African women demand presence in peace resolution

With the continuous human rights violations against women during conflicts across Africa, civil societies and non governmental organisations are clamouring for stronger presence and influence of women in conflicts resolutions and governance.

They explained that, with the incessant crisis rocking most African countries, and it attendant consequences, the importance of women participation in curbing the effects of conflicts at large as identified by the 2016 AUC summit of leaders in is another critical route to finding lasting solutions to conflicts across Africa.

The Society for Empowerment and Self reliance (SESER), in partnership with National Association of Nigerian traders (NANT), in a media parley in Abuja disclosed that plans are underway for an All African Women Summit (AAWOS 2018) scheduled to hold in from 26th to 28th of July 2018.

The maiden edition of the summit will convene leaders from different sectors of the African economy, leadership, with the aim of creating a platform for networking and mentorship among African women, giving them opportunity to negotiate and dialogue on matters concerning peace, as well as providing female role models for effective leadership.

A statement signed by the chairperson of SESER, Rosemary Effiong said nearly half of the 42% of ongoing conflicts in Africa have made African women to be in charge of the majority household and are key food producers.

She said, “according to human rights watch, internally displaced people in Somalia for instance, are suffering sexual violence in the form of gang rape and other forms of abuse in Mogadishu’s refugee camps.

“This abuse takes place at the hands of armed groups, including government officials”.

She emphasised on the failure of previous commitments by African governments to yield positive results and change, while calling for more efforts to be put to ensuring that women play a significant and major part in peace talks and post conflicts reconstruction, as well empowering them to be less of victims and onlookers, urging them to take steps against gender violence.

The two-day summit with the theme ‘The power of negotiation: the role of African women in political leadership economic development and peace building’, will also feature the Vice President of Liberia, Dr Mrs. Howard Taylor as key speaker and ambassadors Francis Duru and Bimbo Akintola who will be advocates for structural changes in the politics.