The 1325 Civil Society Scorecard: A tool to measure the implementation of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), ensure stronger accountability and systematic monitoring and evaluation

GNWP, with support from Cordaid, organizes a regional training with representatives from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on impact assessment of WPS indicators and the 1325 Civil Society Progress Scorecard

August 29, 2019 by Dinah Lakehal and Agnieszka Fal Dutra Santos

What does successful implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda look like? How can monitoring, evaluation indicators, and reports be used, not just as signposts of change, but as powerful advocacy tools to strengthen implementation? How can we use monitoring data to better align local and national strategies with global objectives?

These are some of the questions the participants of the regional training on WPS monitoring and evaluation organized by GNWP, with support from Cordaid, asked themselves. The training, held in Kampala, Uganda on July 30 and 31^st 2019 brought together local and national government representatives, civil society, and young women from DRC and Burundi. Through expert presentations, collaborative discussions, and hands-on exercises, the participants strengthened their capacities to monitor the implementation of WPS in their countries. They discussed challenges, strategies, best practices, and recommendations for how to use monitoring data to foster more effective implementation.

Civil society from both Burundi and DRC had participated in the civil society-led monitoring project Women Count implemented by GNWP, with support from Cordaid, which had been held in 24 countries between 2010 and 2014.

Through Women Count, local women and women’s organizations improved their monitoring and evaluation skills and adopted locally relevant and adaptable indicators for WPS monitoring aligned with the indicators proposed by the UN Secretary-General under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1889 (2009). Since Women Count, both Burundi and DRC have come a long way towards ensuring strong monitoring and evaluation of WPS implementation. In DRC, GNWP’s partners who participated in Women Count were part of the drafting committee for DRC’s 2^nd National Action Plan. They used the skills and knowledge gained through civil society monitoring to ensure the new NAP is impactful and includes “SMART” (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) objectives and indicators. In Burundi, to address the challenge with monitoring data collection, the Ministry of Gender, in partnership with civil society, organize regular “open-door” days, during which civil society and local women can voice their concerns, and share projects and initiatives in WPS implementation.

During the regional training held in July 2019 [in Uganda], government and civil society representatives from both DRC and Burundi exchanged experiences and discussed challenges, best practices, and recommendations for effective monitoring and evaluation of WPS implementation. The participants also discussed strategies to use the data collected through monitoring and evaluation to strengthen advocacy, and accelerate WPS implementation at the local, national, and regional levels. “It is important to align our NAP objectives and indicators with other relevant frameworks, such as the AU Continental Framework on WPS, and the Maputo Protocol,” emphasized Annie Kenda from the Ministry of Women in DRC. Participants from the government and civil society from both countries also expressed their shared recognition of the significance of civil society-led monitoring. They acknowledged the importance of alternative reports, which bring distinctive perspectives of marginalized groups, such as indigenous peoples or persons with disabilities, to the table.

This exchange of experiences has brought to light the multiple challenges to monitoring and evaluation of WPS implementation that remain in Burundi and DRC. In both countries, a lack of dedicated funding slows coordination and collaboration among different actors involved in WPS implementation. The failure to disseminate NAP objectives and indicators at the local level prevents a comprehensive and accurate assessment of needs, resources, and capacities, and prevents local ownership. For instance, DRC’s 2^nd NAP includes a detailed operation plan, which allows for more robust monitoring and evaluation. However, this plan has not yet been disseminated in provinces, nor translated into local languages. The regional workshop served as an opportunity for local authorities to learn about the operational plan for the first time, which encouraged the Ministry of Women to commit to continuing its dissemination in all provinces. Another gap highlighted was the lack of communication and collaboration amongst all stakeholders responsible for WPS implementation and monitoring. To address this gap, participants recommended a detailed mapping of WPS actors and existing initiatives in both countries.

The interactive discussions and exchanges of experiences were complemented by expert presentations on developing high impact, “SMART” quantitative and qualitative indicators, monitoring data collection methodologies, and the use of the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) as a reporting mechanism for WPS. “The knowledge gained through this training will support us as we update our Provincial Action Plan and accelerate WPS implementation in North Kivu,” shared Christian Mbusa Mupika from the Provincial Ministry of Women in North Kivu.

