The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday reiterated the need to ensure that women in the region are included in national, regional peace and security processes.
This is contained in a statement issued on the website of ECOWAS Commission by Prof. Fatou Sow-Sarr.
He said the inclusion of women was to increase their involvement in conflict prevention, management, resolution, reconciliation and peace building.
Sow-Sarr, also Commissioner for Humanitarian Development and Social Affairs, said this at an ongoing Capacity Building Workshop in Lomé, Togo.
She said data gathered from the workshop would enable the commission generate input that could be used to formulate concrete policies, plans, programmes and activities.
She said these were aimed at empowering and involving women in the implementation of the various commitments of ECOWAS to improve the collective peace and security of the region.
Also, Mrs Adjovi Apedoh-Anakoma, Togolese Minister of Social Action, Women’s Promotion and Literacy, commended the participants on profound commitment to promoting peace and security in the region.
Apedoh-Anakoma underscored the importance of peace to any developing nation, saying aid without peace there can be no progress.
The minister emphasised the importance of the involvement of women in peace building.
She called on participants to make the most of the workshop to acquire skills in evaluating the effectiveness of the “Women, Peace and Security (WPS)” programme in their various countries.
Moreso, she said, it would ensure the advancement of women’s rights and promote a culture of peace in the region.
According to Apedoh-Anakoma, the workshop on the African Union Continental Results Framework (CRF) is on the development of a Simplified CRF document by the commission.
The CRF is a tool that enhances the monitoring and reporting of WPS National Action Plans in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325).
She said the resolution accorded full recognition to the unfair impact of violent conflict on women and girls, the under-representation of women in formal peace processes, and the undeniable value in women’s participation.
Apedoh-Anakoma highlighted the importance of mainstreaming gender throughout peace and security processes and architecture.
The workshop is expected to enhance the capacities of regional and national stakeholders in monitoring and reporting the WPS agenda using the CRF tool.
She said it would also enhance the capacity of participants in delivering training on the Simplified CRF in future training and capacity building events.
This includes the planned Pilot, In-Country Stakeholders Training, improving the understanding by key stakeholders of their roles in monitoring and reporting on WPS agenda, and strengthening the internal coordination of the Regional WPS Steering Group.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop is being organised by the ECOWAS Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, and supported by the ECOWAS Peace, Security Architecture and Operations Project.
It is co-funded by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation.
NAN reports that over 50 regional stakeholders from Regional Women Peace and Security Steering Group participated in the workshop. (NAN)
