As a board member of the Generation Equality Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action (WPS-HA), ACCORD participated in a Civil Society Briefing on the Generation Equality WPS-HA Compact. The webinar, hosted by the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), took place on Monday the 28th of June 2021.
The session sought to raise awareness of the Generation Equality Women, Peace, and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact and its corresponding framework amongst national and local women’s civil society and youth groups. It also set out to solicit greater support for the meaningful participation of national and local women’s civil society and youth groups in the design and implementation of WPS-HA Compact.
Representing ACCORD, Ms. Pravina Makan-Lakha, ACCORD’s Advisor on WPS, presented on the organisation’s contributions to the Compact’s key action areas and the Compact’s significance to the WPS agenda.
“ACCORD has been at the national, regional and continental forefront in ensuring that women are participating in peace processes and that the issues affecting women are distilled to inform the right messaging of advocacy campaigns” she explained during the meeting.
In addition to this, Ms. Makan-Lakha highlighted the link between youth-led and women-led initiatives in Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action. She further spoke about the importance of enlisting the allyship from men & boys in efforts to driving Generation Equality.
The session was moderated by Mavic Cabrera Balleza, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GNWP. Other speakers in attendance included; Mimidoo Achakpa (Steering Committee, Feminist Humanitarian Network); Heela Yoon (Afghan Youth Ambassador for Peace Organisation); Amani Aruri (Karama Network); Ambassador Andre Mundal (Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, Norway); Ambassador Victoria Sulimani (Deputy Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations) and Nyachangkuoth Rambang Tai (Advocate, Our Generation for Inclusive Peace).
In conclusion, the briefing emphasised the need for continued efforts in raising awareness of the Compact, particularly its framework among the national and local women’s civil society and youth groups.
ACCORD looks forward to working together with fellow Board and Catalytic members of the Compact to ensure a concerted effort in and advancing the WPS Agenda in Africa.
