By Bosco Bush
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and UN Women have renewed calls for increased women’s participation in peacebuilding processes.
The two institutions stated that it is important that women are involved at all levels of government, from local communities to national decision-making bodies.
This call was made during the 4th Annual National Conference on Women, Peace and Security under the theme, “Forging collaboration for advancing women leadership for lasting peace and security in South Sudan.”
Mrs. Christine Fossen, UN Police (UNPOL) Commissioner for UNMISS noted that this year’s theme is instructive and aligns with the landmark resolution on women, peace and security that the United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 unanimously adopted on 31 October 2000.
The UNSCR 1325 Resolution obligates all United Nations member states to promote the participation of women at all levels in peacebuilding, state building and prevention of conflict processes.
Furthermore, the resolution seeks to address the impact of conflict on women and girls and highlights the critical roles women can play in preventing, managing and resolving conflict.
“Participation, protection, prevention, and relief and recovery which are the key pillars of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1325, serve to drive forward the women’s peace and security agenda,” Fossen remarked, noting the need for women to climb up the ladder to decision making.
She pointed out UNMISS’ support in promoting women, peace and security through championing various activities including capacity building for the National Police Service female police officers aimed at strengthening and enhancing their capacities on different policing priorities.
“We have for the first time in the UN history, and I am very proud of this because I’ve discussed with my colleagues in the New York HQs, we have trained 40 women for 8 weeks in the women’s peace and security agenda for the police, and we will continue to work on this agenda,” said the UNPOL Commissioner
Meanwhile, Rukaya Mohammed, Country Representative for UN Women, remarked that women are peace-builders, stressing their significant inclusivity in peacebuilding from all levels of the government
“Women are peacebuilders and women build peace. Peacebuilding is a process, not an event, peace is achieved and maintained from the community upward and the women in leadership are agents for all women,” she noted.
“The needs and perspective of women at the county, payam and boma level should therefore be prioritized in policymaking at the national level,” said Mohammed.
The official called on the government of South Sudan to support the approval of the 2nd national action plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
“The 2nd generation national action plan should be fully funded, launched and localized so that not only at the national level, it’s implemented across the states and Payams,” she said.
“Also, strong accountability mechanisms that are essential to ensure that women are not only participants but also decision-makers in peace processes, security sector reforms and post-conflict reconstruction,” she concluded.