On 14 March 2024 ACCORD organised a virtual session, focusing on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325). The session intended to introduce the participants to UNSCR 1325 and to provide them with strategies to enhance their roles in promoting peace within their communities.
This session feeds into ACCORD’s 2024 year-long journey with a new cohort of South African local peacebuilders, on a project titled ‘In My Backyard: A South African Peacebuilding Initiative.‘ This initiative aims to equip local peacebuilders with essential conflict management skills and to localise the South African National Action Plan on Women, Peace & Security (SANAP-WPS). Key areas of focus include aligning SANAP-WPS objectives and addressing the intersection of local peacebuilding and electoral processes.
During this particular training session, participants were introduced to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, exploring various frameworks guiding the agenda and its role in promoting women’s participation in peace negotiations and peacebuilding efforts. The importance of human security and local institutions in sustainable peacebuilding was also underscored, thereby emphasising the need for holistic approaches to address insecurity.
The training concluded with discussions on UN Security Council reform and the importance of holding states and civil society accountable for implementing resolutions on women’s rights and gender equality. Participants reflected on the influence of UN resolutions in their work and discussed strategies for advancing women’s peace and security agendas at the local level.
ACCORD remains committed to amplifying the pivotal role of women in peacebuilding, and this initiative will further enhance their participation in peacebuilding efforts.