A central module of the training consisted of training the participants on how to use the 1325 Civil Society Progress Scorecard, developed by GNWP with support from Cordaid. The 1325 Civil Society Scorecard is a visual tool that allows users to track the implementation of WPS over the years by attributing a score to a range of locally adaptable indicators, based on those developed through Women Count.

The participants analyzed the indicators, provided additional feedback on their usability, and discussed ways to align them with the objectives and indicators of their Local and National Action Plans on WPS. In small working groups with their respective delegations, participants developed concrete strategies to take full advantage of the 1325 Civil Society Scorecard as a powerful visual tool for advocacy. “We will use the 1325 Civil Society Scorecard to report on progress in the implementation of Women, Peace, and Security, as well as Beijing +25, the implementation of the SDGs, and other international frameworks,” emphasized Jeannine Mukanirwa, a participant from CAFCO DRC.

Monitoring and evaluation is a critical component of the Full Cycle implementation of WPS. However, while developing locally adaptable indicators and collecting reliable data is necessary to track implementation progress, identify gaps, and address challenges, it is equally important to use the collected data to effectively conduct advocacy, raise awareness, ensure accountability and accelerate implementation in cooperation with all responsible stakeholders. Most significantly, government, civil society, local and traditional leaders, the media, and international and regional actors all play a key role in monitoring and evaluation. As Ndanziza Desiré, a journalist from Burundi and one of the workshop participants, emphasized, “The media has an important responsibility in raising awareness of WPS, but also to report on the reality on the ground.” “The 1325 Civil Society Scorecard was designed to help use the data effectively. This workshop was an important step towards improving WPS monitoring and implementation in DRC and Burundi. We look forward to continuing this work,” concluded Neema Namadamu, a member of SAFECO DRC.

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August 29, 2019

From rebellion to governance: The establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and local women’s participation in it

August 27, 2019 by Mallika Iyer

Edited by Mavic Cabrera Balleza

After four decades of armed conflict, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Government of the Philippines signed a peace agreement that was later on enshrined into the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL). In January and February 2019, the BOL was ratified through plebiscites which established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and signaled the transition from rebellion to governance. The BOL contains provisions that guarantee the meaningful participation of women and other historically marginalized groups such as lumad (indigenous peoples) and youth in the Bangsamoro Cabinet. Building on this provision, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) facilitated workshops in North Cotabato, Mindanao on July 29 to August 01, 2019 to enhance the capacities of local women and other marginalized groups to meaningfully participate in the implementation of the BOL.

In partnership with the Center for Peace Education at Miriam College and Balay Mindanaw Foundation, GNWP organized the workshops in order to increase collective understanding and ownership of the BARMM and the concrete actions and policies necessary for the peaceful transition amongst local women’s rights groups, local government leaders, youth organizations, and indigenous leaders. The capacity-building workshop highlighted the various roles played by municipal and barangay (village) level government units, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), local police and armed forces, civil society, and media in the effective implementation of the BOL.

The participants consisted of representatives from the key stakeholders of the peace process including the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Joint Normalization Committee, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bangsamoro Women’s Auxiliary Brigade, municipal and local government, civil society, and the Department of Interior and Local Government. Through many discussions, the participants reached a consensus on one of the primary challenges and obstacles to the peaceful transition to the BARMM: the limited collective understanding of the inclusive and gender-sensitive provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

While there is general support for the peace process, the participants of the workshop from Aleosan, North Cotabato voiced concerns and uncertainty on how the transition of the BARMM will unfold and impact their daily lives including the Internal Revenue Allotments—the financial subsidy that local governments receive from the national government; the decommissioning of ex-combatants, and the applicability of Sharia law. Due to lack of information dissemination and awareness-raising efforts, there is a high prevalence of misinformation and disinformation on the BOL. This results in distrust, fear, uncertainty, and ultimately, limited support for its implementation.

