General Women, Peace and Security

During the inaugural meeting of U.N. Women's executive board this week, Executive Director Michelle Bachelet laid out a 100-day action plan for the newly-launched agency, Inter Press Service reports.

The African women's movement, Monday, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, submitted to the 16th African Union (AU) summit, a proposal related to maintaining an agenda with subject about women's rights issues.

The recent launch of the new U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, or U.N. Women, on New Year's Day provides the perfect opportunity for the United Nations to take action on this issue. The United Nations must acknowledge that justice for survivors of gender-based violence is a critical element of a peaceful outcome in Sudan and not just a "gender issue."

India has underlined the need for the UN to prioritise its goals on gender equality and empowerment of women so as to prevent efforts becoming diffused at a key meeting of the world body. “Unless there is effective prioritisation, efforts will get diffused,” Hardeep Singh Puri, India's ambassador to the UN said.

On 20 January, the Government is launching a new plan for efforts in the area of women, peace and security. The purpose of the plan is to promote women's participation and enhance the protection of women in conflict-affected countries.

The number of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving UN peacekeeping personnel in 2010 fell from the previous year, according to new statistics released here Tuesday by the United Nations Departments of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and Field Support (DFS).

The head of the new United Nations agency promoting women's rights and full participation in global affairs laid out a 100-day action plan today, embracing a full spectrum of issues from supporting national partners to promoting coherence within the UN system.

The women activists said “gender specific views” on the need to improve the quality of education for children, the protection of women in conflicts and the need to improve the health of African women, were not strongly reflected in this year's Summit theme, “Shared Values.”

Liberia's nomination for the award is the fourth since 2005, when Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade and former South African President Thabo Mbeki were named its first recipients.

The following year the award went to Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and in 2010 GIMAC picked Mozambican President Armando Guebuza for the same award.

Accordingly, President Ellen Johnson was selected for the 2011 award, becoming the first woman president to receive the award since the regional body started to honour African leaders for their gender activities, locally and regionally.