In October 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. This resolution underscores a gender perspective in all conflict prevention activities and strategies on women’s meaningful participation in all peace processes. Notably, it emphasized on the deliberate efforts by organizations to put women on the global agenda.
Consequently, since its adoption, the women peace and security agenda (WPS) has gained much attention, including the launching of National Action Plans (NAPs) to guide the implementation of UNSCR 1325. However, a global study conducted by UN Women in 2015 pointed out that most of the NAPs lacked mechanisms for accountability and specific budgetary allocations for implementation.
In addition, the African Union Commission report of 2016 cited UNSCR 1325 implementation gaps in addition to the commission raising concerns that few member states had complied with the regular annual reporting on the implementation of UNSCR 1325. This justified the need to conduct a study to examine the progress African countries have made in implementing the UNSCR. This study was conducted by the CRTP team.
The main objectives of this research were:
- To examine the initiatives for prevention of sexual and gender-based violence in conflict situations in Africa.
- To find out the existing mechanisms for increasing women’s participation in peace processes and decision making in institutions of peace and governance in Africa.
- To assess how relief and recovery interventions for women in post conflict situations can be enhanced.