Wlps E-brief

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E-BRIEF

This E-Brief is a collaborative work between the Institute of Security Studies, Club de Madrid and Isis Womens International Cross Cultural Exchang

The Women Leadership for Peace and Security in the Greater Horn of Africa Project is supported by the Governments of Germany,

Norway, Belgium and Iceland and the Hunt Alternatives Fund

June, 2010


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The Womens Leadership for Peace and Security

in the Greater Horn of Africa (WLPS) projectis a

partnership by the Institute for Security Studies

(ISS) Club de Madrid (CdM) and Isis Womens

International Cross-Cultural Exchange (Isis-

WICCE) that seeks to enhance the participation and

contribution of women in national and regional

peace and security decision-making.

Despite national, regional and international

commitments, gaps still exist in the involvement of

women and womens organisations in the processesof peace negotiations, peace building and post

conflict reconstruction. The Womens Leadership

for Peace and Security in the Greater Horn

of Africa project therefore seeks to contribute to

womens meaningful participation in peace

processes. In particular, the project seeks to build

womens skills and capacities in peace and security

related issues, foster networking opportunities for

women in the region and create forums in which

women can engage with officials from national,

regional, continental and international institutions

charged with peace and security.

This initiative is focused on the Greater Horn of

Africa: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia,

Somaliland, Puntland, North and South Sudan

and Uganda and targets a group of 40 womenleaders, orG40 as they otherwise referred to.

The project is supported by the governments of

Germany, Norway, Belgium and Iceland as well as

as the Hunt Alternatives Fund

ABOUT USWLPS AND THE G40

,

WLPS MISSIONSG40 convene on five high levelmissions

With the support and collaboration of the governments of Germ

Norway, Belgium and Iceland as well as as the Hunt Alternatives F

the WLPS project has, between October 2009 and May 2

organised five high level missions. The first, to Addis Ababa and

chaired by Club de Madrid members Kim Campbell and MRobinson, focused on the African Peace and Security Architec

whilst the second to Uganda, chaired by Club de Madrid mem

Valdis Birkavs, concentrated on Ugandas Peace Recovery

Development Programme (PRDP). The third mission, also chaire

Valdis Birkavs, was held in Djibouti. It examined (i) critical is

affecting the human security of women in Djibouti; (ii) the impa

regional peace and security issues on Djibouti; (iv) the Security

for Somalia and its implications for women; (iv) IGADs peace

security architecture and its activities to bring peace to

region. Held in Nairobi and co-chaired by Club de Madrid mem

Kjell Magne Bondevik and Valdis Birkavs the fo

mission reviewed (i) critical issues and challenges of impen

elections in the region in 2010-2011, and implications for wom

participation in the electoral processes; (ii) Internationally-ass

plans and processes supporting peace and security in Somalia and

engagement of women in national and international decision-ma

fora: constitutional development processes and policymaking strategies to address the security challenges facing the Som

population. The fifth and most recent high level mission on Suda

post-election strategy workshop held in Nairobi, chaired by V

Birkavs, reflected on the performance of Sudans first multip

elections since 1986, drawing lessons for promoting good practic

electoral conflict management as attention now shifts to the S

Sudan referendum election in January, 2011. Valdis Birkavs

chaired four consecutive missions and continues to be committe

the long term goals of the project.
http://www.isis.or.ug/http://www.isis.or.ug/http://www.isis.or.ug/http://www.isis.or.ug/http://www.isis.or.ug/http://www.clubmadrid.org/http://www.clubmadrid.org/http://www.iss.co.za/http://www.iss.co.za/http://www.clubmadrid.org/en/programa/greater_horn_of_africahttp://www.clubmadrid.org/en/programa/greater_horn_of_africahttp://www.clubmadrid.org/en/programa/greater_horn_of_africahttp://www.clubmadrid.org/en/programa/greater_horn_of_africa


3/6Women Leadership for Peace and Security in the Greater Horn of Africa

Subsequent to the post election strategy workshop on Sudan,

hosted in Nairobi, Kenya from the 26th 27th May, 2010 the

G40 developed Key Recommendations for Conflict

Prevention in the lead up to the Referendum in Sudan.

The two day high level mission, led by former Prime

Minister of Latvia and Club de Madrid member Valdis

Birkavs and in collaboration with UNDP Kenya, reflected on

Sudans first multi party elections in 24 years (April 11 th -

15th, 2010) and drew lessons for promoting good practice in

electoral conflict management. The G40 drew from Kenyas

national dialogue and reconciliation process and institutionsand also shared their experience

of engagement in the Sudanese

electoral process, in particular

th r oug h c iv ic and vo t er

education campaigns.

