THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN BUILDING PEACE AND SECURITY AND HOW IT CAN BE PROMOTED.

The threat to peace and Security is a global phenomenon that cannot be overlooked, and in the scheme of this, the lack of peace and security sometimes result to conflict which generally impacts the world with chaos and destruction if not resolved peacefully , with women victims facing the brunt of conflict and insecurity, but despite this, it has to be recognized that women have contributed to building peace and security. The role of women is crucial, as they play a part in promoting and achieving peace and security through peacemaking, negotiations, decision making, care giving, conflict resolution to mention a few .Despite their crucial role, they have been faced with challenges and barriers. 

A question that comes to mind is how and what can be done to better promote women role in building peace and security despite the mainstream peace and conflict framework stereotype of women as victims? Some of these ways on how to promote women role in building peace and security includes: the introduction and implementation of legal principles  and policy framework such as the United Nations Security Council resolution 1325, WPS AGENDA, Provision of education,capacity building and advocacy for women, The inclusion of women in the formal peace and security processes, supporting women networks and organization towards peace building, recognition  and addressing the Prescence of  structural and cultural barriers, Protection and support of survivors of conflict relates sexual violence to mention a few. All these and more would be discussed below. 

Before considering how to promote women role in building peace and security, it is important to recognise the existence of mainstream peace and conflict frame work that portrays women has victims acknowledging that Conflict related sexual violence(CRSV), impacts women, this cannot be underplayed, despite this framework women have being contributing  to building peace and security, having vital roles in conflict and security. Women have played a role as relief workers, planning operations, Decision makers,  mediators. The presence of women have been  felt in UN peacekeeping operations as peacekeepers , observers, negotiators , peace talkers, conflict resolution and peace builders and enforcers. Some of their roles have being done at grassroot and local levels, through civil society initiatives, women associations to mention a few. In the UN, women have beeninvolved in building peace and security and have served as civilians’ personnel, military and police. In 2022 women made up 43% of justice and correction personel,14.4% of police contingent, 5.9% of military contingent.

There are  four pillars of women peace and security agenda that cannot be overlooked which are participation, protection, prevention, relief and recovery. Despite the presence of women contribution to building peace and security, there is the recognition that there is still a need to promote women role in building peace and security especially to aid and increase their participation.

A way to promote women role in building peace and security is through the introduction and implementation of legal principles  and policy framework that would and should be implemented to ensure women involvement in building peace and security. An example of such framework is the United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 which was adopted in 2000, it is known to provide the necessary basis  for promoting women participation in peace building and security. There is a need for the women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPS) to be localized. 

The inclusion of women in the formal peace and security processes is another way to promote Women role in building, this is because it would increase women representation and participation in decision making levels  which is important for building peace. It is important to recognize that once women have a hold on decision making power they would be fully involved and will significantly contribute to law and decision making. Looking at the how in 2022, only 16 percent of the negotiations position was held by women, Also women need to be allowed to be signatories in these processes eg. in Sudan and Yemen no woman representative was in the negotiation process

In order to promote women’s role, there is a need for Women economic empowerment, the provision of education, capacity building and advocacy. Once a woman is economically empowered  especially through programs , capacity building  and education these helps enhance their skills. To fully participate in building peace and security, there is a need for Supporting women networks and organization, recognition  andaddressing the presence of  structural and cultural barriers.

There is also a need to recognise that women have a unique contribution to peace builidng and encourage them.  Thus, recognizing and harnessing the grassroot and local women contribution and their fostering peace and security goes a long way in promoting women’s role, looking at the UN campaign of the #WeAreHere series that recognized and gave visibility to women work in Iran, Syria, Palestine towards peace building.

 

Additionally, other ways to promote the roles of women in building peace and security is to ensure that the laws and policies that violates women’s right in different countries should be repealed, hold the violators of women’s right accountable .Protection of women peace and political activists, protection and support of   survivors of conflict relates sexual violence is important in to mention a few 

To sum it all up, peace should be achieved both in theory and practice of conflict resolution and for the presence of peace and security and the role of women in building it is crucial, WPS Agenda and United Nations Security Council resolution 1325recognise women as drivers of peace and security in any nation,.This work recognizes that despite women being victims which cannot be underplayed, women can and have contributed to building peace and security but it can be enhanced. There are several ways to further promote women role in building peace, one of such is through the inclusion of women in the formal peace processes and involve women, the introduction and implementation of legal principles  and policy framework etc.