In West Africa

THE DAKAR DECLARATION & ECOWAS PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS 1325 AND 1820 IN WEST AFRICA

OUTCOME Documents OF THE regional forum on WOMEN, peace and security Dakar, september 2010

THE DAKAR DECLARATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1325 IN WEST AFRICA 1 The Dakar Declaration on the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325 and its related regional plan of action for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were adopted in Dakar on 17 September at a Regional Forum entitled «Women Count for Peace».

The event took place at ministerial level on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. It was organized under the auspices of the UN Office for WestA frica (UNOWA) in collaboration with various Regional Offices in WestA frica such as the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Office of the High Commissioner for HumanR ights (OHCHR), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Information Centre in Dakar (UNIC).

For more information :

Madame Aminatta Dibba, Christiana Adokiye George, Director of the ECOWAS Gender Adviser - UNOWA Gender Development Centre (EGDC), Dakar, Sénégal Tel: +221 33 869 85 54 Tel: +221 33 825 03 27 / 33 825 03 33 - Fax: +221 33 825 03 30 E-mail : [email protected] Email : [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] REGIONAL FORUM ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY DAKAR, SEPTEMBER 2010 In West Africa

THE DAKAR DECLARATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1325 IN WEST AFRICA

A regional Forum on the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security was held in Dakar, Senegal from 15 to 17 September 2010 at the initiative of the United Nations Office for WestA frica (UNOWA) and in close collaboration with the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Mano River Union (MRU), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Fund for Women (UNIFEM), UN-INSTRAW, the Office of the UnitedN ations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

The Forum was attended by the Vice President of the Republic of the Gambia, the Ministers in charge of gender and women empowerment of Senegal, Niger, Togo, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Mali, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania and senior government officials from Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Liberia and Nigeria.

Representatives of the African Union, United Nations Peace Missions, Programs and Funds as well as Civil Society institutions and organizations from West Africa also participated at the forum.

For three days participants took stock of the implementation of resolution 1325 in the Member States and devoted particular attention on the challenges as well as the perspectives of the resolution in the area of participation, protection, prevention and relief and recovery. The forum adopted the ECOWAS Plan of Action for the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 in West Africa. The implementation of the ECOWAS Plan of Action will be coordinated by ECOWAS through its Gender Development Centre while the Network on Peace and Security for Women in the ECOWAS Region (NOPSWECO) will serve as the coordinating body for Civil Society Organisations in West Africa. An entity comprising West African Ministers in charge Women Affairs and Gender, ECOWAS, MRU, the African Union and United Nations will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Plan of Action. The Forum agreed on the following recommendations:

1. Member States of the West African Region that have not yet done so should, before December 2010, elaborate a national plan of action on the implementation of resolution 1325 with the financial support of the United Nations.

2. Member States should guarantee and promote the systematic integration of gender in the processes of judicial and security sector reforms.

3. UNIFEM/UN-INSTRAW should work with ECOWAS through the Gender Development Center to support key actions of the departments in charge of gender in the implementation of the national plans of action and the United Nations Secretary General’s campaign to end violence against women.

THE DAKAR DECLARATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1325 IN WEST AFRICA 3 4. Technical and financial partners should be committed to supporting the actions of civil society organizations in the area of peace and security.

Participation

• Promote women’s participation in mediation: more women will be trained as mediators and a community of practice of women mediators will be established at the regional level; ECOWAS and the AU will appoint more women as special envoys and senior mediators; database of female mediators in the region will be created; measures will be strengthened to encourage women’s full participation in electoral process and at all levels of decision making instances;

• Popularise Resolution 1325: through translations in local languages, training, sensitization, and awareness campaigns targeted at decision makers, police and military, judicial sector, schools, youth, local women as well as men groups. In addition the ‘Open Day’ will be institutionalized as a means for SRSGs to meet with women’s representatives regularly and be briefed on women’s issues in the region as well as an opportunity for sensitisation on the Resolution at national as well as regional levels,

Protection

• Strengthen measures to combat Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV): political and security measures will be strengthened to protect women and girls from sexual and gender based violence during and after conflict; existing measures will be strengthened and new measures put in place where necessary to punish perpetrators of sexual and gender based violence. Furthermore, trainings, including pre-deployment trainings, on the prevention of sexual and gender based violence will be harmonized and conducted targeting civil and military personnel in peace keeping operations.

