Women Participation in Women Participation in Post Conflict Post Conflict Governance, Decision Governance, Decision Making and PlanningMaking and PlanningPresentation By:Presentation By:Leymah R. GboweeLeymah R. GboweeExecutive Director Executive Director WIPSEN - AfricaWIPSEN - Africa

IntroductionIntroduction

Advocacy for women full and active role in Advocacy for women full and active role in decision making have increased over the last decision making have increased over the last decades.decades.

This is evident by the passage of numerous This is evident by the passage of numerous resolutions, instruments and protocols on resolutions, instruments and protocols on women’s rights and roles in decision making.women’s rights and roles in decision making.

All of these instruments are geared towards All of these instruments are geared towards giving women the voice and prominence they giving women the voice and prominence they deserve during and after conflictdeserve during and after conflict

International instruments International instruments on women rights on women rights

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

Beijing Platform for ActionBeijing Platform for Action

MDGs 3MDGs 3

UNSCR 1325UNSCR 1325

UNSCR 1820, 1880, 1889UNSCR 1820, 1880, 1889

Regional (African Regional (African Instruments)Instruments)

AU Charter on Human and People’s Rights AU Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the Rights of Women.and the Rights of Women.

AU Constitutive ActAU Constitutive Act

Solemn Declaration of Gender EqualitySolemn Declaration of Gender Equality

AU Gender PolicyAU Gender Policy

Declaration of 2010 -2020 as the “Decade of Declaration of 2010 -2020 as the “Decade of the African Women”. the African Women”.

Assumptions about Assumptions about Women Roles in Post Women Roles in Post Conflict Planning and Conflict Planning and

Decision MakingDecision Making That women bear the greatest burnt during That women bear the greatest burnt during

conflict hence they will receive the highest conflict hence they will receive the highest benefits in post conflict humanitarian efforts.benefits in post conflict humanitarian efforts.

That women role in conflict resolution That women role in conflict resolution automatically guarantee their involvement in post automatically guarantee their involvement in post conflict processes. (Peace talks, Pre assessment conflict processes. (Peace talks, Pre assessment missions, DDR and related processes and post missions, DDR and related processes and post conflict electoral process).conflict electoral process).

That given women’s role in the community based That given women’s role in the community based peacebuilding processes, communities and local peacebuilding processes, communities and local authorities will make available positions of authorities will make available positions of leadership for women.leadership for women.

AssumptionsAssumptions

That legislations and policies promoting That legislations and policies promoting women’s rights will be passed without women’s rights will be passed without question given their roles in the peace question given their roles in the peace process.process.

That funding priority will be given to women’s That funding priority will be given to women’s issues and concernsissues and concerns

That grassroots women efforts will be That grassroots women efforts will be encouraged, supported and strengthened.encouraged, supported and strengthened.

Current RealitiesCurrent Realities

Though a number of global norm-setting Though a number of global norm-setting regimes have been adopted to acknowledge regimes have been adopted to acknowledge and support women’s participation in post-and support women’s participation in post-conflict peace processes, the reality is that conflict peace processes, the reality is that women are still far from attaining 30% in women are still far from attaining 30% in most post conflict context.most post conflict context.

Current RealitiesCurrent RealitiesGovernanceGovernance

In Africa, our two key examples of success in In Africa, our two key examples of success in governance are Liberia (female president) and governance are Liberia (female president) and Rwanda 50% in parliament. Rwanda 50% in parliament.

In Sierra Leone, Cote d’ Ivoire, Congo DRC and In Sierra Leone, Cote d’ Ivoire, Congo DRC and other parts the situation is not as exotic.other parts the situation is not as exotic.

A major gain however, in the area of political A major gain however, in the area of political governance and decision making is the level of governance and decision making is the level of awareness, advocacy, mobilization and awareness, advocacy, mobilization and participation. There is a general understanding participation. There is a general understanding that women’s involvement in political processes is that women’s involvement in political processes is key to empowerment. key to empowerment.

Current realitiesCurrent realitiesGovernance and decision Governance and decision

MakingMaking Women’s roles at decisions making level in the Women’s roles at decisions making level in the

security, justice and education sectors are virtually security, justice and education sectors are virtually low. low.

