Summary of Points Arising in
NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT (NEPAD) DOCUMENTS
REGARDING SUPPORT FOR WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY

In the NEPAD framework document and in the follow-up document, the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance (June 2002 Annex), specific references are made regarding the need for the promotion of women and the integration of gender issues in all aspects of the plan for sustainable development. Below is a summary of the key points.

SUPPORTING WOMEN
African countries propose:

1. Promoting the role of women in all activities as a long-term objective for achieving sustainable development in Africa in the 21st century [point 67].
2. Promoting the role of women in social and economic development, including by [point 49]:
   • reinforcing their capacity in the domains of education and training;
   • developing revenue-generating activities by facilitating access to credit; and
   • assuring their participation in the political and economic life of African countries.
3. Establishing a gender task team to ensure that the specific issues faced by poor women are addressed in the poverty-reduction strategies of NEPAD.
4. Undertaking actions to advance the cause of human rights in Africa generally and, specifically, to end the moral shame exemplified by the plight of the vulnerable, including women, in conflict situations in Africa [Annex, point 10].
5. Ensuring, as a binding obligation on governments, that women have every opportunity to contribute on terms of full equality to the political and socio-economic development in African countries [Annex, point 11].

PROMOTING PEACE AND SECURITY
African countries propose:

1. Promoting long-term conditions for development and security by addressing the political and social vulnerabilities on which conflict is premised [point 73].
2. Building the capacity of existing African regional and sub-regional institutions in four key areas [point 74]:
   • prevention, management, and resolution of conflict;
   • peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peace enforcement;
   • post-conflict reconciliation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction; and
   • combating the illicit proliferation of small arms, light weapons, and landmines.
3. Encouraging individual African states to make all efforts to find a lasting solution to existing conflicts, to strengthen their internal security, and to promote peace among the countries [point 77].
4. Undertaking a process of targeted capacity-building initiatives, focusing on [point 83]:
   • administrative and civil services;
   • strengthening parliamentary oversight;
   • promoting participatory decision making;
   • adopting effective measures to combat corruption and embezzlement; and
   • undertaking judicial reforms.
   

return to top