “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”

Women’s International Peace Centre Peace hosted a parallel event on feminist peace & movement building in the digital age on 10th March.

The event brought together Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) and peacebuilders from Burundi, South Sudan, Uganda and Nepal to share their experiences with access to and use of digital technologies to advance women’s leadership and feminist peace.

Discussions highlighted the specific cases of young women, refugee women, women in rural areas and women in advocating for peace in contexts with shrinking civic space, limited digital infrastructure and challenges of access to and safe use of digital platforms.

For instance, in South Sudan, women used digital platforms to advocate for inclusive peace processes. They organized and held virtual meetings, discussed transitional justice issues, drafted statements and shared them using social media to decision makers for action.

Digital technologies also enhanced women’s power to share their experiences on social media, to discuss violations and call for action in real life

For many women and girls, the prospects/opportunities of digitalization are limitless with so many benefits which include access to information and knowledge sharing, the ability to build movements and fostering connections with others. However, the same is true for the dangers associated with it.

Women peacebuilders and vocal women are oftentimes threatened, face online trolls, backlash and are forced to endure character assassinations and online sneak campaigns. These pose great challenges that hinder women’s empowerment in digital skills.

By end of the meeting, women’s innovations, good practices and recommendations for ensuring diverse conflict-affected women are included in efforts to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the context of innovation and technological change in the digital age were spotlighted.

Find more videos of women peace builders here;

https://studio.youtube.com/video/-7fLebrAxEw/edit

https://studio.youtube.com/video/IpgvDdIIvL4/edit

https://studio.youtube.com/video/xSrgeOccx8I/edit