A peace building gender movement on the horizon

The Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance, led by the Institute and Security Studies (ISS) as the Peace and Security theme cluster leader, is on the way to building a gender movement around peace building and conflict resolution in SADC. Three countries have already taken the bold initiative – DRC, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

On 1 June 2011 Malawi took the initiative to establish a national working group on gender, peace and security. The NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGOGCN) organised the meeting, attended by 31 participants representing the Malawi Defence Force, Malawi Police, the Ministry of Gender, Human Rights Commission, United Nations Population Fund, as well as civil society and media representatives.

On 18 June, the DRC launched its national working group on gender, peace and security, coordinated by the Coalition of Women for Peace and Development. Approximately 45 participants there were drawn from civil society, government and the military.

These groups have already proven valuable in order to give impetus to conversations between civil society and the security sector on the implementation of Article 28 of the SADC Gender Protocol.