On 25 June 2024, the Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Peace and Security Cluster, which includes ACCORD as the Vice Chair, the Women’s International Peace Centre (WIPC), and Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS), co-hosted a pre-consultation meeting on the role of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and regional mechanisms in promoting and institutionalising peace education as a tool for peacebuilding and conflict transformation on the African continent. This virtual meeting took place in preparation for the 6th GIMAC AU-RECs meeting to be held from 13-15 July 2024 in Accra, Ghana. It builds on the African Union’s (AU) designation of 2024 as the “year of education” with the theme “Educate an African fit for the 21st century: building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality and relevant learning in Africa.”
Drawing virtual participants from diverse backgrounds, the meeting resulted in a range of practical recommendations for institutionalising peace education and safeguarding the right to education across the African continent. These include expanding awareness of the tools available, including the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Handbook on Peace Education, and creating REC-level regional Infrastructures for Peace (I4Ps).
Particular attention was devoted to the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda and the right to education in conflict settings. Speakers and participants alike stressed the importance of integrating youth into decision-making spaces pertaining to peace and education, as well as coordinating youth engagement with high-level policymakers. One speaker specifically reminded those attending of how violent conflict threatens the right to education. Attacks on schools during conflict are illegal under international law, but remain all too common. The speaker noted that 09 September is the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, a date of recognition unknown to many.
All of the speakers emphasised the need to encourage cultures of peace and dialogue amongst African communities and highlighted the potential for peace education as a tool for breaking vicious cycles of violence. A notable remark in the meeting made by one of the speakers was that “peace is an irreplaceable value.” Training in the values of peace and conflict transformation is key to driving peace and security on the continent, from the local to the regional level.
ACCORD will continue to work with its partners to enhance efforts on peace education in Africa.