Prevention

• Strengthen preventive diplomacy: request the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations to use his good offices to actively and systematically consult with women, representing their demands in their efforts at preventive diplomacy in the region,

• Promote the development of a culture of peace by drawing on women’s traditional role as mediators and educators for peace so that future generations can be spared the scourge of war and violence; establishing a regional network of peace clubs in secondary schools and universities,

4 Regional Forum on Women, Peace and Security - Dakar, September 2010 • Strengthen early warning mechanisms by launching the ECOWAS gender and early warning indicators and making resources available to populate them with data

• Encourage research and documentation of lessons learned as well as causes and dynamics of conflicts to enhance response effectiveness.

Relief and Recovery

• Adopt measures to ensure provision of adequate and accessible humanitarian services- measures will be adopted to ensure that humanitarian services provided reach women and girls and that such services can be accessed safely;

• Strengthen post-incident relief measures - measures will be strengthened to provide adequate access to health, psycho-social services and trauma counseling for sexual and gender-based violence survivors

• Strengthen socio-economic reintegration measures - measures will be strengthened to ensure effective socio-economic integration of women in post conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes.

The Forum mandated H.E. Aja Njie-Saidy, Vice-President of the Gambia, H.E. Henriette Olivia Akossiwa-Kouevi Minister for Women of the Republic of Togo, and H.E. Awa Ndiaye, Minister of State for Gender and African Women Organisations of Senegal, to submit the West African Plan of Action on the Implementation of the UNSCR1325 to the forthcoming ECOWAS Summit of Heads of States for consideration.

The forum further requested H.E. Said Djinnit, Special Representative of the Secretary General to present this declaration and the regional plan of action to the UN Secretary-General and Member States during the ‘Global Open Day’ on 21 October held in the context of the 10th anniversary celebration of Resolution 1325 for recognition and support.

The Forum, Dakar, 17 September 2010

THE DAKAR DECLARATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1325 IN WEST AFRICA 5 Actors / Centre for G ender for AS Centre responsible ECOW and Development United N ations entities N O PS WECO Indicators - Frequency of consul - - Frequency tations - N umber of members of N O PS WECO that their institutional have strengthened capacities in each member state organi - - 99% of women sations and civil society know organisations now in the imple - their roles mentation of the plans action AS with Priority actions nstitutionalise ‘open day’ for regular consulta - regular for ‘open day’ - I nstitutionalise of ECOW tion of SRSG and the P resident women groups and representatives and representatives groups women of the institutional capacity - S trengthen N O PS WECO organisa - - Organise consultations with women tions and Civil S ociety organisations to underline in the implementation of plans their roles action ECOWAS PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION FOR ACTION PLAN OF ECOWAS Expected results - enhanced capa - S ystematic NG O consultation, groups city of women’s of members - I nstitutional capacities in all the mem - strengthened N O PS WECO are ber states enabled organised have -Consultations that are organisations and the civil society orga - women in the implemen - their roles nisations to know tation of the plans action. Specific objective 1: to improve women’s participation in the prevention of conflicts in ECOWAS countries of conflicts in ECOWAS participation in the prevention women’s to improve 1: Specific objective OF UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS 1325 AND 1820 SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS 1325 OF UNITED NATIONS General Objective: In the framework of the African Union Decade for Women, the West African Plan of Action aims at the African Plan of West the Women, African Union Decade for of the In the framework General Objective: improvement of the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions 1325 and 1820 in West Africa by 2015 Africa by West 1325 and 1820 in of the implementation United Nations Security Council resolutions improvement Strategy - Strengthe ning women organisations and CSOs

