ACCORD participated in the High-level Luncheon themed Towards the development of an Implementation Framework for Women, Peace and Security in South Africa, held in Pretoria, South Africa on 10 December 2018. The Luncheon was hosted by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in collaboration with United Nations (UN) Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women) and the Norwegian Embassy in South Africa to dialogue on Women, Peace and Security. At least 40 women and men from the government, civil society, diplomatic community, development partners, academia and youth participated in the dialogue, which coincided with Human Rights Day on 10 December 2018.
The Luncheon provided a platform for review of international trends in implementing the women, peace and security agenda in the build up to the 20th Anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in 2020. The Luncheon provided a platform for discussion on the role of global and regional Women’s Peace and Security Networks further raising awareness on the Women, Peace and Security Global Focal Points Network Meeting scheduled for 2019, to be hosted by Namibia.
The participants also reflected on South Africa’s progress towards the development of a national framework for implementing Women, Peace and Security commitments. The participants further discussed the role South Africa can play in advocating for a forward-looking policy agenda for women, peace and security in a changing global context when it takes up a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in 2019.
ACCORD’s participation and contribution during this Luncheon is a follow up of ACCORD’s efforts towards supporting South Africa and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in developing action plans on UNSCR 1325, a process that started in 2015. This initiative is in line with the ACCORD’s strategic pillar 3 on enhancing the role of women in peace processes.
ACCORD remains committed to supporting the Women, Peace and Security Agenda towards realising sustainable peace in Africa.
