On 6-8 August, ACCORD was invited to present at the 2019 Gertrude Shope Annual Dialogue Forum on Conflict Resolution and Peace-Making (GSADF). This year’s GSADF was attended by members of the South African Government, including Hon. Minister Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Hon. Ms Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Hon. Minister Dr Naledi Pandor; representatives from diplomatic missions, including Norway, Switzerland, and Canada; members from the several Women Mediation Networks; members from civil society; UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas; and Mme. Benita Diop, the African Union Special Envoy on WPS.
ACCORD spoke and presented on the WPS Agenda from the NGO and practitioner’s perspectives, Global Trends and Experiences in WPS that focused on FemWise-Africa Mediation Network and co-chaired a Panel discussion focused on the Road Map to 2020 and placing Women and the centre of the Global Peace and Security Agenda.
With these contributions, ACCORD helped the GSADF to achieve its overall objectives to share experiences and best practices in peace and security initiatives, to build on the progress made on issues relating to the WPS agenda, and translate its progress into policy development and promotion at a national and regional level. In the context of South Africa being in the final stages of adopting its first National Action Plan on WPS, ACCORD presented insightful analysis to that resonated with the theme of this year’s GSADF that focused on Localising UNSCR 1325.
In acknowledgement of the contributions the GSADF has made towards advancing the WPS Agenda and as a focal point for training practitioners in WPS, at this year’s event, the Gertrude Shope Peace and Mediation Network was launched.
