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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

African Parliamentarians Examine the Role of Women in Politics, Peace and Conflict Prevention and Resolution

23 June 1997

Following a last minute security decision, parliamentary representatives of 18 African Commonwealth countries and representatives of inter-governmental organisations and African non-governmental organisations will meet at Wilton Park in Britain from 23 26 June 1997 to discuss women's participation in the process of democratisation and conflict resolution. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and UNIFEM will attend as observers.

This African Regional Symposium, originally scheduled to be held in Sierra Leone, will permit participants to exchange experiences and share best practice examples on women's participation in reinforcing democratic processes and conflict resolution within Commonwealth Africa. They will examine the impact of war and armed conflict on women in Commonwealth Africa and the specific condition of women refugees and displaced persons. They will also explore the future role of these groups in post conflict reconstruction.

The Fifth Meeting of Commonwealth Ministers Responsible for Women's Affairs, held in Trinidad in 1996, strongly recommended that member countries try to 'achieve a target of no less than 30 per cent of women in decision making positions in the political, public and private sectors by 2005' and particularly urged governments to increase women's involvement in all peace building efforts. They also identified a need to promote information exchange between Commonwealth parliamentarians.

Recommendations for strengthening the role of women in peace building and preventive diplomacy at the policy  and decision making levels in national, regional and international institutions, among others, will result from this symposium and will be disseminated in the wider international community.

The countries participating are Botswana, Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

 

97/28 23 June 1997

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