The African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the World Bank Group, organised a Regional Consultative Session on the Establishment of a Community of Practice (CoP) on Gender Integration in Early Warning Mechanisms. This consultation took place from 8-9 April 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The consultation brought representatives of the AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and Civil Society Organisations to discuss the establishment of the CoP, including its modus operandi and working methods. It provided a platform for sharing experiences and best practices by organisations that already engage in a CoP, and how these lessons can be adopted to develop a CoP specifically for gender mainstreaming in early warning mechanisms.
ACCORD, represented by Ms Marisha Ramdeen, Coordinator of Programmes, participated in this regional consultation and presented on ACCORD’s best practices and lessons learned on the various CoPs ACCORD engaged in, such as in mediation, Women, Peace and Security, Youth Peace and Security, and ACCNET.
Through an interactive approach, the consultation enabled the participants to help identify actionable strategies for strengthening gender-responsive approaches and explore innovative solutions to advance gender integration in early warning systems. This included outlining its purpose, mandate, and action plan, among others.
The outcomes of the discussions will contribute to the development of a comprehensive proposal for creating a CoP on Gender Integration in Early Warning Mechanisms for the AU and RECs. In addition, the discussions will contribute to strengthening the capacity of key stakeholders and enhancing their effectiveness of gender-integrated early warning systems across the continent. ACCORD will remain available to provide substantive knowledge and contributions to this process.