The key recommendations

developed to prevent potential

referendum violence focused on:Raising awareness through an

inclusive national forum, broad

civil society dialogue and civic

education and media, amongst other portals; Enhanced

early warning and quick response mechanisms, including

a strengthened AU and IGAD early warning system at the

local level, utilisation of instruments such as Ushahidi to

collect and distribute crisis data as well as the creation of

rapid response units and database of conflict mediators at alllevelsby the Sudanese government; To ensure protection of

civilians UNAMID must reach all conflict areas so that it

can effectively carry out its mandate. The international

community, AU and IGAD should also maintain a spotlight

on human rights violations in Sudan through pre and post

referendum phases, as well as ensure the protection of human

rights activists and other witnesses of human rights

violations; Coordination and communication through the

creation of a comprehensive strategy/plan of support b

international community, AU and IGAD for a fast cha

political environment. Civil society should coo

activities and an information sharing mechanism in re

to the referendum as well as enga

mapping exercises to determi

coordinated network of institutions

organisations engaged in peace bu

and conflict management; finally the

IGAD, international community

government must promote wom

participation in conflict prevention

peace processes at all levels.

G40 DEVELOP KEYRECOMMENDATIONS FORCONFLICT PREVENTIONSudan high level mission

As the Comprehensive Peace Agreement enterits final stage with wide-ranging implications fothe post-referendum period, far more resources andenergy - both Sudanese and international - need to

be devoted to violence prevention anreconciliation efforts and activities.

G40 Statement on conflict prevention strategies Sudan

G40 members engage with Kenyan Electoral Commissioners to

develop key recommendations during working group sessions in

Nairobi, Kenya.

Club de Madrid member and former prime minister Valdis

Birkavs co-chairs a roundtable with Gladwell Otieno,former head of Transparency International and founding

member of Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG)
http://ushahidi.com/http://www.scribd.com/full/33516466?access_key=key-14649ogeytvj2v1kxb7ehttp://www.scribd.com/full/33516466?access_key=key-14649ogeytvj2v1kxb7ehttp://www.scribd.com/full/33516466?access_key=key-14649ogeytvj2v1kxb7ehttp://www.scribd.com/full/33515560?access_key=key-h59mbl4b6gwcu4xi0r6http://www.scribd.com/full/33515560?access_key=key-h59mbl4b6gwcu4xi0r6http://www.scribd.com/full/33515560?access_key=key-h59mbl4b6gwcu4xi0r6http://www.scribd.com/full/33515560?access_key=key-h59mbl4b6gwcu4xi0r6http://ushahidi.com/http://ushahidi.com/http://www.scribd.com/full/33516466?access_key=key-14649ogeytvj2v1kxb7ehttp://www.scribd.com/full/33516466?access_key=key-14649ogeytvj2v1kxb7ehttp://www.scribd.com/full/33516466?access_key=key-14649ogeytvj2v1kxb7ehttp://www.scribd.com/full/33516466?access_key=key-14649ogeytvj2v1kxb7e



On 19th May, 2010 the G40 put forward their assessment

and recommendations on the status of violence against

women in the Horn of Africa to Margot Wallstrm, Special

Representative of the UN Secretary General on Sexual

Violence in Conflict, who presented her five point priority

agenda on sexual violence in situations of armed conflict at

a consultation meeting held with Brussels based civil

society organisations.

Ms. Wallstrm, adding on to her own observations onviolence against women in the DRC, looked to gain further

insight from civil society on the ground working on peace

and security issues. The G40 submitted recommendations

from Sudan, with particular focus on the Darfur region,

Somalia South Central, Puntland and Somaliland.

Batula Mursal, of We Are Women Activists (WAWA) and

G40 member, highlighted the state of anarchy, lawlessness

and political instability due to the lack of a functioning

centralised government which contributes to the causes of

sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) in Somalia; the

lack of legal protection for women and children, lack of

laws against SGBV, low level of prosecutions,

inaccessibility of police and judicial services in relation to

remote IDP camps and lack of administrative resources and

equipment by local courts and security forces.

Asha Ahmed, Somaliland Focal Point and G40 member,

paid special focus on the plight of the thousands of womenand girls raped throughout the Somali conflict and the

unprecedented levels of war crimes committed with

impunity against the female population. Ms. Ahmed

reported on the increased incidents of gang rape of women

and girls in urban centres, particularly in the poorer areas

made up of urban displaced, refugee returnees and rural

displaced populations and the lack of reporting of these

crimes.

Ms. Ahmed added that ...perpetrators go unpunished while

the victims are left untreated, un-rehabilitated and without

reparation.

Maha Elzein, Regional Coordinator of Peace Women

Across the Globe (PWAG) and G40 member, stressed the

need for increased participation of women in peace keeping

missions, especially in the case of Darfur where rape

continues to be used as a weapon of war. Ms. Elzein posed

questions as to why, despite the issue of rape as a weapon of

war having been raised at local, regional and international

levels, progress has not been made.

The G40 communicated their observations and

recommendations directly to Margot Wallstrm with

particular emphasis on the G40s two collective

recommendations: 1) the need to fight impunity and the

importance of a legal system to protect women from

violence and 2) the need to build womens capacities in

peace building processes.

Ms Wallstrm went on to highlight the Women Leadership

for Peace and Security in the Greater Horn of Africa project

during the meeting and stated that this was a ...very good

and serious project, with a long term perspective.