The local leaders also participated in a writeshop (writing workshop) to draft gender-sensitive and inclusive local legislation and policies that support the implementation of the BOL in Aleosan, North Cotabato. Provisions from the National Action Plan (NAP) on the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and the Magna Carta of women were integrated into existing local legislation such as the Municipal Gender and Development Code and Local Development Plan to better respond to the impact of the armed conflict on local women and other marginalized groups. Ordinances to support the NAP on UNSCR 1325 and the implementation of the BOL by BARMM and non-BARMM barangays (villages) were drafted too. The participants also drafted ordinances establishing an economic empowerment program and a technical working group to address the needs of former women combatants and survivors of gender-based violence.

The leadership of local women in Aleosan, North Cotabato, as champions of peace is essential to transform the narrative of armed conflict into peaceful and effective governance. Strong local ownership of and active participation in the implementation of the BOL will bolster and support a peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

The capacity-building workshop and writeshop in Aleosan, North Cotabato, Mindanao are part of a four-year project supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation aimed at building sustainable peace in the Philippines. A key component of this project is the enhancement of capacities of local women and other historically marginalized groups to meaningfully participate in the ongoing peace process with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front and local implementation of the peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

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August 26, 2019

GNWP’s Young Women for Peace and Leadership Program Coordinator receives Peace Education Award

August 22, 2019 by Anne Campbell

Edited by Beatriz Ciordia

On May 11th, 2019, GNWP’s Communications and Program Coordinator, Katrina Leclerc, was awarded the Anne Goodman Award for Peace Education by the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW). This annual award is given to a woman dedicated to advancing peace education and gender equality at home and abroad.

Katrina is a force to be reckoned with. She has dedicated her life to supporting the advocacy efforts of young women leaders through GNWP’s Young Women for Peace and Leadership (YWPL) programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. In addition to her position at GNWP, Katrina is the full-time Parliamentary Affairs Advisor to Senator Marilou McPhedran – the youngest person to hold this position in the Parliament of Canada. As a young leader, she uses her position in Ottawa and at GNWP to inspire women around her, as well as to mentor many young girls around the world. Recently, she co-founded the Canadian Council of Young Feminists to further this mentorship and facilitation of young people at the decision-making table. Her current work in the DRC, through GNWP, focuses on broadening the independence of young Congolese women through economic empowerment and livelihood projects.

Recognized as Canada’s oldest national feminist peace group, VOW plays a major role in building cultures of peace and advocating for women’s rights locally, nationally and internationally.

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August 22, 2019

Young Women Lead Non-Partisan Electoral Education Efforts in the Philippines

August 20, 2019 by Anne Campbell and Beatriz Ciordia

“Youth don’t have to be politicians to be involved in the election process.” With these words, Asmin A. Monib, a member of the Young Women+ for Peace and Leadership (YWPL) in the Philippines, emphasized the importance of involving new generations in the 2019 midterm elections. In the Philippines, youth represent 57% of total eligible voters, which provides them with the power to create substantial change within Filipino society through the election process.

Since the election of President Duterte in 2016, the Philippines has seen a drastic change in its political culture. President Duterte has implemented inhumane policies that have led to a “war on drugs” that has killed more than 30,000. The national midterm elections held on May 13, 2019, served as a key moment for the nation to limit the president’s ability to implement constitutional changes to lower the age of trials for eligibility as adults to 12 years old, legalize the death penalty, and potentially alter the term length for elected positions. The international community has taken a stance against President Duterte’s actions, and the country is currently under a preliminary examination of the International Criminal Court.

The midterm elections presented an opportunity for citizens to voice their concerns regarding the government’s severe human rights violations, their transition away from democracy, and the threatening of gender equality. In response, the YWPL developed programing to increase youth involvement in the elections, which is often hampered by the inaccessibility of information. In response, these young women identified a gap in public awareness and access to campaign materials; and facilitated non-partisan electoral education for over 500 young local voters ahead of the Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscites, which recognized the autonomy the only Muslim-majority region in the Philippines, and the national midterm election.