6 Regional Forum on Women, Peace and Security - Dakar, September 2010 ercentage of national ercentage umber of researches - N umber of researches out, carried of reviews - number published, and status of - number persons using the docu - mentation centre - P of peace clubs network members of that are of network the regional peace clubs - N umber of Member of aware states that are the tools of update and Frequency revision early warning mechanisms AS early - Ensure regular data update and revision of data update and revision regular - Ensure ECOW - Conduct research on lessons learned, causes and on lessons learned, - Conduct research a gender perspective dynamics of conflicts from research for - P ut in place a documentation centre peace and security issues on women, - Compile data on the participationin of women operations peace keeping enhan - best practices for - Document and review a gender cing gender balance and mainstreaming personnel in of uniformed in the work perspective operations peace keeping - P ut in place a database of gender experts on 1325 resolution - Establish regional network of peace clubs network - Establish regional secondary students and university - Elaborate and disseminate practical tools on - into conflict pre integrating gender perspectives work vention AS AS member states AS Member state vailability of data base on women partici vailability of data base on women - A A database of experts is created peace network made up of peace clubs in A peace network rovision is made for regular data update and regular is made for - P rovision revision documented and made are R esults of research to decision makers available - pating in peace keeping operations in all the pating in peace keeping ECOW analyses reports and comparative R eview - - ECOW secondary from and universities Member states is established elaborated and disseminated are Tools - ECOW throughout - Strengthe ning early warning me - chanisms Encouraging and research documenta - tion Promoting Promoting - the develop ment of a preventive of culture peace

ECOWAS PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1325 & 1820 7 AS AS Member AS member states Actors / responsible CH PR A - of ECOW Women - Member S tates ( NG Os, political parties and paralegal - Judges Officers of the ( L awyers, judicial police) G ender and for - Centre Development - ECOW S tates - United N ations entities N O PS WECO - P arliamentarians of ECOW - tates have trai - AS Member S tates have Indicators t least 50% of victims benefit from assis - A t least 50% of victims benefit from national laws are -95% of national and international laws of women the protection and used for known and girls bene - and girls that have - N umber of women legal and medical assistance fitted from - up followed tance and are umber of judges and paralegals (lawyers, - N umber of judges and paralegals (lawyers, - been strengthe have J P O…) whose capacities - and prose the purpose of prevention ned for cution of acts sexual violence -100% of ECOW women, for ning and sensitization programmes and judiciary security forces girls, benefit - and girls that have - N umber of women legal assistance ted from - N umber of cases violations women/ to the tribunals and been taken girls that have judged of - 100% of countries ratify the conventions of the rights women protection to inter adapted - 95% of legal documents are A frican Com - eoples’ R ights) frican Court of justice, A frican Court of justice, AS Member S tates to Priority actions court, AS court, parliament, the AS parliament, Train judges and paralegals (lawyers, Offi - judges and paralegals (lawyers, Train - the preven police) for cers of the Judicial and punish - prosecution protection, tion, ment of acts sexual violence - Urge ECOW eradicate private militias - Encourage the setting up of legal clinics mechanisms - Use existing protection (ECOW ECOW mission on Human and P the protection for - R atify the conventions of women - Harmonise and popularise international with national laws laws psychosocial - S upport victims through of medical services, support and provision legal services and economic support Expected results pecific objective 2: to ensure effective protection of women and girls in pre -conflicts, conflicts and post -conflicts, women and girls in pre of protection effective to ensure 2: S pecific objective A ctors of violations rights - The capacity of judges and paralegals The capacity - prosecute to prevent, J P O..) (lawyers, and punish acts of sexual violence is strengthened. in impunity - Decrease access legal and girls easily Women - rights and security of women services, and girls in situations of pre-conflicts, respec - are conflicts and post ted, sanctioned and girls are women ratified are on protection - Conventions all countries by in line with internatio - are N ational laws the and used for known and are nal laws and girls of women protection paid medical ex - Victims benefit from - penses and followed-up Strategy Preventing Preventing - and respon - ding to gen der based violence in armed conflict

