Issue

Vol. 42 No. 3 (2017): Africa Development: Special Issue on Security Regimes in Africa – Prospects and Challenges

3 - Progress and Challenges in Implementing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture

https://doi.org/10.57054/ad.v42i3.756
Cheryl Hendricks
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1565-7043

Corresponding Author(s) : Cheryl Hendricks

chendricks@uj.ac.za

Africa Development, Vol. 42 No. 3 (2017): Africa Development: Special Issue on Security Regimes in Africa – Prospects and Challenges

Abstract

This article provides an initial overview of the African Union’s progress and challenges in implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in its peace and security architecture. It reviews implementation in relation to representation, programming and in peacekeeping. The article contends that the WPS agenda has strong roots in Africa and that progress has been made in relation to the development of frameworks, policies and strategies. Representation of women in the architecture has improved but the AU still has a long way to go to see this through at programmatic level (for example in peace negotiations and peace support operations). The programmes and activities implemented also appear to be rather ad hoc and attempts at quick-fix measurable exercises. The article argues that the WPS agenda has been narrowed to focus on the inclusion of women into peace and security institutions and processes without a deeper reflection of what their participation may mean for legitimizing post-conflict patriarchal and militarized orders.

Keywords

Women Peace and Security (WPS) African Union UNAMID security institutions Africa
[1]
Hendricks, C. 2017. 3 - Progress and Challenges in Implementing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture. Africa Development. 42, 3 (Jun. 2017). DOI:https://doi.org/10.57054/ad.v42i3.756.
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. Abdullah, H., 2016, ‘The African Union’s Gender, Peace and Security Mechanisms: Policy Options for Protecting Women in Conflict’, African Peacebuilding Network Briefing Note, 4 January.
  2. African Union (AU), 2002, Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. Adopted at the Assembly of the African Union, First Ordinary Session, 9 July, available at www.peaceau.org, accessed 8 December 2016.
  3. African Union (AU), 2003, The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa adopted on 11 July at the second AU Summit in Mozambique.
  4. African Union (AU), 2004, Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa adopted in July.
  5. African Union (AU), 2008, Gender Policy adopted in September.
  6. African Union (AU), 2006, Framework for Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development adopted in Banjul.
  7. African Union (AU), 2011, Policy Framework for Security Sector Reform adopted in Addis Ababa.
  8. African Union (AU), 2015, AGENDA 2063: The Africa We Want Framework Document adopted in September.
  9. African Union (AU), 2016a, ‘About AMISOM’, available at www.amisom-au.org, accessed 25 August 2016.
  10. African Union (AU), 2016b, ‘AMISOM commits to gender mainstreaming in its operations’, available at www.amisom-au.org, accessed 25 August 2016.
  11. African Union Commission (AUC), 2013, ‘Mainstreaming Gender into Peace and Security’ (internal document).
  12. African Union Commission (AUC), 2015, African Gender ScoreCard, available at www. au.int, accessed 5 May 2017.
  13. African Union Commission (AUC), 2015, The African Union 15 years of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa: Stocktaking and Perspectives. Published by the Office of the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security.
  14. African Union Commission (AUC), 2016, Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa. Report by the AUC Chairperson and prepared by the Office of the Special Envoy of the AU Commission Chairperson on Women Peace and Security, July.
  15. AU Executive Council, 2017, Eleventh Report of the African Union Commission Chairperson on the Implementation of the African Union Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa Thirtieth Ordinary Session, 22–27 January, Addis Ababa.
  16. African Union Peace and Security Department, 2010, ‘African Peace and Security Architecture 2010 Assessment Study’, available at www.securitycouncilreport.org, accessed 2 May 2017.
  17. AU Peace and Security Council, 2017, ‘Third Progress Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the African Union’s Efforts on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in Africa’, 22 March.
  18. Burton, B. and Williams, P., 2014, ‘Counter Insurgency in Somalia: Lessons Learnt from the African Union Mission in Somalia 2007–2013’, JSOU Report 14/5, p. 44. Cilliers J., 2015, ‘Conflict Trends in Africa: A turn for the better in 2015?’, ISS Today, 4 November.
  19. Cilliers, J. and Gnanguenon A, 2015, ‘The African Peace and Security Architecture and Regional Conflict’, presentation at CIGI and ISS Symposium on African Capacity to respond to political crisis and violent conflict, 10–11 June, Pretoria, South Africa.
