General Women, Peace and Security

Women activists have developed a manifesto through which they will inform political parties and stakeholders about gender concerns ahead of next year's elections.

During a dialogue at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Monday, several NGOs addressed issues that affect women and have been poorly handled in the past.

'THE KAMPALA TRAGEDY HAS HEIGHTENED INTERNATIONAL
ATTENTION AND CONCERN. THE CURRENT POLITICAL AND SECURITY IMPASSE DEMANDS URGENT ACTION' SAYS U.N. ENVOY
Nairobi, Kenya, August 14, 2010 – UN top envoy for Somalia has called on all Somali Diaspora to join him as he embarked on the difficult task of reconciliation in the Horn of Africa nation which will see him focus on peace and security.

The South Sudan Women's Network for a peaceful Referendum has been formed in Awiel, Northen Bhar El Gazal State on August 10th, 2010, attended by various women's groups from the community based organizations. The workshop started by the arrival of the guest of honor Acting Governor Hon. Madut Dut H.E Madut, who officially opened the workshop by the following remarks:

THE topic, "Women, power and politics" has several dimensions. It has links to economic, religious and cultural issue. Cultural practices such as that of Buganda, where princesses are referred to as “Ssebo” (Sir) and the king belongs the mother's clan and the fact that princesses inherit large tracts of land and are consulted on important issues is simply a novelty.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has called on a Melbourne conference to do more to "keep the promise" of saving the lives of women and children.

A two-day consultative workshop on gender issues organized by UNAMID, concluded yesterday in Nyala, South Darfur.

The occasion was used to discuss the status of the implementation of UNSCR 1325, a landmark resolution by the UN Security Council which ensures that the promotion of women's empowerment and gender equality form a central part of efforts to implement peacekeeping mandates.

The mass rape of women in Congo (Report, 25 August) illustrates the difficulty the UN faces in trying to fulfil its mandate to prioritise the protection of civilians.

Civilians now account for 70% of casualties in wars and most are women and children. Sexual violence against women and girls has been part of conflicts from Rwanda and Bosnia, to Sierra Leone, Haiti, Congo and Afghanistan.

Members of the Working Group of the Serbian Government and the Working Team of the Ministry of Defence for drafting the National Action Plan of the Republic of Serbia for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 met today in the House of Guards at Topcider at the first in a series of planned meetings on this occasion.

In 2009, the Office of Military Affairs and the Gender Unit of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) initiated a process to develop for the first time guidelines for Integrating a Gender Perspective into the Work of the United Nations Military in Peacekeeping Operations.

The Prime Minister and Head of Government, Philemon Yang has received in audience, the new Central African Regional Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Diana L. Ofwona.

She was in Cameroon to update the government of Cameroon on the recent mutations within the organisation.