There is no question that youth voting rates are low; however, Queenie Pearl V. Tomaro, a YWPL member, reiterated that the events highlighted “youth yearn to yield a power of their own.” Some participants, during YWPL-hosted events, linked the human rights issues affecting Filipino youth with how the upcoming election would impact their priorities and rights. The community-focused programming supported conversations that allowed youth to internalize why voting is important to them, and why their individual rights matter. The YWPL created safe and inclusive spaces, in which youth could explore the relationship between political involvement, individual rights and gender equality.

In April 2019, the YWPL facilitated “Will Youth Say Yes?: A Youth Voter’s Education Forum for the Midterm Elections,” which reached 400 youth voters. This forum emphasized that elections hold governments accountable for their international obligations. Those who attended the events also agreed that youth can drastically change the political culture of the Philippines through casting their vote.

Bianca Pabotoy, a YWPL, assured that youth have the power to “demand issue-based campaigns, result-oriented discussion and accountable commitments in all succeeding elections.” Despite the results of the 2019 national midterm elections, the YWPL members are continuing their advocacy to hold elected officials accountable on their obligations under international laws on Women, Peace, and Security; Youth, Peace, and Security; and human rights.

GNWP thanks Channel Foundation for its support to the YWPL in the Philippines.

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August 20, 2019

“We have to continue to move forward!” – Colombian women discuss strategies for effective implementation of the peace agreement and sustaining peace in Colombia

August 13, 2019 by Thais Rehder

Edited by: Ele Veillet-Chowdhury

Contributors: Mavic Cabrera-Balleza and Agnieszka Fal-Dutra Santos

The Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), Red Nacional de Mujeres (RNM) and the Working Group on Gender in Peace (Grupo de Trabajo Género en la Paz, GPaz) organized a National Peace Meeting in Bogotá, Colombia on June 21, 2019.

This meeting, supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), took place at a time of continued uncertainty in Colombia. Although the 2016 peace agreement with the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC) put an end to over five years of violent conflict, the implementation of the agreement remains slow and uneven. This is despite the adoption of plans that aim to facilitate the reintegration of former FARC combatants and to protect social and community leaders, human rights defenders and journalists. The gender provisions of the peace agreement, which have been hailed internationally as innovative and progressive, have yet to be implemented. Meanwhile, the killing of civil society leaders and human rights defenders persists; and peace talks with the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional, ELN) have been suspended. Sustained efforts to build peace, prevent conflict and cultivate a culture of peace—with women at the core—are imperative.

Against this background, the National Peace Meeting brought together women leaders from the capital as well as from departments most affected by conflict and violence, such as Arauca, Bolivar, Cauca, Choco, Montes de Maria, Putumayo and Tolima. They were joined by representatives of the Colombian Government, UN Women Colombia, journalists, and representatives of the Embassies of Norway and Sweden to Colombia. Ambassador John Petter Ophdahl from the Norwegian Embassy to Colombia opened the Meeting by recalling the key role women played in peace negotiations and the role they now have to play in implementing the peace agreement.

The Meeting provided a space to analyze the current state of the implementation of the peace agreement with the FARC, especially the gender provisions; formulate strategies to contribute to effective implementation; and identify concrete actions to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable peace in Colombia.

Participants shared their own experiences and perspectives on peace. The message from the women leaders from Tolima, Cauca, Putumayo, Caribe and Montes de Maria, as well as a representative of the LGBTQ community from Choco was clear: despite the insecurity, and the challenging political context Colombia is facing at the moment, women leaders refuse to give up. They will continue to work to ensure that the peace agreement, especially the gender provisions, are implemented.

Participants also discussed information about national-level implementation provided by RNM & GPaz, and a global perspective brought by GNWP. After sharing statistics about the implementation of the gender-sensitive provisions of the agreement, Claudia Mejia from GPaz emphasized that while many challenges remain, civil society must not lose hope. “We have to move forward!” she said. “The peace agreement implementation timeframe is 15 years…We still have 13 years to go, which are enough to reach a great implementation! Colombia will be able to do this!” A representative of the Ombudsman’s Office of Colombia, and a member of the FARC political party (and a female ex-combatant) also spoke about the ongoing efforts to implement the agreement.