Advocacy, awareness and mobilization in these Advocacy, awareness and mobilization in these sectors for women involvement is virtually non sectors for women involvement is virtually non existent.existent.

In Liberia for example, of the over 2,000 enlisted In Liberia for example, of the over 2,000 enlisted men and women in the restructured army, only 79 men and women in the restructured army, only 79 are women, of this number, only one is a senior are women, of this number, only one is a senior officer. In Cote d’ Ivoire, according to a survey done officer. In Cote d’ Ivoire, according to a survey done of the police in March of 2010, there 1,887 women in of the police in March of 2010, there 1,887 women in the police representing 11.14% of the overall the police representing 11.14% of the overall number, with in the national Gandermerie there are number, with in the national Gandermerie there are no women, statistic for women in the army was no women, statistic for women in the army was unavailableunavailable

Current realitiesCurrent realitiesGovernance and decision Governance and decision

makingmaking In Sierra Leone there are 303 women in the army out In Sierra Leone there are 303 women in the army out

of 8,528, 6 women in the maritime (navy) out of 271 of 8,528, 6 women in the maritime (navy) out of 271 men and 1 woman in the air wing (force) out of 40 men and 1 woman in the air wing (force) out of 40 menmen

As it relates to education the number of women in As it relates to education the number of women in senior level positions at universities and higher senior level positions at universities and higher institutions of learning is very low. E.g Of the 29 institutions of learning is very low. E.g Of the 29 instructors of a high school in Liberia only 2 are instructors of a high school in Liberia only 2 are females. females.

The situation is similar when it comes to women in the The situation is similar when it comes to women in the justice sector, this also serve as a barrier to accessing justice sector, this also serve as a barrier to accessing justice for women in post conflict situation.justice for women in post conflict situation.

Current Realities Current Realities PlanningPlanning

In planning for peace missions and other post In planning for peace missions and other post conflict nation building processes a phrase conflict nation building processes a phrase that has been used as an excused to avoid that has been used as an excused to avoid consulting with women is “Cross Cutting”.consulting with women is “Cross Cutting”.

When women issues become Cross Cutting When women issues become Cross Cutting during planning, we have failed to plan for during planning, we have failed to plan for their promotion and participation in their promotion and participation in leadership and decision making at all levels leadership and decision making at all levels and in all sectors.and in all sectors.

ChallengesChallenges

Why are women not excelling giving the Why are women not excelling giving the number of instruments?number of instruments?

Reestablishment of cultural and tradition – Reestablishment of cultural and tradition – going back to the way things were… this in going back to the way things were… this in most cases is used by political group to most cases is used by political group to manipulate cultural and hold on to political manipulate cultural and hold on to political controlcontrol

Structural repression – unequal laws, lack of Structural repression – unequal laws, lack of policies (girls education backed with policies (girls education backed with resources, sexual harassment in workplaces)resources, sexual harassment in workplaces)

ChallengesChallenges

International assistance – working with International assistance – working with structured institutions and educated structured institutions and educated individuals, continuous portrayal of women as individuals, continuous portrayal of women as the victim as a means of calling attention to the victim as a means of calling attention to the conflict and accessing donor’s funding, the conflict and accessing donor’s funding, stereotyped empowerment activities. stereotyped empowerment activities.

Double standards – empowerment in words Double standards – empowerment in words and not actions.and not actions.

Way forward Way forward

Planning – invest time and resources on Planning – invest time and resources on women’s issues. Research, consultations, women’s issues. Research, consultations, partnership and funding.partnership and funding.

Governance and decision making – support Governance and decision making – support local initiatives, early intervention as a means local initiatives, early intervention as a means of promoting empowerment, designing of promoting empowerment, designing appropriate strategies (backed by resources) appropriate strategies (backed by resources) as a means of increasing the number of as a means of increasing the number of women in governance and decision making.women in governance and decision making.

Conclusion Conclusion

The UN and other international bodies have The UN and other international bodies have made key strides in writing on the issues of made key strides in writing on the issues of Women’s leadership in post conflict Women’s leadership in post conflict governance , planning and decision making.governance , planning and decision making.

Our Politics is Now!!!!! It is now time that we Our Politics is Now!!!!! It is now time that we move beyond the rhetoric of women’s move beyond the rhetoric of women’s participation. participation.