BUJUMBURA November 24th (ABP) – The Ministry of Human Rights, Social Affairs and Gender, in collaboration with the Association of Women Journalists of Burundi (AFJO), organized a press café in Bujumbura on Thursday on the state of implementing the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security adopted on October 31, 2000.
According to Mr. Félix Ngendabanyikwa, permanent secretary in the ministry in charge of gender and chair of the steering committee for the implementation of the R 1325 in Burundi, Burundi is one of the countries that honor the clauses of the R 1325 and uses a lot of efforts in its implementation. According to him, the resolution is there for the development of women’s condition. It is one of the international reference tools that highlights the importance of women’s participation in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
Implementation requires the combined efforts of all stakeholders in peace and security to achieve the desired results.
The resolution is built on four pillars (participation, prevention, protection and community recovery). The first pillar concerns the participation of women in all decision-making levels, that is, at the national, regional and international levels for the prevention, management and conflict resolution.
The “prevention” pillar concerns taking into account the possible provisions to protect the particular needs of women and men, through different strategies, training, different structures implemented for the prevention of women against any external aspect.
The “protection” pillar relates to the adoption of measures guaranteeing the protection and respect for the fundamental rights of women and girls. While the economic and community recovery pillar relates to women’s peace initiatives, Mr. Ngendabanyikwa said that at the level of this 4th pillar, the ministry is investing to develop the economic aspect for women at the national level.
In October 2005, the United Nations Security Council forced UN member States in conflict and post-conflict situations to develop and implement national action plans for the R 1325. Action plans were drawn up and implemented in Burundi, as well as action plans of the national gender policy in line with the priorities set by the government.
Mr. Ngendabanyikwa mentioned among the major challenges, the low awareness of Resolution 1325 and its action plan. There are activities carried out at the local level but which are not valued so that they can be placed in relation to each pillar. There is also the low level of integration of the resolution and its action plan in sectoral policies and programs. He also mentioned the low level of funding for the implementation of the national action plan and the Burundian culture which remains unfavorable to women’s leadership and consequently low participation of women in decision-making positions. At the community level, women do not participate actively. The permanent secretary pointed out, however, that the bet is won at the national level because the representation is consistent in the elective positions.
Mrs. Diane Ndonse, chairperson of the AFJO, invited the media to multiply the media productions on the four pillars of the R 1325. She thanked the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, through the NGO “Cordaid” that financed the organization of the press café, which is part of the project “Strategic Partnership for Lobbying and Advocacy to Address Community Concerns”.
