In November 2023, a unique gathering unfolded by the serene backdrop of nature, marking a pivotal moment for a diverse group of individuals. The Care Hub Retreat, a meticulously designed experience, was more than an event; it was a transformational journey that delved deep into the realms of personal growth, emotional intelligence, and holistic well-being.
Read More “Embracing Transformation: The Journey of the Care Hub Retreat”
In a significant stride towards fostering inclusivity and democracy in South Sudan, the 3rd Annual National Conference on Women, Peace, and Security was recently concluded at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Juba. The conference, held from October 25-26, 2023, brought together South Sudanese women leaders from all ten states and various partners. Under the theme “Building Inclusive Democracy: Women’s Leadership and Political Participation,”
The event yielded a joint communiqué outlining pivotal recommendations and initiatives aimed at empowering women in the political sphere.
Acknowledging Collaborative Efforts: The conference recognized the collaborative efforts of organizations such as Eve Organization, the National Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Cordaid, Plan International, Christian Aid, HealthNet TPO, PAX and the Women’s International Peace Centre. Their successful organization of the event facilitated dialogue among over 200 delegates from South Sudan’s ten states.
Key Recommendations:
Looking Ahead: The communiqué reflects a collective commitment to closing the gender gap in South Sudan’s political landscape. By empowering women, fostering inclusivity, and addressing systemic challenges, the nation takes a significant step towards building a democratic society where every voice matters. Through collaborative efforts and targeted initiatives, South Sudanese women are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the country’s future.
Download Full Communique : Final-Communique-Annual Women’s Conference-Oct-2023
The 67th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) took place from the 6th to 17th 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
Monde Des Femmes 54 propose des réflexions sur les approches utilisées et les leçons apprises dans la mise en œuvre du programme Just Future par les organisations de la société civile partenaires du Burundi, de la RDC et du Soudan du Sud.
Dans cet article, les partenaires reviennent des progrès réalisés dans leurs initiatives de plaidoyer, en se focalisent les connaissances et les compétences acquises grâce aux différentes interventions de terrain. De ce fait, les organisations de la société formulent des recommandations susceptibles de contribuer à l’amélioration du programme Just Future ainsi que sur la manière dont la participation des acteurs clés peut être renforcée en attirant l’attention sur les domaines clés de leur croissance et les points saillants de leurs efforts régionaux de plaidoyer qui leur permettent d’influencer le discours et les pratiques en matière de paix et de sécurité à ce niveau.
Les expériences ici partagées soulignent diverses approches réussies lesquelles peuvent être exploitées dans les pays ayant le même contexte, mais en les adaptant aux programmes spécifiques pour faire progresser l’agenda femmes, la paix et la sécurité.
Telecharger: Monde des Femmes 54
The Peace Centre is running a project Women Reclaiming Agency for Peace building in Uganda aimed at strengthening the knowledge and skills of women and youth to effectively participate in peace building processes.
This report documents the unique experiences, strategies and changes seen
by implementing the project.
Download the report: Leading Change; Young People’s Agency in Peace building in Uganda
By Helen Kezie-Nwoha
October 31st 2022, marks exactly 22 years since the adoption of United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security (WPS). Every year during the month of October the UN Security Council convenes an open debate to receive the report of the UN Secretary-General on WPS and listen to member states, UN entities, and different actors on the status of implementing the women, peace and security agenda. This year was no different as the meeting took place on October 21st 2022.
In this article, I share some of the gains of the WPS movement and areas that need more work as reflected in the 2022 UN Security Council open debate.
Currently, the Women’s International Peace Centre is implementing a project “Building Sustainable Peace: Women, Peace, and Security (2019-2022)” in South Sudan. The project seeks to strengthen the capacity of women in South Sudan to mitigate conflict and sustain peace by enhancing their peace-building skills with a focus on mediation, conflict early warning, monitoring, analysis, and reporting from an engendered perspective.
From 20th to 25th June 2022, The Peace Centre conducted a training for 41 young women leaders from Wau, Yei, and Juba in South Sudan under the theme: “Young Women as Champions of Peace Building”, including youth leaders in the informal sector, young women leaders with disabilities, Civil Society youth leaders, political parties, academia, and female journalists.
Major topics of discussion included; Understanding peace and security in South Sudan, climate change and its dimensions in S.Sudan, documenting, reporting from a gender and women, peace and security lens, sexual reproductive health, and understanding feminist digital activism as an advocacy action plan.
During the training, participants were guided to share on the status of WPS in their communities. Key issues raised included increased gang violence, rape that is perpetuated by soldiers, weak laws on Gender Based Violence and the economic situation causing frustration in people among others.
Participants were also introduced to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 which emphasises the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building initiatives
It was noted that South Sudan is subject to International, continental and domestic frameworks such as; the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on Rights of women in Africa (MAPUTO Protocol), AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, Intergovernmental Authority of Development to mention but a few whose commitments she needed to respect. This however has not been the case as evidenced by the level of insecurity in the country.
The training also highlighted climate change and its impacts such as food insecurity and famine, displacements, excercabation of poverty as major causes of instability in the country thus solutions had to be found to combat the escalating problem.
Other topics of discussion included leadership skills, financial literacy skills, wellness and self-care sessions.
From the training, the young women developed action plans focusing on addressing issues of early child pregnancies/marriages; Child labor and street children, and inaccessibility of Sexual Reproductive Health Rights for women living with disabilities which were to be implemented in their various communities based on the knowledge acquired.
This policy brief is based on the the findings of the assessment on young refugee women’s participation in peacebuilding processes (The Peace Centre, 2021). The analysis reveals low participation of young refugee women in peacebuilding due to low levels of education and thus affecting their positioning in leadership. This policy brief argues that to ensure young refugee women’s participation in decision-making, there is a need for government and all humanitarian actors to promote refugee women’s leadership and participation in decision-making in humanitarian and recovery efforts through the strategic engagement of women leaders and women’s organisations.
Download the Policy brief here: Young Women Refugee Inclusion in Peacebuilding in Uganda_Policy Brief (1)
Through implementing the project “Strengthening Capacities for Women’s effective Participation in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding in South Sudan (2022)”, the Women’s International Peace Centre project seeks to strengthen the capacity of women in South Sudan to mitigate conflict and sustain peace through enhancing their peace building skills.