MAINSTREAMING GENDER IN PEACE-BUILDING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION
UNIFEM, in collaboration with the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held a policy seminar from 15-16 October in Khartoum, Sudan to integrate a gender perspective in the resolution of armed conflicts in the East and Horn of Africa region. The two-day seminar drew participants from the IGAD Member States, which included Ministers in charge of Women/Gender Affairs, Women Parliamentarians, and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local women’s NGOs.

The seminar reviewed the involvement of women in relation to current peace initiatives of IGAD, identified gender gaps in the IGAD Conflict Prevention Management and Resolution and Human Affairs Programs, and recommended policy proposals in mainstreaming gender in IGAD’s existing mechanisms.

Some of these recommendations were adopted in the five-point Action Plan of the IGAD Gender Desk:
1. Establish a broad-based women's peace and development forum at the sub-regional and national levels and at the
cross-border areas;
2. Strengthen existing institutional mechanisms within IGAD to be more gender-sensitive and inclusive;
3. Develop and implement a comprehensive gender-responsive conflict resolution and peace building program for IGAD;
4. Research, document and disseminate women's and other population-based experiences on conflict and perspectives on
peace-building;
5. Establish and operationalize effective linkages and networking programs on conflict resolution, peace and development.

For more information, please contact Hodan Addou, Regional Peace Project Coordinator, at [email][email protected]