[women-rights] Somali Women Call for Greater Inclusion of Gender Concerns in Peace Agreement and Post-Conflict Processes

UNIFEM Press release
22 February 2006
Nairobi, Kenya

The Transitional Charter for Somalia that provided for implementation of
12% quota for inclusion of women in decision-making structures at all
levels and in all institutions came under critical review during a
regional consultative meeting held in Nairobi yesterday.

The two-day forum organized by IGAD Secretariat with the support of UNIFEM
East and Horn of Africa Regional Office was a precursor to the 4th Regular
Meeting of IGAD Ministers in charge of Gender/Women Affairs that opened in
Nairobi today. The participants drawn from a cross section of Somali women
leaders and gender experts in the region recommended that the regional
delegates should pressure for the effective inclusion and participation of
Somali women in the Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) currently being
undertaken by UNDP and the World Bank in Somalia.

They called on the ministers from the seven member states to support and
strengthen institutional mechanisms for women rights and gender
mainstreaming and other mechanisms within the region.

The Somali women further recommended that the monitoring mechanisms for
the peace agreement (Transitional Charter) and implementation of the
Reconstruction and Development Programme should have specific commitment
to gender and women’s participation while ensuring that aid modalities and
mechanisms for post conflict reconstruction such as Multi-Donor Trust Fund
are gender responsive

In his remarks at the beginning of the consultative meeting, the IGAD
Executive Secretary, Dr. Attalla Bashir urged the Somali women to utilize
every opportunity provided to them to forge their agenda forward and build
on the achievements brought about by the signing of the peace agreement.
He further added that Somali women’s participation in similar forum could
play an important role in reversing the stalemate currently being
experienced.

UNIFEM Regional Programme Director, Mrs. Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda lauded
gains in gender equality made in Somalia in the past five years and
appreciated the efforts shown by the United Nations and World Bank in
supporting the JNA which provided a methodology that will intersect with
the women’s voices. She added that the assessment provided continuum of
translating women’s experiences of conflict into durable actions for
safety, security and further generating women’s potential.