Together, participants identified several key priorities for effective implementation, including: improving education and raising awareness to promote peace among the population; ensuring holistic and coordinated implementation of the peace agreement across all departments; fostering economic empowerment to build sustainable, long-lasting peace; and protecting the rights of civil society leaders and human rights defenders. Participants highlighted that if people start to become interested and engaged in politics, they will be able to support the peace and empower others to get involved, emphasized the participants. They stressed that it is necessary to work collaboratively towards the implementation of the peace agreement, especially its provisions regarding gender equality and women’s rights. Journalists who participated in the meeting emphasized the importance of highlighting the progress that has already been achieved in the implementation of the peace agreement with the FARC, in order to consolidate support for the peace agreement. They highlighted the importance of publishing more human interest stories on the peace agreement, to give it a face, and make the population feel closer to it. They committed to feature female leaders who are working on the implementation of the peace agreement, to recognize their efforts to build a lasting peace in Colombia.

The National Peace Meeting was part of a broader project, implemented by GNWP in partnership with RNM and support from NORAD, which aims to contribute to building a sustainable peace in Colombia through a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, the project enhances the capacities of local women to meaningfully participate in the implementation of peace agreements. On the other hand, it supports local women to build their negotiating skills and develop and implement strategies to advocate for the reinitiating of the negotiations with ELN, to ensure a complete peace in Colombia. GNWP and RNM will conduct Localization of the peace agreement and hold capacity-building for women in Cauca and Tolima in the last quarter of 2019.

Colombia finds itself at a critical juncture. To ensure that it continues on the road to peace, it is necessary to meaningfully include individual women and women’s rights organizations in the implementation of the peace agreement. As Beatriz Quintero, the Director of RNM, shared, “We see the opportunity in peace – less deaths, more possibilities – but we have to continue fighting for it.” Women are the cornerstone of peace in Colombia – and they will not stop in their quest for it.

Security Council members visit Colombia

Just three weeks after GNWP organized a National Peace Meeting in Bogotá, members of the United Nations Security Council visited Colombia on July 11-14, 2019. Their visit marked almost three years since the signing on the peace agreement with the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC).

The Security Council Members, invited by the Colombian government, traveled to Bogota and Cauca department, including the Santa Rosa Territorial Area for Training and Reintegration. During the trip, they met FARC members, political parties, civil society, the United Nations Verification Mission (UNVM), and other key stakeholders. The delegation recognized the achievements of the peace process to date, as highlighted in the UN Secretary-General’s 26 June report on the situation in Colombia. They lauded the contributions of the UNVM and welcomed the government’s request to extend the mission for another year after its mandate expires in September 2019. The Members of the delegation also recognized the important role of youth and women leaders in ensuring the effective implementation of the peace agreement, preventing violence and insecurity, and building an inclusive peace.

However, the delegation acknowledged the remaining challenges, including the slow implementation of the peace agreement and the ongoing threats to civil society and social leaders. They called for increased efforts towards implementation and greater collaboration between the government, the FARC and civil society.

The conclusions of the Security Council members’ visit in Colombia echo some of the pressing concerns of local women leaders who participated in the GNWP National Peace Meeting. As they return to New York, they should carry the demands of the Colombian women with them, and continue to call on the Colombian government to guarantee safety of civil society leaders and human rights defenders, and meaningful participation of women in the implementation of the peace agreement between the government and the FARC.

“¡Tenemos que seguir avanzando!” – Mujeres colombianas discuten estrategias para la implementación efectiva del tratado de paz y la paz sostenible en Colombia.

13 de Agosto del 2019 por: Thais Rehder

Editado por: Ele Veillet-Chowdhury

Colaboradoras: Mavic Cabrera-Balleza and Agnieszka Fal-Dutra Santos

La Red Global de Mujeres Constructoras para la Paz (Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, GNWP), la Red Nacional de Mujeres (RNM) y el Grupo de Trabajo Género en la Paz (GPaz) organizaron una Reunión Nacional de Paz en Bogotá, Colombia el 21 de Junio del 2019.

