On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Said Djinnit, calls on the stakeholders of the region to ensure that women play a critical role in the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework agreement for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region. The Special Envoy notes that in times of conflict and struggle for peace, women remain largely marginalized in negotiations and decision-making processes.
This year’s theme, “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”, focusses on Sustainable Development Goal 5: “achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls”; and Goal 4: “ensuring inclusive and quality education for all and promoting lifelong learning”.
Special Envoy Djinnit reiterates that including women in peace processes is essential as it brings broader and more sustainable benefits to communities and nations. “To resolve the root causes of conflict in Africa’s Great Lakes region, and to bring about sustainable peace, the voices of women and girls must be heard. On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, I remain committed and engaged to advocate for the active participation, and for the voices of women and girls, who represent more than half of the population in the region, to be included, and to be heard in political processes and decision making,” he said.
Despite all efforts, women remain under-represented in political dialogues, negotiations and in peacebuilding initiatives. For Mr. Djinnit, national and regional institutions also have an essential role to play in advancing women’s effective participation in political and peace processes. “Real progress on women’s participation in political and peace processes will only happen if there is sufficient political will and resources allocated,” he noted.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Office of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region (OSESG-GL).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
