Investing in women for peace and security

The Democratic Republic of Congo has adopted its 2nd Generation Plan to improve interventions around the theme Women, Peace and Security after a 2-day workshop aimed at contributing to the writing of a new generation of the National Action Plan for the implementation of Resolution 1325.

The plan was adopted on 7 September 2018. It covers 4 pillars namely women's participation, prevention, protection and recovery. It also addresses the coordination aspects of interventions in these areas. UN Women DRC and other partners - African Union, European Union, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Federal Republic of Germany, MONUSCO, UNFPA, UNDP, Diakonia and Cordaid - provided technical and financial assistance for the development of the plan, resulting efforts led by the Ministry of Gender, Child and Family, the National Secretariat of 1325 and civil society organizations.

At the launch of the workshop from left to right: Ms. Rose Mutombo, CAFCO – Civil Society, Ms. Bineta Diop, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Ms. Chantal Safou, Minister of Gender, Child and Family, Ms. Awa Ndiaye Seck, UN Women Country Representative, Ms. Adrienne Bimwana, Secretary General of the Ministry of Gender.Photo: UN Women/ Carlos Ngeleka

The Minister of Gender, Child and Family, Mrs. Chantal Safou commended the completion of the workshop: "It was a high time to finally have this 2nd Generation Action Plan," she said. Mrs Chantal Safou has confirmed that the advocacy for the budgeting of the Action Plan to ensure its implementation was already underway at the government level.

In 2010, the Democratic Republic of Congo developed its National Action Plan to materialize the implementation of Resolution 1325. The National Secretariat 1325 was set up in 2015 to participate in program activities, manage, monitor and supervise the National Action Plan.

"The Democratic Republic of Congo is emerging from a period of conflict that lasted several years," said Awa Ndiaye Seck, UN Women Representative in the DRC. "As much as Resolution 1325 recognizes the particular impact of conflicts on women, it also recognizes the need to consider women as stakeholders in the prevention and resolution of these conflicts."

Ms. Bineta Diop, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission confirmed that in May 2018, the Peace and Security Council of the African Union has adopted the Continental Results Framework for monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the Africa Women, Peace and Security Agenda. "With this tool, the African Union Commission wants to work with the Member States to make the commitments come true. Are we not tired of words that simply remain an announcement? It's time for action!” she added.

Participants during the working group session at the workshop Photo: UN Women/ Carlos Ngeleka

Since its accession in 2002, to the Resolution 1325, the Democratic Republic of Congo has continued to work to highlight the need to increase women's participation in decision-making processes to promote peace and security, as well as prevention, conflict resolution and peacekeeping operations. In accordance with the requirements of the United Nations Security Council to revisit the Action Plan every 4 years after its elaboration, this 2^nd Generation National Action Plan was developed considering the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the New Deal Plan and the Objectives of Agenda 2063 of the African Union. The Plan also discusses the participation of young women and girls in interventions around the theme of Women, Peace and Security – Resolution 2250 of the United Nations Security Council.

A total of 70 experts, including 38 from 18 provinces in the DRC, worked tirelessly to provide the DRC with its 2nd Generation National Action Plan for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.