Transforming Commitments into Action

Transforming Commitments into Action
By: Ghazal Rahmanpanah

This week, the WILPF Academic Network hosted its monthly webinar series on National Action Plans (NAPs) on Women, Peace and Security, specifically within the African context, and explore the case studies of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria, where the NAPs were released in 2010 and 2013 respectively, and Cameroon, where the NAP is in preparation. But, what are NAPs and why are they important?

Put simply, National Action Plans are documents outlining domestic and/or foreign policy action and orientation, developed with the aim of meeting the Women, Peace and Security objectives: women’s participation, protection from sexual violence, conflict prevention and post-conflict peacebuilding. In essence, NAPs provide a tool to contextualize UNSCR 1325 and translate these objectives into national and local realities.

National Action Plans are one critical part of localising commitments in UNSCR 1325 into concrete action. As we move beyond anniversaries and commitments that were made in 2015, 2016 must be the year where commitments formulate into concrete action. One serious form of dedication to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda remains holistic implementation of a strong, inclusive National Action Plan that is supported both financially and operationally.

NAPs must be designed holistically, with particular emphasis on prevention, a major gap area within the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, and inclusion of demilitarisation and disarmament. Furthermore, NAPs must be developed, monitored, and implemented inclusively with early, extensive, and genuine engagement of a broad constituency of civil society, including women-led civil society organisations. An inclusive process both upholds women’s equal human rights and also strengthens action plan content and local implementation through diverse stakeholder engagement and buy-in.

WILPF INITIATIVES:
NAP Webinar
WILPF statement condemning violence against women in New YEar’s Eve in Cologne, Germany
NAP Blog

POLICY BRIEFS/REPORTS:
GNWP CSO Survey
Better Peace Tool
Monthly Action Points (MAP) for the Security Council: January 2016
Clamor for Justice. Sexual violence, armed conflict and violent land disposition

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