The Africa Regional Conference on Localising Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) convened in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, brought together diverse stakeholders committed to advancing inclusive peacebuilding across the continent.
Organised by the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) in collaboration with partners, the event underscored the urgent need to localise global peace agendas to African realities.
Representatives from BBFORPEACE, Ms. Anthonia Folashade and Ms. Comfort Ayua, joined delegates from across Africa to deliberate on strategies for strengthening women’s and youth’s participation in peacebuilding.
Key Highlights
● Despite the adoption of UNSCR 1325, significant gaps remain in implementation.
● Women and youth continue to face marginalisation in decision-making processes.
● Shrinking financial resources hinder effective peacebuilding.
● Grassroots women and youth are often excluded, despite being most affected by conflict.
● Localisation is essential to lay the foundation for sustainable peace.
● Actions must extend beyond conference halls, with concrete roadmaps for future engagement.
WPS and YPS in the Regional Context
This session contextualised WPS and YPS within Africa’s broader peace and security landscape, reaffirming the relevance of UNSCR 1325 and 2250.
Country Presentations
Democratic Republic of Congo
● DR Congo women have developed a document reflecting their realities.
● Women’s political participation has increased to 34%.
● Representation in the military and police has expanded.
● The government continues to support victims of conflict.
● The WPS agenda must move beyond symbolic gestures to tangible action.
● Efforts have been made to address SGBV within the military and police, including the introduction of codes of conduct, public oath-taking by commanders, and the prosecution of implicated officers
TChad
● Developed its NAP in 2023 through grassroots consultations.
● Challenges include decades without democracy, limited freedom of expression, and climate vulnerabilities.
● Women’s representation: 34% in government, 32% as ministers, 9% in the military.
● Women in positions of power often do not advance women’s agendas because they operate within male-dominated systems that do not prioritize gender equality.
● Gender-based violence and socio-cultural norms hinder women’s participation.
● Key challenge: Lack of dedicated funds for NAP implementation.
South Sudan
● Lessons learned highlight the importance of assessment and validation at national and subnational levels.
● Independent reviews of the first NAP confirmed progress but also revealed gaps requiring stronger civil society involvement.
Country-Level Highlights
Tchad Recommendations:
● Invest in intergenerational dialogue to bridge gaps between youth and elders.
● Strengthen skills transfer, expertise development, and knowledge sharing.
● Engage young people more actively, recognising them as the largest demographic group in every country.
● Harness social media platforms to raise awareness and amplify the YPS agenda.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Challenges:
● Youth mobility and the ‘japa’ syndrome (migration in search of opportunities).
Way Forward:
● Prioritise capacity building initiatives.
● Establish clear communication channels.
● Promote public domestication of the YPS agenda to ensure local ownership.
Nigeria
● Presentation by BBFORPEACE
Overview of the Strengthening Local Leadership in WPS & YPS project in Benue State by BBFORPEACE, supported by GNWP and Global Affairs Canada (PSOP).
Context: protracted conflict, displacement, and climate-related pressures impacting women and youth, limiting their decision-making inclusion.
Key activities:
- YPS localization workshop
- Writeshop & inauguration of Local Steering Committee (LSC)
- Workshop on climate change impact on peace and security
Outcomes of activities:
- Increased awareness of YPS
- Improved stakeholder coordination
- Better understanding of climate-security linkages
Key achievements:
- Multi-sectoral engagement
- Establishment of the LSC
- Strengthened local action on YPS
Challenges:
- Changes in State Executive Council
- Delays engaging relevant government ministries
Lessons learned:
- Need for early government buy-in
- Flexibility in implementation
- Importance of multi-stakeholder engagement
Next steps:
- Develop Benue State YPS Action Plan
- Produce community-level strategies to address environment-related conflict
- Implement LSC Action Plans
Regional Interactive Dialogue
The regional dialogue as presented by Dr Francois Elikya emphasised diverse perspectives, highlighting the interconnectedness of humanitarian, peace, and security issues. Key points included:
● Youth and Women Leadership: Invest in leadership development and communication skills.
● Humanitarian-Peace-Security Nexus: Strengthen collaboration across sectors.
● Digital Innovation: Leverage technology for advocacy and knowledge advancement.
● Climate Change: Prioritise climate investments to mitigate disproportionate impacts on women and young people.
● Energy and Power: Expand investments in the power sector to support sustainable development.
● Social Mediation: Enhance mediation and dialogue mechanisms.
● Networking and Resource Mobilisation: Build domestic funding capacity and organise roundtables for resource mobilisation.
● Artificial Intelligence: Improve reporting quality and knowledge advancement.
● Gender Certification: Promote gender-sensitive approaches in peace and security initiatives.
● Climate Security: Address the effects of climate change on peace and security.
● Research and Documentation: Capitalise on evidence-based research to inform policy.
● Intergenerational Dialogue: Continue fostering collaboration across generations.
● Mainstreaming Climate, Peace, and Security: Integrate these issues into the WPS agenda.
Closing / Reflections
Day two concluded with a strategy session aimed at developing a shared roadmap for WPS and YPS implementation. Participants reflected on the discussions, reaffirming their commitments to collaboration, follow-up, and sustained engagement beyond the conference.
Key Takeaways / Considerations from the Conference
- Strengthen community and grassroots engagement – actively involve local actors in WPS and YPS initiatives.
- Capacity building for organisations – enhance skills, knowledge, and operational effectiveness.
- Leverage digital tools for outreach and dissemination – use online platforms to increase reach and impact.
- Ensure intentional inclusion of women in trainings – track participation to promote meaningful representation.
- Produce timely, well-documented reports – focus on accuracy, relevance, and actionable insights.
- Collaborate with media to amplify WPS/YPS messaging – train organisations on strategic communication and media campaigns.
- Capitalize on research and documentation of UNSCR 1325 & 2250 – use evidence to inform advocacy and programming.
- Promote gender-focused certifications – Encourage, recognise and standardize skills in gender mainstreaming.
- Foster intergenerational dialogue – engage youth and elders in knowledge-sharing and decision-making.
- Mainstream climate change into WPS and YPS programs – integrate environmental considerations into peace and security initiatives
