Luanda: The Luanda Declaration, issued from the 2nd International Women's Forum for Peace and Democracy, which concluded on Friday (10), recommends that African Union (AU) Member States ratify the Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the declaration was presented by the Commissioner of the AU Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Maria Teresa Manuela, at the closing of the forum held in Luanda from 9 to 10 July under the theme 'Transforming Africa: Empowering Women in Leadership for Peace and Inclusive Growth on the Continent'. The document calls on African countries to accelerate the processes of signing, ratifying, and domesticating the convention, with a view to its entry into force and effective implementation.
Participants recommend the adoption of national legislation based on the '4 Ps' (Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and Policies) to combat violence against women and girls in various contexts. It reaffirms that no custom, tradition, or religious norm should justify acts of violence or harmful practices against women and girls.
The Luanda Declaration advocates for increasing the full and equal participation of women in electoral processes, public institutions, political parties, and decision-making bodies. It requests the strengthening of female participation in conflict prevention, mediation, peace negotiations, and post-conflict reconstruction through the operationalization of the Swakopmund Process.
The Swakopmund Process is an institutional mechanism of the African Union (AU) established in March 2024 in Namibia to ensure gender parity and promote the effective leadership and participation of women in peace and security processes across the continent. The forum also calls for the acceleration of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda, with the adoption and funding of National Action Plans on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
On the economic front, the declaration encourages initiatives to support female entrepreneurship, access to credit, innovation, digital techs, and the creation of opportunities for women in strategic sectors of the continent's economy. It further suggests strengthening the protection of women and girls affected by armed conflict, forced displacement, and humanitarian emergencies, as well as promoting the inclusion of women with disabilities.
Participants also advocate for greater involvement of traditional and religious leaders in promoting peace, gender equality, and democratic governance. The International Women's Forum for Peace and Democracy brought together around 350 participants from various African countries and formed part of the preparations for the 4th Edition of the Luanda Biennale.