  20. Cockburn, C., 2010, ‘Gender Relations as Causal in Militarization and War’, International Feminist Journal of Politics 12 (2): 139–57.
  21. Ellerby, K., 2015, ‘(En)gendered Security? Gender Mainstreaming and Women’s Inclusion in Peace Processes’ in Gizelis, T.-I. and Olsson, L., eds, Gender Peace and Security: Implementing UN Security Resolution 1325, London: Routledge.
  22. Enloe, C., 1989, Bananas Beaches and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics, Berkeley CA: University of California Press.
  23. Enloe, C., 2000, Maneuvers: The International Politics of Militarizing Women’s Lives, Berkeley CA: University of California Press.
  24. Enloe, C., 2007, Globalization and Militarism: Feminist Make the Link, New York: Rowman and Littlefield.
  25. Hudson, H., 2005, ‘Doing Security as Though Humans Matter: A Feminist Perspective on Gender and the Politics of Human Security’, Security Dialogue 36 (2): 155–74.
  26. Hudson, H., 2010, ‘Mainstreaming Gender in Peacekeeping Operations: Can Africa Learn from International Experience?’, African Security Review 9 (4): 18–33.
  27. Hudson, H., 2016, ‘Decolonizing the Mainstreaming of Gender in Peacebuilding: Toward and Agenda for Africa’, African Peacebuilding Network Working Papers no. 8, July.
  28. Hendricks, C., 2016, ‘Women, Peace and Security in Africa: Conceptual and Implementation Challenges and Shifts’ in Hendricks, C. and Sigsworth, R., eds, Gender Peace and Security in Africa, London: Routledge.
  29. Human Rights Watch, 2014, ‘The Power These Men Have Over Us: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by African Union Forces in Somalia’, available at www.hrw.org, accessed 20 August 2016.
  30. International Refugee Rights Committee, 2016, ‘No-one on Earth Cares if we Survive except God and sometimes UNAMID’, The Challenges of Peacekeeping in Darfur, June.
  31. Institute for Security Studies, Peace and Security Council Report, available at www.issafrica.org, accessed 14 April 2017.
  32. Lewis, D., 2013, ‘The Multiple Dimensions of Human Security through the Lens of African Feminist Intellectual Activism’, African Peace and Conflict Journal 6 (1): 15–28.
  33. Mama, A., 1998, ‘Khaki in the Family: Gender Discussions and Militarism in Nigeria’, African Studies Review 41 (2): 1–18.
  34. Mama, A. and Okazawa-Rey, M., 2008, ‘Editorial: Militarism, Conflict and Women’s Activism’, Feminist Africa 10: 1–8.
  35. Utas, M, ed., 2012, African Conflicts and Informal Power: Big Men and Networks, London: Zed Books.
  36. Mlambo-Ngcuka, P. and Coomaraswamy, R., 2015, ‘Women Are the Best Weapons in the War Against Terrorism’, Foreign Policy, 10 February, http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/02/10/women-are-the-best-weapon-in-the-war-against-terrorism/, accessed 8 December 2016.
  37. Neethling, T., 2009, ‘Wither Peacekeeping in Africa: Revisiting the Evolving Role of the United Nations’, African Security Review 18 (1): 2–20.
  38. Olonisakin, F and Hendricks, C., 2013, ‘Engaging (In) Security as an Entry Point for Seeking Redress in Gender Inequality in Africa’, Africa Peace and Conflict Journal 6(1): 1–14.
  39. Olonisakin, F. and Okech, A., 2011, Women and Security Governance in Africa, Cape Town: Pambazuka Press.
  40. Olonisakin, F., Hendricks, C. and Okech, A., 2015, ‘The Convergence and Divergence of Three Pillars of Influence in Gender and Security’, African Security Review 24 (4): 376–89.
  41. Reliefweb, 2017, ‘Newly Deployed Military Officers Trained on Gender and Human Rights’, 21 February, available at www.reliefweb.int, accessed 30 April 2017.
  42. Sjoberg, L. and Via, S., eds, 2010, Gender War and Militarism: Feminist Perspectives, New York: Praeger Security International.
  43. United Nations, 2000, United Nations Security Council, Resolution 1325, adopted by the Security Council at its 4213th meeting, on 31 October, available at https://documents-dds-ny.un.org, accessed 8 August 2016.
  44. United Nations, Department of Public Information, 2000, ‘Women in Armed Conflict’, Fact Sheet 5, available at www.un.org, accessed 8 December 2016.
  45. UN Women, 2015, Preventing Conflict, Transforming Justice, Securing Peace: A Global Study on the Implementation of UNSCR 1325, pp 13–14, available at http://wps.unwomen.org/en.
  46. United Nations, 2015, Uniting our Strengths for Peace – Politics, Partnerships and People: Report of the High Level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations.
  47. United National Office of Internal Oversight Service, 2015, Audit of the Gender Advisory Programme in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operations in Darfur.
  48. Walby, S., 2003, ‘Gender Mainstreaming: Productive Tensions in Theory and Practice’, Contribution to ESRC Gender Mainstreaming Seminars.
  49. Williams, P., 2011, War and Conflict in Africa, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Read More

Author Biography

Cheryl Hendricks

Professor, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Email: chendricks@uj.ac.za; cherylhendricks288@gmail.com

Download
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 802 Download : 66

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.