Three years after the signing of the peace agreement in Mali: “We have discussed enough — it is now time to act.”

Sandra Kreutzer
Aug 31, 2018 · 5 min read

UN Women supports the role of women in Mali’s peace process.

Despite principles of inclusivity, official quota and firm commitments: Women in Mali are still highly underrepresented in the mechanisms of the peace agreement and hardly participate in public decision making. UN Women and its partners help them raise their voices and build influential groups to address the stagnating peace process.

Women leaders from all parts of Mali came together to jointly express their right to participate in the peace process. Photo: UN Women

“We, the women of Mali, want peace!” Around 40 women leaders from civil society, government and armed groups shouted in chorus while standing side by side at the closing ceremony of a working session in Mali’s capital Bamako, from 9–11 July 2018. Among them, signatories of the peace agreement and activists from all parts of the country — the populous South and the far North, from where violence and insecurity have meanwhile spread to the center of Mali. Three years after the signature of the peace agreement, they came together with one common goal: To accelerate efforts for women’s increased participation in the peace process.

And women wish to participate in public decision-making. During Mali’s presidential elections in 2013, 51% of voters in the first round and 53% in the second round were women. Since December 2015, a national law stipulates that women must be nominated for at least 30% to all official political functions. However, the reality looks different. In many important State institutions, women are yet far from reaching a meaningful representation. Also, Mali’s highest committee overseeing the peace agreement does not include one single woman. Meanwhile, the ongoing violence further jeopardizes the peace process and continues to threaten the lives of people, and women are often the first victims.

How can we best advocate for our participation? The women shared their views and suggestions during the 3-days meeting. Photo: UN Women

“We have discussed enough. It is now time to act,” one participant concluded at the closing ceremony, when the women presented a roadmap with recommendations and urgent actions to the Malian government, the UN Peacekeeping mission MINUSMA and international partners such as Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and the European Union.

In different working groups, the women leaders formulated a road map and next steps to address all institutions and mechanisms of the peace process. Photo: UN Women

The women leaders developed this roadmap during the three days, with passionate and lively discussions as their interests and experiences often differ. What unified them this time was the will to get equal say, the will to actively shape the peace process. “The peace agreement has not been implemented in large parts and our right to participate and to address our needs has not been considered. This meeting allowed us, as women from civil society, authorities but also armed groups, to unify and raise our voices, and to integrate our demands into the reforms at all levels. We must use the upcoming elections and processes to increase our influence,” one activist explained.

Women leaders presenting the road map to invited national and international partners. Photo: UN Women

Among others, the women demand direct negotiations with the armed groups signatories and the government for their inclusion in the interim local authorities, the establishment of gender sub-commissions to the peace treaty commissions, while lists of qualified women should be shared with decision makers at all levels. Moreover, they recommend elaborating a gender strategy for the peace agreement and stress the need for women to be included in all mechanisms of implementation and oversight. They further recommend creating an independent commission of women to monitor the peace process. The elaboration of this roadmap was supported by UN Women together with MINUSMA Mediation and Gender Units.

Women are crucial to contribute to peacebuilding. Not including them is a waste of talents, capacities and important perspectives.

“Any peace cannot be lasting without the leading role of women”, highlighted the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General, Koen Davidse, in his speech to the women and invited partners. “The representation of women in the mechanisms of the peace agreement is a key element of our work and I urge all involved parties to fruitfully explore both formal and informal ways for their inclusion,” he added. Algeria, Chief mediator, and the High Representative of the President for the implementation of the peace agreement warmly welcomed the initiative and emphasized the principle of inclusivity as the foundation of the peace agreement.

Koen Davidse, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General, urged the need to include women into all mechanisms of the peace agreement. Photo: UN Women

According to Jeronime Setcheme, acting Resident Representative at UN Women Mali, women have specific experiences linked to conflict and therefore specific security needs. Their priorities thus need to be included in formal peace and security processes. “Women are crucial to contribute to peacebuilding. Not including them is a waste of talents, capacities and important perspectives. The unity between women from civil society, government and armed groups has a huge potential to push things forward,” she stated.

The participating women left the meeting with enthusiasm and motivation. “As a first thing tomorrow morning, I will develop a timeline for the tasks we have developed during the last days,” said another activist from Mopti. “We cannot risk losing more time. Our next steps are crucial for all women in Mali.”

The 3-days working session was a joint activity by UN Women and MINUSMA Mediation and Gender Units as part of the project “From Victims to Peace Actors: Strengthening Women’s Participation in the Implementation of the peace agreement and the improvement of social cohesion.” With financial assistance of the Peacebuilding Fund, this project aims to promote sustainable and inclusive peace through greater participation of women in the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali.

Sandra Kreutzer

Written by

Press and Public Information Officer at EUCAP Sahel Niger, previously working for UN Women and The UN World Food Programme (WFP).

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