Final Declaration Of The High-Level International Conference On “10 Years Of Peace Building By Women, For Women And All” Held In Kinshasa From 4 To 5 December 2017

Countries: 
Global
Congo (Kinshasa)

(Version in French is available here>>)

HELD IN KINSHASA FROM 4 TO 5 DECEMBER 2017

The conference on "10 years of Peace building by Women, for Women and for All" was held in Kinshasa, Hôtel Royal, from 4 to 5 December 2017. Representatives of WILPF in the African region (South Africa, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo) attended, as well as WILPF Sweden, the International Office of Geneva and New York, the diaspora of Belgium, DRC civil society organizations.

The opening ceremony was chaired by the representative of the Minister of Gender, the Family and Children, in the presence of the Personal Representative of the Head of State in charge of sexual violence, the representative of the Minister of Human Rights, the Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights, the representative of UN Women, the Gender Focal Point of the DRC Armed Forces, and the representative of public enterprises.

At the closing of the Conference, we, Women and Activists for peace and freedom gathered by WILPF (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom) DRC section,

-       Considering the historic commitment of women to the cause and the safety of women and girls since the creation of WILPF in 1915,

-       Noting that armed conflicts are increasing in the world, in Africa and in the DRC, with their negative effects on the populations, especially on women and girls,

-       Considering the low level of participation of women in decision-making bodies,

-       Considering the weak economic power of women,

-       Considering the low resources of women's organizations working for the promotion of the rights of women and girls,

-       Concerned about the future of our respective nations,

-       Committed to peace and freedom in the world;

Request:

1- To the United Nations

a)    To ask Member States to move funding that finances war, towards peace, that is, towards inclusive and sustainable development programs that promote gender equity, in countries in search of peace;

b)    To further support the efforts of women working for peace;

c)    To keep Member States to account regarding the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000).

2- To Governments

a)      To take all necessary measures for the adoption, revision or implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), as well as of the Arms Trade Treaty and other instruments to combat the proliferation of small arms and light weapons;

b)      To involve women and youth in all research and peace building policies;

c)      To revise upwards the national budgets allocated to education, health and rural development;

d)      To respect the basic principles of democratic governance;

e)       To ensure women’s participation in electoral processes;

f)       To take necessary measures to prevent and fight against the harmful effects of climate change on the populations.

3- To Civil Society Organizations

a)    To include in their agenda structural capacity building programmes;

b)    To ensure the respect of legal norms protecting the rights of women and of other vulnerable groups;

c)    To ensure the respect of the principles of democratic governance by leaders in order to foster political stability, which guarantees peace and sustainable development.

4-To political party leaders

a)    To develop and run gender trainings within their political parties, in order to strengthen the capacities of their women members and activists and to support their political promotion. 

 

                      Done in Kinshasa on December 05, 2017

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