Transcript Understanding Concepts of Conflict Prevention, Resolution

Gender Mainstreaming in the
African Union
Presented by ‘Kemi Ogunsanya
African Centre for the Constructive Resolution
of Disputes (ACCORD)
at the
Gender and ESDP Course
Budapest, Hungary
19 April 2007
Transition from OAU to AU
• The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was created on
May 25, 1963 by Pan-African leaders to combat colonialism
and imperialism in Africa.
• African leaders saw the OAU had fulfilled its objectives, as
many countries were now independent and liberated.
• The cold war was over and this left the Continent with
insurmountable intra-state violent conflicts and civil wars.
• Over 30 countries out of 53 African states have experienced
war or violent conflict in the 1990s.
• The African Union (AU) was created in 2001 to deal with the
new challenges facing the Continent.
Africa Conflict Map 1990-2005
W. Sahara
Algeria
Mauritania
Eritrea
Mali
Niger
Senegal
Djibouti
Sudan
Chad
Somalia
Guinea B.
Nigeria
Ethiopia
CAR
Uganda
Guinea
S. Leone
Cote
d’Ivoire
Togo
Kenya
DRC
Rwanda
Liberia
R. Congo
Burundi
Angola
Mozambique
Comoros
Madagascar
Lesotho
Purpose of the AU
• The African Union was launched in Durban on 9 July 2002, by
its first President, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.
• The purpose of the Union is to help secure Africa’s democracy,
human rights and a sustainable economy.
• The AU intends to have a single currency, integrated defence
force and an effective common market.
• The AU’s first military intervention was in Burundi (AMIB),
followed by Sudan (AMIS), and most recently Somalia
(AMISOM).
• The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) is an
economic development programme of the AU, with its
headquarters in South Africa.
Overview: Official Bodies of the AU
The AU is governed by the Assembly of Heads of State and the Pan
African Parliament.
• Assembly of the African Union – is composed of Heads of member
States and Governments, and is the supreme governing body of the
Union.
• Pan-African Parliament – is the highest legislative body of the AU.
• African Commission – is the secretariat of the AU, composed of ten
commissioners and support staff based in Addis Ababa. Responsible for
administration and co-ordination of AU’s activities and meetings.
• Executive Council – is composed of ministers designated by
governments of member states and is accountable to the Assembly.
Oversees matters of foreign trade, social security, communications, food
and agriculture.
• Permanent Representatives’ Committee – consists of nominated
permanent secretaries of member states. The committee prepares the
work of the Executive Council.
Overview: Official Bodies of the AU
• Specialised Technical Committees – addresses specific matters on
rural economy and Agriculture; monetary and financial affairs; trade,
customs and immigration; transport, communication and tourism;
health, labour and social affairs; education, culture and human
resources.
• African Court of Justice – is composed of eleven judges to rule on
human rights abuses in Africa. The Court will be situated in East
Africa, Kenya and Uganda have expressed interest to host the Court.
• Economic, Social and Cultural Council – is an advisory organ
composed of professional and civic representatives.
• Peace and Security Council – composed of 15 members responsible
for monitoring and intervening in conflicts, with an African Standby
Force operational by 2010.
• Financial Institutions – African Central Bank, African Investment
Bank, African Monetary Fund.
For more information on the AU, please visit www.africa-union.org
What is Gender Mainstreaming?
“Mainstreaming a gender perspective is the process
of assessing the implications for women and men of
any planned action, including legislation, policies or
programmes, in any area and at all levels. It is a
strategy for making women’s as well as men’s
concerns and experiences an integral dimension in
the design, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of policies and programmes in all
political, economic and societal spheres so that
women and men benefit equally and inequality is not
perpetuated. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender
equality” (UNECSOC 1997)
Gender Mainstreaming in the AU
• Durban Declaration 2002 – facilitated by
ACCORD and Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS)
• The Document was presented to the Committee of
Ambassadors and Council of Ministers.
• This Council adopted the establishment of a
gender machinery in the AU.
• The Chairperson of the AU Commission is
responsible for mainstreaming gender in all
programme activities of the Union.
Gender Mainstreaming in the AU
• At the session of Heads of State and Government,
chaired by President Thabo Mbeki, President
Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal put forward the
Consultation’s recommendations to the Assembly.
• The Assembly unanimously adopted gender parity
(50 per cent representation of women) in the AU
Commission.
• Five of the 10 Commissioners from each of the
five regions is a woman.
• Specialised Technical Team on Gender was
established under Article 14 of the Constitutive
Act for effective mainstreaming of gender at all
structures of decision-making in the AU.
Gender Mainstreaming in the AU
• The Protocol on Women’s Rights in Africa was adopted in
Mozambique, July 2003.
• At the first AU Conference of Ministers Responsible for
Gender Affairs held in Dakar, Senegal in October 2005,
two documents were adopted to assist in responsible
reporting on gender equity:
– The implementation Framework for the Solemn Declaration
on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA)
– Guidelines for Monitoring and Reporting on the SGDEA.
• The AU Commission develops composite reports based on
the reports submitted by member states.
Gender Mainstreaming in the AU
Election of
Gertrude Mongella
as first female
President of the
Pan African
Parliament in
2004, and Alpha
Oumar Konaré,
first Chairman of
the AU
Commission.
Gender Mainstreaming in the AU
• The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) was
established in 2001 to fulfill the commitments of NEPAD.
• Balanced representation in APRM appointments in 2003.
1. Ms. Graca Machel,
Mozambique
2. Amb. Bethuel Kiplagat, Kenya
3. Ms. Marie Angelique Savane,
Senegal
4. Mr. Chris Staals of South
Africa
5. Ms. Dorothy Njeuma,
Cameroon
6. Prof. Adebayo Adedeji, Nigeria
• 27 countries currently
participating in APRM
• 6 countries have completed
their review
• Thematic Areas:
• Democracy and good
governance
• Economic and corporate
management
• Socio-economic
development
President Abdoulaye Wade with Chancellor Angela Merkel
• Presidents
Abdoulaye Wade
of Senegal and
Thabo Mbeki of
South Africa were
the first recipients
of the Award in
2005.
Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa
ACCORD received the
TOMBOUCTOU AWARD in
June 2006, in recognition for its
contribution to gender and security
on the Continent, and gender
mainstreaming in the African
Union.
Vasu Gounden, Founder & ED of ACCORD
Gender Mainstreaming in the
African Union
Presented by ‘Kemi Ogunsanya
African Centre for the Constructive Resolution
of Disputes (ACCORD)
at the
Gender and ESDP Course
Budapest, Hungary
19 April 2007