8 Regional Forum on Women, Peace and Security - Dakar, September 2010 - N umber of heads security service that been sensitized on the needs of women have participating in peace operations in peacekeeping involved - N umber of women operations areas in the key involved - N umber of women of peace and security - N umber of SSR policy documents in which gender is integrated - N umber of persons trained in the region of meetings network - frequency umber of training/ participants, number of number - N umber of training/ participants, cases attended to -The orientation guideline - N umber of copies distributed - S ensitize heads of security services on participating the needs of women in peace operations keeping the integration of gender in for - L obby operations peace keeping the increased for and advocate - lobby participation in peace struc - of women and security institutions tures civilian and train military, - R aise awareness police and humanitarian personnel on how in peace - to integrate gender perspectives making and peace building activities the systematic integration of - P romote of the judi - gender dimension in reforms cial systems and security sector peace and security - Harmonise gender, in the region training manuals of gender advisers -establish a network and persons at regional and gender focal country levels rovide training and support to vulne - - P rovide and treatment on prevention rable groups I V transmitted infections/H of sexually - Elaborate and disseminate an orientation guideline Heads of security services have been Heads of security services have parti sensitised on the needs of women - operations cipating in peace keeping in peace of women in number - I ncrease and security institutions gender sensitive are SSR processes are - G ender and peace training manuals organi - gender workshops harmonised, raised sed and gender awareness Common agenda of gender advisers and points focal ncreased awareness of reproductive of reproductive awareness I ncreased facing post- health issues in communities conflict situations of - Orientation guideline on knowledge and attitudes to adopt behaviours rights, and girls in situations of women towards available are conflicts and post integrating gender in peace making and peace buil - ding efforts including security sec - tor reform

ECOWAS PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1325 & 1820 9 AS AS Member Actors / responsible CH PR - A of ECOW Women - Member S tates ( NG Os, political parties and paralegals - Judges Officers of the ( L awyers, judicial police) G ender and for - Centre Development - ECOW S tates - United N ations entities - N O PS WECO chiefs Traditional -

Indicators umber of women that have accessed econo - that have N umber of women support mic recovery umber of women in the delegations consti - - N umber of women peace agreements. tuted to negotiate in each Member S tate - N umber of women in the technique of prevention whose capacity - been strengthe of conflict have and resolution ned. - Priority actions - Conduct gender analysis in planning and - Conduct gender analysis rehabilitation of post conflict execution programmes - crea - Design and implement livelihood tion programmes - Conduct specific skills training women financial assistance to - P rovide entrepreneurs obby at the level of parliamentarians at the level - L obby Ministers and Female for and the N etwork P arliamentarians in the technique of lob - women Train - media - public speaking, advocating, bying, skills tion and negotiation judiciary per girls, actors (women, Train - opinion leaders) in the technique sonnel, in conflict situa - of women of protection peace mediation and negotiation tions, and reconstruction processes in post conflict situations AS Mem - Expected results Specific objective 3: to ensure equal participation of women and men in peace, security Specific objective Training and other supports to income- Training generation activities provided. P arliamentarians of ECOW including members of the bers S tates, adop - Ministers have of Female N etwork the contribution of ted legislations for and resolution in the prevention women of armed conflicts in the technique of women - Capacity of conflicts and resolution of protection strengthened are Strategy Ensuring women’s post conflict economic y recover Promoting Promoting women’s participa - tion and ensuring availability of female mediation experts

10 Regional Forum on Women, Peace and Security - Dakar, September 2010 large part of conflicts are settled amicably A large partsettled amicably of conflicts are ercentage of women in positions of decision of women ercentage - within the communities a - N umber of traditional mediators that have 1325 and 1880 of resolutions knowledge good umber of women informed and sensitised informed - N umber of women 1325 and 1820 on resolutions - - N umber of languages into which the resolu been translated tions have P making tates have plans of action 100% of Member S tates have being implemented. that are member state to respect AS member state to respect AS Member S tates (ministerial nvolve traditional authorities in the - I nvolve settlement of conflicts and the protection of victims - identify and educate traditional media on resolutions tors (men and women) 1325 and 1820 - on resolu and sensitise women - I nform tions 1325 and 1820 1325 and 1820 in resolutions Translate - the national languages 1325 and 1820 in -Disseminate resolutions the ECOW C S O etc) departments, - Urge ECOW quota women in all ins - 50% representation for - lobby tances of decision making and candi - electoral workers -train women at the local levels dates including women - Carry out high level missions for - Carry out high level the elaboration of plans action for i. one countries that do not have implementa - the effective towards work ii. tion of plans action in each country AS Traditional methods of settlement Traditional used effectively conflicts are identified and mediators are -Traditional 1325 and 1820 educated on resolutions esolutions 1325 and 1820 are widely widely R esolutions 1325 and 1820 are at all levels known - The minimum 30% is attained in all The minimum - member states access positions of decision Women - with men making on an equal footing Have a plan of action in each ECOW Have implement member state and effectively it Supporting indigenous processes conflict for resolution Popularising Popularising resolutions 1325 and 1820 Ensuring - represen tation of in women decision making instences Developing Developing national plans of action

