By Peter Omopo
United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed has called for greater participation of women in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and decision making across Africa’s Great Lakes region.
Mohammed said women frequently bear the consequences of armed conflicts and are left to rebuild families and communities after violence, despite often having little involvement in the negotiations and agreements that determine the aftermath of conflicts.
Speaking on the need for a more inclusive approach to peacebuilding, she said women should not merely be regarded as victims of conflict but should have meaningful roles in shaping efforts to prevent and resolve disputes.
According to Mohammed, sustainable peace in the Great Lakes region would remain difficult to achieve if women continued to be excluded from negotiations and key decision making processes.
She stressed that women’s participation was necessary at every stage of peace efforts, particularly in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and decisions concerning the future of affected communities.
Mohammed said the burden placed on women during and after conflicts demonstrated the need to ensure that they had a voice in the processes that determine how peace is established and sustained.
She therefore urged stakeholders in the region to move towards greater inclusion of women in political and peacebuilding structures, arguing that their participation would be essential to achieving lasting stability.
The UN deputy secretary general’s call comes amid continuing efforts to strengthen peace and security in the Great Lakes region, where conflicts have repeatedly affected communities and created humanitarian and development challenges.
