Swakopmund Process promises gender parity
The March PSC ministerial meeting pledged key outcomes that, if implemented, could advance gender equality on the continent
In March 2024, the Peace and Security Council (PSC) organised a ministerial seminar on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) to reflect on and take stock of women’s participation and leadership in African peace processes. The event was attended by the foreign ministers of PSC member states, the WPS special envoy of the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, and representatives from FemWise-Africa and Panel of the Wise, among others.
Following extensive deliberations, the meeting’s conclusions became the foundation of the Swakopmund Process. They underscored the continued underrepresentation of women in formal peace processes despite national, regional and continental mechanisms introduced to close the gender gap. Meeting participants agreed to 14 action points for the AUC, member states and civil society to implement. In light of expected outcomes, it’s important to analyse the seminar’s objectives and how the Swakopmund Process can advance the WPS agenda.
Overview of outcomes
Cognisant of the need for regular engagements on the WPS agenda, the PSC agreed that the seminar be held every two years on a rotational basis. Given the scant attention the agenda receives at both continental and member-state levels, this platform is a key achievement for the PSC to engage with actors on WPS. It being a ministerial meeting aided decision-making and enabled direct tasking of the AUC with the agreed actions. In addition, the inclusion of FemWise-Africa, the African Women Leaders Network and other women’s civil society groups brought diverse and contrasting voices to the table.
This PSC acknowledgement that the WPS agenda would benefit from diverse stakeholders and participation was reflected not only in the Swakopmund Process but in the restructuring of FemWise-Africa. The inclusion of varied actors was similarly evident in the 14 outcomes, with stakeholders at different levels being tasked with implementation.
Participants agreed to 14 action points for the AUC, member states and civil society to implement
While the meeting covered elements spanning the spectrum of the peace process, four key outcomes were drawn for further analysis. First was that the African Union (AU) needs a gender parity policy for all its mediation processes, which must be reinforced when selecting and appointing all local, national and continental mediators. The second was tracking and monitoring the implementation of the policy, tasking the AUC to develop accountability frameworks to achieve the desired results. A policy framework of women quotas in formal peace processes across Africa would help to maintain a 30% gender quota for women’s participation.
The third outcome was the need to support women’s civil society groups and networks and facilitate consultations among them to leverage their experience and expertise. According to the action points, this decision should entail financial resources, technical assistance and capacity building to support women-led initiatives and organisations working on peacebuilding and conflict resolution. The last key outcome was that member states should develop and implement WPS National Action Plans with adequate and dedicated funding to ensure programmes and interventions are effectively conducted. The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold a specific PSC open session on financing the WPS agenda.
These outcomes are ambitious and could significantly advance the WPS agenda. They could bolster women’s inclusion and enhance women’s peace and security. However, success, whether through national action plans or a gender policy, depends largely on the commitment, resources, timelines and targeted directives to each stakeholder and its implementation capability.
Gender parity in mediation
The call by the PSC to develop a policy is particularly welcome. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, only 16% of negotiators in United Nations-led or co-led peace processes in 2022 were women. While there are no data on women’s participation in mediation, it is expected that their participation in peace negotiations across Africa is also minimal. Adopting quotas and a gender policy could improve women’s participation, including in mediation.
Women’s participation increases by 35% the probability of a peace agreement lasting 15 years
The development of a framework may ultimately create more comprehensive and sustainable peace agreements. Research shows that women’s participation increases by 35% the probability of a peace agreement lasting 15 years. It will also facilitate inclusion of gender provisions and gender-sensitive enactment of peace agreements.
Moving ahead
While the establishment of a gender parity policy for women in mediation is a positive development, the fact that the Swakopmund Process fails to assign the development of the gender-parity policy to a specific AU organ/body could lead to non-implementation. The PSC should consider tasking the AUC with the responsibility, with clear timelines for reporting on progress. This would require consultation among the PSC, the Mediation and Dialogue Division, the WPS Special Envoy, and the Women, Gender and Youth Department.
Effective implementation of the policy also requires robust monitoring and enforcement. The PSC call for the establishment of an accountability mechanism/framework is a positive step. However, beyond numbers, ensuring meaningful participation of women will require dedicated efforts and investment in empowerment, through, among others, political and financial resources for mechanisms such as the FemWise-Africa. Member states will need to back their commitments to the WPS agenda with funds. As a WPS champion, Namibia could engage member states and use the Swakopmund Process as a fundraising and pledging conference.