Esta reunión, apoyada por la Agencia Noruega para la Cooperación al Desarrollo (NORAD), tuvo lugar en un momento de incertidumbre política en Colombia. Aunque el acuerdo de paz del 2016 con las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) puso fin a varios años de conflicto violento, la implementación del acuerdo sigue siendo lenta y desigual. Esto a pesar de la adopción de planes que tienen como objetivo facilitar la reintegración de los excombatientes de las FARC y proteger a los líderes sociales y comunitarios, defensores de los derechos humanos y periodistas. Las disposiciones de género del acuerdo de paz, que han sido aclamadas internacionalmente como innovadoras y progresivas, aún no se han implementado. Mientras tanto, persiste el asesinato de líderes de la sociedad civil y defensores de los derechos humanos; y las conversaciones de paz con el Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) han sido suspendidas. Los esfuerzos sostenidos para construir la paz, prevenir conflictos y cultivar una cultura de paz —con las mujeres como núcleo— son vitales.

Con este contexto, la Reunión Nacional de Paz reunió a mujeres líderes de la capital, así como de los departamentos más afectados por el conflicto y la violencia, como Arauca, Bolívar, Cauca, Chocó, Montes de María, Putumayo y Tolima. A ellos se unieron representantes del gobierno colombiano, ONU Mujeres Colombia, periodistas y representantes de las embajadas de Noruega y Suecia en Colombia. El embajador John Petter Ophdahl, de la Embajada de Noruega en Colombia, inauguró la reunión recordando el papel clave que desempeñaron las mujeres en las negociaciones de paz y el papel que ahora deben desempeñar en la implementación del acuerdo de paz.

La Reunión proporcionó un espacio para analizar el estado actual de la implementación del acuerdo de paz con las FARC, especialmente las disposiciones de género; formular estrategias para contribuir a una implementación efectiva; e identificar acciones concretas para garantizar una paz integral y sostenible en Colombia.

Las participantes compartieron sus propias experiencias y perspectivas sobre la paz. El mensaje de las mujeres líderes de Tolima, Cauca, Putumayo, Caribe y Montes de María, así como una representante de la comunidad LGBTQ de Chocó fue claro: a pesar de la inseguridad y el desafiante contexto político que enfrenta Colombia en este momento, las mujeres líderes se niegan a rendirse. Continuarán trabajando para garantizar que se implemente el acuerdo de paz, especialmente las disposiciones de género.

Las participantes también discutieron la información sobre la implementación a nivel nacional proporcionada por RNM y GPaz, y una perspectiva global aportada por GNWP. Después de compartir estadísticas sobre la implementación de las disposiciones sensibles al género del acuerdo, Claudia Mejía de GPaz enfatizó que si bien quedan muchos desafíos, la sociedad civil no debe perder la esperanza. “¡Tenemos que avanzar!”, dijo ella “El tratado de paz es a 15 años…Nos quedan 13 años no todo está vencido!” Un representante de la Defensoría del Pueblo de Colombia y un miembro del partido político de las FARC (y una excombatiente) también habló sobre los esfuerzos en curso para implementar el acuerdo.

Juntos, las participantes identificaron varias prioridades clave para una implementación efectiva, que incluyen: mejorar la educación y crear conciencia para promover la paz entre la población; asegurar la implementación holística y coordinada del acuerdo de paz en todos los departamentos; fomentar el empoderamiento económico para construir una paz sostenible y duradera; y proteger los derechos de los líderes de la sociedad civil y los defensores de los derechos humanos. Las participantes destacaron que si las personas comienzan a interesarse y participar en la política, podrán apoyar la paz y empoderar a otros para que se involucren, enfatizaron los participantes. Hicieron hincapié en que es necesario trabajar en colaboración para la implementación del acuerdo de paz, especialmente sus disposiciones relativas a la igualdad de género y los derechos de las mujeres. Las periodistas que participaron en la reunión destacaron la importancia de resaltar el progreso que ya se ha logrado en la implementación del acuerdo de paz con las FARC, a fin de consolidar el apoyo al acuerdo de paz. Destacaron la importancia de publicar más historias con enfoque humano sobre el acuerdo de paz, para darle una cara y hacer que la población se sienta más cerca de él. Se comprometieron a presentar líderes femeninas que estén trabajando en la implementación del acuerdo de paz, para reconocer sus esfuerzos para construir una paz duradera en Colombia.

