Why is gender mainstreaming important in peacebuilding fostered by the youths in Africa?
Conflicts are believed to affect men and women in different ways. Women and children are considered the most affected and therefore the main victims in conflict situations. It is therefore believed that the specific needs of women and children for a long time where not considered until the year 2000. Women constitute the better percentage of the population of Africa and the world at large. The United Nations Security Council (2000) adopted resolution 1325 on women which recognized the damaging effects of conflict on girls and women.
Swiss Peace 2019, research has shown that the involvement of women and girls in peace processes is therefore essential to building long lasting peace, and they also echo that states seem to be very vulnerable to conflict if a larger group of the society has no power, which are the women. According to their research, it is unlikely that the whole world will enjoy peace if the larger group is not considered and their needs are not taken into account.
Gender mainstreaming has become one of the most recognized ways towards achieving long lasting peace in different societies. It has been described as a strategy for making women’s and men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policies and programmes of all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. In-order to deepen and sustain peace in societies it is important that all genders be involved in the peace making processes and this gives the women and girls the opportunity to be heard.
Kofi Anan in the Report of the Secretary General to the Security Council on the Role of United Nations in Peace Keeping in Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration 11 February 2000 (S2000/101) said, “We can no longer afford to minimize or ignore the contributions of women and girls to all stages of conflict resolution, peacemaking, peace-building, peacekeeping and reconstruction processes. Sustainable peace will not be achieved without the full and equal participation of women and men.” Inequality between men and women can be a great hindrance to peacebuilding.
Each gender is affected differently in conflict situations and therefore it is very necessary to look at the way they should respond to peace issues differently. For example during conflict situations, women are sexually abused, raped, tortured and silenced, so they need to be given civic space to speak up after conflict situations. They need to raise their concerns, say out their feelings, be heard and suggest solutions on how to bring peace in the societies.
Women play a very important role as mediators even in family structures in our traditional societies. On the other hand, men are also affected in their own way by conflict situations. Some are mentally abused, tortured and murdered. Their voices should be heard as well in peacemaking situations and this is why gender main streaming is very important. Each gender should be allowed to speak up.
Traditional society has not allowed both women and men to equally participate in society in developmental and political issues. It is important to ensure that both genders are involved in policy making and legislative work. Inclusion of both genders has a greater relevance for society, because it makes policies to respond more effectively to the needs of the society after active participation of all genders. And once policies are acceptable by society, it is easy to develop and maintain a culture of peace.
A society that allows civilians to be involved in policy making is more likely to respond positively to peace initiatives. This will help to have our youth be very participatory in decisions. They need to be trained, educated and given platforms to be heard. This gives the girl child as well an opportunity from a youthful stage to take up responsibility. As they see their fellow women being given equal opportunity, it builds confidence in them to be involved in peace processes as well. It is important to involve young women at high level platforms like what the UN Women does, let them be involved in key decision makings.
If this is put into practice it gives up space to today’s youth to be involved in advocacy and stand up for what they believe in. As they are given space, they should be given equal opportunities as young men or young women to stand up and fight for developing nations and peaceful societies. Traditionally, men are protectors and women peace makers and this is a great combination to peaceful societies.
In December 2015, the importance of engaging young women and men in shaping lasting peace was recognized by the Security Council in a ground breaking resolution on Youth, Peace and Security as a solution towards peace building and in societies.
“Resolution 2250 urges Member States to increase inclusive representation of young people in institutions and mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of conflict and for countering violent extremism and calls for an increase in political, financial, technical and logistical support the participation of youth in peace efforts and to take account of their needs as a whole. In all these efforts towards peacemaking and peacekeeping, it is important to make the youth take a leading role and lead in the peace processes.”
Both the girls and boys should be included in the peace processes so that it can be embedded in them from their youthful stages. As youth participate, they take up different gender roles and try to fight for peace in their societies. Building the youth’s capacity as peace builders, peace makers and peace keepers is very important because it solves many governance and political issues.
As they take up roles in peace building when they are youth, they grow up with the culture of peace having been imbedded in them. And societies should teach them to stand up in their individual capacities as well as different genders. It is therefore important to understand who are the youth, and within these youth, “what is a young woman”, “what is a young man”, what roles do they play in conflict, how are they affected. This is all answered by their involvement in different platforms and it will help to achieve peace fostered by them. It is important to treat the youths as leaders of today and not of tomorrow because leadership roles start now.
Rejoice Makaudze is a Peace Building Researcher with The Youth Cafe and a holder PhD in Conflict Transformation from University of Kwazulu-Natal. Email: rejo.makaudze@theyouthcafe.com