Dar es Salaam:The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (FP-ICGLR), Adão de Almeida, has called for an increased role of women in conflict prevention and resolution processes. Speaking at the ICGLR Conference of Women Parliamentarians in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, de Almeida emphasized the necessity of women's leadership for establishing lasting peace in the region.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Adão de Almeida highlighted the importance of ensuring women have effective participation in decision-making mechanisms, ranging from community initiatives to regional forums. He stressed that their involvement should be substantive rather than symbolic.
He further emphasized the need for states to convert commitments into tangible budget allocations, supported by oversight mechanisms to evaluate policy implementation and its impact on people's lives. De Almeida also pointed out the importance of stronger cooperation among the parliaments of the 12 member states, focusing on experience exchange, common challenge identification, and regional commitment monitoring.
Additionally, de Almeida advocated for strengthened ties between legislative bodies and civil society, particularly women's organizations, to integrate their experiences into political decision assessments. He underscored that peace should be cultivated as a culture of education, dialogue, tolerance, inclusion, and diversity respect, promoting conflict prevention before disputes escalate.
De Almeida also urged for enhanced cooperation among women parliamentarians and greater female parliamentary diplomacy, advocating for conditions that foster their involvement in conflict prevention, mediation, and resolution processes. He highlighted the need for coordination between parliaments, governments, civil society, and regional and international partners.
Addressing the women parliamentarians at the conference, he noted the vital role of their voices, leadership, dialogue capacity, and experience in transforming politics into an instrument for peace and development. He expressed hope for girls to grow up in peace and security and for women to have equal access to decision-making positions.
Concluding his remarks, Adão de Almeida stressed that the outcomes of the Dar es Salaam Conference should facilitate turning commitments into concrete actions, advancing from representation to effective participation and leadership in building lasting peace. The conference brings together representatives from the Great Lakes Region to deliberate on women's leadership roles in promoting peace, security, inclusion, and sustainable development.