La Reunión Nacional de Paz fue parte de un proyecto más amplio, implementado por GNWP en asociación con RNM y con el apoyo de NORAD, cuyo objetivo es contribuir a construir una paz sostenible en Colombia a través de un enfoque doble. Por un lado, el proyecto mejora las capacidades de las mujeres locales para participar significativamente en la implementación de los acuerdos de paz. Por otro lado, apoya a las mujeres locales a desarrollar sus habilidades de negociación y desarrollar e implementar estrategias para abogar por el reinicio de las negociaciones con el ELN, para garantizar una paz completa en Colombia. GNWP y RNM llevarán a cabo la Localización del acuerdo de paz y desarrollarán capacidades para las mujeres en Cauca y Tolima en el último trimestre de 2019.

Colombia se encuentra en una coyuntura crítica. Para garantizar que continúe en el camino hacia la paz, es necesario incluir de manera significativa a mujeres líderes y organizaciones de derechos de las mujeres en la implementación del acuerdo de paz. Como Beatriz Quintero, Directora de RNM, compartió: “Vemos la oportunidad en paz, menos muertes, más posibilidades, pero tenemos que seguir luchando por ella”. Las mujeres son la piedra angular de la paz en Colombia, y no se detendrán en su búsqueda por ello.

Miembros del Consejo de Seguridad visitan Colombia

Solo tres semanas después de que GNWP organizara una Reunión Nacional de Paz en Bogotá, los miembros del Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas visitaron Colombia del 11 al 14 de julio de 2019. Su visita marcó casi tres años desde la firma del acuerdo de paz con las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia ( Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC).

Los miembros del Consejo de Seguridad, invitados por el gobierno colombiano, viajaron al departamento de Bogotá y Cauca, incluyendo el Área Territorial de Santa Rosa para Capacitación y Reintegración. Durante el viaje, se reunieron con miembros de las FARC, partidos políticos, la sociedad civil, la Misión de Verificación de las Naciones Unidas (UNVM) y otras partes interesadas clave. La delegación reconoció los logros del proceso de paz hasta la fecha, como se destaca en el informe del Secretario General de la ONU del 26 de junio sobre la situación en Colombia. Alabaron las contribuciones de la UNVM y acogieron la solicitud del gobierno de extender la misión por un año más después de que su mandato expire en septiembre de 2019. Los miembros de la delegación también reconocieron el importante papel de los líderes jóvenes y mujeres para garantizar la implementación efectiva de la paz. acuerdo, previniendo la violencia y la inseguridad, y construyendo una paz inclusiva.

Sin embargo, la delegación reconoció los desafíos pendientes, incluida la lenta implementación del acuerdo de paz y las continuas amenazas para la sociedad civil y los líderes sociales. Solicitaron mayores esfuerzos para la implementación y una mayor colaboración entre el gobierno, las FARC y la sociedad civil.

Las conclusiones de la visita de los miembros del Consejo de Seguridad a Colombia reflejan algunas de las preocupaciones apremiantes de las mujeres líderes locales que participaron en la Reunión Nacional de Paz de GNWP. Cuando regresen a Nueva York, deben llevar consigo las demandas de las mujeres colombianas y seguir pidiendo al gobierno colombiano que garantice la seguridad de los líderes de la sociedad civil y los defensores de los derechos humanos, y la participación significativa de las mujeres en la implementación del acuerdo de paz entre el gobierno y las FARC.

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August 12, 2019