ECOWAS PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1325 & 1820 11 A Centre for for AS Centre Actors / CH PR responsible U U/ A A - ECOW G ender Development - United N ations entities - - M R - Member S tates Organisa - - P rofessional tions such as F I D Indicators vailability of operational mechanisms A - extent of operationalisation the plans action - been up missions that have - N umber of follow out carried - N umber and quality of reports produced the imple - for taken - N umber of measures mentation of the resolutions, Priority actions - Carryout a baseline study of the imple 1325 mentation of resolution - of G ender and wo - Establish a network Ministers to monitor men empowerment commitment on peer level and ensure - Carrymonitoring missions out regular of implemen - - Conduct quarterly review tation process gender audit - Conduct annual for prize giving event - Carryout annual of implementation resolutions heroes 1325 and 1820 AS Monitoring and evaluation framework for the implementation of plan action for framework Monitoring and evaluation

Expected results eference situation on the implemen - - R eference 1325 and 1820 in tation of resolutions the Member S tates in ECOW is available region The implementation of the plan - stage at every action is assured of commitment - Monitoring of respect actors is assured the different by taken necessary where - G uidance is given of the plan - the targeted objectives attained action are Strategy Putting in place a mo - nitoring and evaluation mechanism

12 Regional Forum on Women, Peace and Security - Dakar, September 2010 RESOLUTION 1325 ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY

The United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 was unanimously adopted in October 2000. It is a landmark legal and political framework that acknowledges the importance of the participation of women and the inclusion of gender perspectives in peace negotiations, humanitarian planning, peacekeeping operations, post-conflict peacebuilding and governance. Resolution 1325 has 4 main focus areas. 1. Participation of women at all levels of decision making, including: - in national, regional and international institutions; - in mechanisms for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts; - in peace negotiations; - in peace operations, as soldiers, police and civilians; - as Special Representatives of the UN Secretary-General. 2. Protection of women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence, including: - in emergency and humanitarian situations, such as in refugee camps; - through pre-deployment and in-theatre training to peace operations personnel on the rights of women and girls and effective protection measures. 3. Prevention of violence against women through the promotion of women’s rights, accountability and law enforcement, including by: - prosecuting those responsible for war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity and other violations of international law; - respecting the civilian and humanitarian nature of refugee camps; - excluding sexual violence crimes from amnesty agreements, as they may amount to crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide; - strengthening women’s rights under national law; - supporting local women’s peace initiatives and conflict resolution processes. 4 Mainstreaming of gender perspectives in peace operations, including by: - appointing Gender Advisors to all UN peace operations; - considering the specific needs of women and girls in the design and development of policy in all areas; - incorporating the perspectives, contributions and experience of women’s organizations in policy and programme development.

RESOLUTION 1820 ON CONFLICT RELATED SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Resolution 1820 (2008) recognizes conflict-related sexual violence as a matter of international peace and security. The resolution calls for: a. armed actors to end the practice of using sexual violence against civilians to achieve political or military ends b. all parties to conflict to counter impunity for sexual violence and provide effective protection for civilians c. the United Nations and peace operations to develop mechanisms to prevent and respond to sexual violence.

RESOLUTION 1325 ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY 13 14 Regional Forum on Women, Peace and Security - Dakar, September 2010