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UNIFEM input a first in formal peace talks

    NAIROBI

    An expert team of six women convened by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) was due to arrive in Arusha, Tanzania, on Tuesday to brief peace negotiators on the inclusion of women’s rights in the new round of peace talks for Burundi. This marks the first time in history that a UN organisation has been asked to convene a team to advise on how women’s rights should be considered within formal peace negotiations, a UNIFEM press release stated. The peace talks which started in Arusha on Monday will focus on implementing the peace accord and security issues. The agenda issues include repatriation, resettlement and reintegration of refugees, the judicial and electoral systems, the constitution and land reform. “Historically women’s absence from peace negotiating tables has resulted in damaging setbacks in development and economic recovery... It has predominantly been male leaders of fighting parties negotiating an end to war and laying the foundations for peace, but the process of reconstructing a society emerging from war requires equal contributions from men and women,” said Dr Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of UNIFEM.

    The UN team comprises four women who have negotiated peace accords in their own countries and defended women’s rights in these processes: Baleka Mbete, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly in South Africa; Musa Hussein Naib, Attorney General of Eritrea; Winnie Byanyima, a Member of Parliament in Uganda; and Luz Mendez, General Coordinator for the National Union of Guatemalan Women, joined by two technical experts from UNIFEM. “I believe that this opportunity in Burundi responds to the demand from women worldwide to have greater visibility in peace processes. It is also an important step forward for the UN and will increase its contribution to peace negotiations,” said Luz Mendez. Women’s land rights, their access to political positions and the creation of laws to protect women from domestic violence are among the issues they intend to put on the broader political agenda, according to UNIFEM. [for additional details, go to:
    http://www.undp.org/dpa/index.html]

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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