G40 SUBMITS

RECOMMENDATIONS ON

SEXUAL VIOLENCE INCONFLICT TO UN SPECIAL

REPRESENTATIVE
http://www.tucacas.info/somalia/wawa/wawa.htmhttp://www.tucacas.info/somalia/wawa/wawa.htmhttp://www.stoprapenow.org/pdf/StatementofSRSGWallstromSecurityCouncilOpenMeeting27April2010.pdfhttp://www.stoprapenow.org/pdf/StatementofSRSGWallstromSecurityCouncilOpenMeeting27April2010.pdfhttp://www.1000peacewomen.org/eng/ueberuns.phphttp://www.1000peacewomen.org/eng/ueberuns.phphttp://www.1000peacewomen.org/eng/ueberuns.phphttp://www.1000peacewomen.org/eng/ueberuns.phphttp://www.stoprapenow.org/pdf/StatementofSRSGWallstromSecurityCouncilOpenMeeting27April2010.pdfhttp://www.1000peacewomen.org/eng/ueberuns.phphttp://www.1000peacewomen.org/eng/ueberuns.phphttp://www.1000peacewomen.org/eng/ueberuns.phphttp://www.1000peacewomen.org/eng/ueberuns.phphttp://www.tucacas.info/somalia/wawa/wawa.htmhttp://www.tucacas.info/somalia/wawa/wawa.htmhttp://www.stoprapenow.org/pdf/StatementofSRSGWallstromSecurityCouncilOpenMeeting27April2010.pdfhttp://www.stoprapenow.org/pdf/StatementofSRSGWallstromSecurityCouncilOpenMeeting27April2010.pdfhttp://www.stoprapenow.org/pdf/StatementofSRSGWallstromSecurityCouncilOpenMeeting27April2010.pdfhttp://www.stoprapenow.org/pdf/StatementofSRSGWallstromSecurityCouncilOpenMeeting27April2010.pdf



Three G40 members and six G40

associates from Somalia attended an

Open Day hosted in Nairobi , Kenya

from the 8th 9th June 2010 in line

with an international initiative of

Global Open Days hosted by the UN

in coordination with this years ten

year anniversary of Security Council

Resolution 1325.

The Open Day saw the Special

Representative of the Secretary

G e n e r a l a n d t h e R e s i d e n t

C o o r d i n a t o r / H u m a n i t a r i a n

Coordinator for Somalia open their

doors to consult with women peaceleaders and peace advocates on

women, peace and security.

Twenty women, as well as UNPOS

and UNIFEM representatives, made

up a preparatory meeting panel that

selected six themes as priorities for

Somali women: women and political

participation, peace and security,

gender based violence, women and

education, economical constraint and

infrastructure and employment.

During the preparatory meeting a

task force was identified to monitor

the implementation of Resolution

1325. G40 member Batula Mursal

was selected as a member of the task

force and will work to represent the

G40 to support UN agencies in

overseeing the implementation of

Resolution 1325 and other Security

Council

Resolutions that concern womens

issues.

The European parliament hosted aconference on Challenges in the

Horn of Africa on the 26th April,

2010. The conference focused on

three key issues; political and

security challenges in the Horn of

Africa, specifically in relation to

Somalia and Eritrea, and t

situation in Ethiopia and Sudan

light of upcoming elections. G

member Asli Duale contributed

the conference writing a note on

situation in the southern and cent

regions in Somalia. Ms. Duale cal

for immediate actions in situatio

involving human safety and secur

and provision of safe havens isola

from war zones. International gua

and humanitarian assistance, no

Ms. Duale, ...are certain to s

lives and shed a beam of hope

millions of people.

Asma Ismail, of the Institute for

Development of Civil Soci

(IDCS) in Sudan and G40 membsubmitted the preliminary report

the Sudanese Group for Democra

and Elections (SUGDE) and

Sudanese Network for Democra

Elections (SUNDE), a coordina

non-partisan election monitor

effort for North and South Sud

Ms. Ismail played a crucial role

the coalitions domestic poll

observation, which saw over 4,3

election observers deployed to o

2,000 polling stations in 25 states

Sudan.

Somali women spoke out on various

women, peace and security issues in

relation to SRC 1325 at the Global Open

Day event in Nairobi, Kenya.

Photo Copyright UNIFEM

GLOBAL OPEN DAYMARKS 10 YEARS OFRESOLUTION 1325G40 make up taskforce

CHALLENGES INTHE HORN OF

AFRICAG40 SUBMITRECOMMENDATIONS TOEUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
http://www.scribd.com/full/33518161?access_key=key-14e7g7y3lyxa514ns1sohttp://www.scribd.com/full/33518161?access_key=key-14e7g7y3lyxa514ns1sohttp://www.scribd.com/full/33518161?access_key=key-14e7g7y3lyxa514ns1so


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Have you seen our WLPS

Word Bubble? The WLPS Word

Bubble is filled with all the issues that

relate to and concern our project and

G40. As our project grows so will our

bubble! Look out for new additions.

For any enquiries please

contact:

Einas MansourCommunications

[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

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Wlps E-brief