Supporting women’s and men’s talents and giving equal rights to women and men in decision-making in all spheres of society is in the EU’s DNA. In line with the UN Agenda for Women, Peace and Security, the EU works within and beyond its borders with international partners to achieve and secure gender equality as a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. This work starts from sowing the seeds of gender equality where policies are drawn up and where the wounds of conflict are healed.
Setting the stage for women and girls as peace builders in Kenya
Under its Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP), the EU works to give women and girls a louder voice in the public space. As of January 2019, the reality television series “Ms President” produced by Media Focus on Africa will feature female contestants displaying their leadership capacity and ability through 26 episodes. As one of the most far-reaching form of popular culture, the TV series will provide a powerful platform to empower women and girls to become key players in building peace. This also seeks to demonstrate that women can and should play a key role in preventing conflicts and defusing violent extremism.
Women and men standing side by side to build peace
Post-conflict transitions are windows of opportunity to secure gains in women’s access to justice through new constitutions, legislative reforms and institutional rebuilding. More than that, they are critical junctures to transform societies where underlying inequalities and gender-based discrimination prevail into societies where women and men stand side by side to build peace and prosperity.
With the support of CCS Italia, the European Union helped the Nepalese government fulfil national commitments to gender equality and uphold conflict-affected women and girls’ rights to justice and reparations. Under its Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP), the EU contributed over the past three years to establish Gender and Transitional Justice Networks to make sure reconstruction in Nepal takes into account the different needs of conflict-affected populations - and women in particular. Within these networks, the strong coordination between a wide range of local stakeholders was key to promote women’s participation in peace, security and governance processes. This allowed priorities on UN Agenda on Women, Peace and Security to translate into an inclusive society addressing the context of inequality and injustice that gave rise to conflict.
Background
Managed by the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP) provides short- and mid-term assistance on conflict prevention, crisis-response and peace-building actions around the world. There are currently around 200 projects in over 75 countries. These IcSP projects are implemented by Non-Governmental Organisations, the UN and other International Organisations, EU Member State agencies and regional and sub-regional organisations.
Funded by the IcSP, Ms President aims to be an entertaining and educating reality TV series that will air on KTN (Kenya Television Network), one of the leading television stations in Kenya. The series will be a platform used to portray to a national audience the capacity and ability of women to lead effectively. Through a series of tasks and challenges, contestants (all female) will display their leadership capacity and ability. The series will showcase intelligent and articulate women who can make good “presidential candidates,” with the aim of increasing the chances of women in Kenya taking up leadership positions.
Through the IcSP, the Empowering Women for Peace project assisted the government of Nepal from 2015 to 2018 in supporting gender equality and women’s human rights. It aimed to develop the capacity of civil society, the private sector, government institutions and local authorities to implement the Nepalese National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820. These promoted women’s participation in peace, security and governance processes.
For more information:
Details
- Publication date
- 25 October 2018
- Author
- Service for Foreign Policy Instruments