WORKING TOGETHER TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN CONFLICT
MITIGATION, GOOD GOVERNANCE, AND ECONOMIC PROGRESS IN AFRICA
Cape Town, South Africa: October 6-7, 2011
This is an invitation to nominate women leaders and activists in
conflict engagement and economic progress from Africa to participate
in the “Connecting Women Mediators and Peacemakers in Africa” program.
Please respond by 30 May 2011.
I. Background
Transparent decision-making processes and collaborative, inclusive
policy-making are essential to mitigate conflict and promote good
governance. In Africa, women leaders are crucial to the promotion and
implementation of participatory processes that will strengthen
accountability through greater transparency and civic engagement.
Unfortunately, while women can be vital players in resolving conflicts
and sustaining peace, they are typically left out of mediating
institutions and collaborative policymaking. In their absence,
conflicts continue to foment instability and corruption.
Connecting Women Mediators and Peacemakers in Africa is a pilot
program that Vital Voices is launching with Partners for Democratic
Change, a US-based organization with expertise in conflict management
and constructive social change, the African Centre for Dispute
Settlement, a South African organization focused on promoting
mediation as an alternative form of dispute resolution. The program
aims to train and support African women leaders who are actively
cultivating conditions that mitigate conflict, promote good
governance, spur economic development and advance human progress. By
examining the dearth of women’s participation in conflict resolution
and collaborative policy-making, the program will address the scourge
of increased conflict and government instability in Sub-Saharan
Africa.
II. Activities and Goals
As the World Bank notes, “in the long run peacekeeping and
peace-building are determined by economic development rather than by
peacekeeping forces.” Vital Voices, the African Centre for Dispute
Settlement, and Partners for Democratic Change recognize the powerful
and significant role that economic development can play in moving
societies towards stability and progress. Not only does such
development empower communities to work towards peace, it can provide
women with another opportunity to engage in society.
Therefore, in October 2011, we will bring together 10 women experts
and conflict management practitioners from across the continent to
discuss and research the roles women can, and sometimes do play—behind
the scenes—in African peace initiatives. The program has two phases:
the first focuses on bringing together a select group of experts and
women leaders to research, analyze, and document conflict resolution
methodologies in Africa, particularly the intersection between good
governance and institutional sustainability; the second builds on this
research by generating five case studies, including at least two
focused on issues related to good governance and transparency, and
merging them into a compendium for publication in several languages.
Through dissemination of the compendium, we expect sustained
engagement with the group and the opportunity to track the women’s
progress as effective conflict resolvers and empowered leaders at
national and local levels.
III. Nomination Process
We are asking you to nominate women leaders and activists in conflict
engagement and economic development from Africa to participate in the
“Connecting Women Mediators and Peacemakers in Africa” program in Cape
Town, South Africa, from October 6-7, 2011. Vital Voices Global
Partnership will pay for all travel and accommodation costs of the
participants during the course of the program. We are initially
targeting African women leaders and activists for this first phase of
the program, with the intent to incorporate men into the network in
subsequent phases. To meet the specific goals of this first phase, we
are also initially targeting women who have a conversational level of
either English or French.
To nominate a participant, please send the following information to
Carey Hogg, Vital Voices’ Political Program Officer at
careyhogg@vitalvoices.org by 30 May 2011:
Nominee’s full name, title, and organization affiliation
Nominee’s brief biography (1-2 paragraphs), specifying nominee’s
dispute resolution experience
Nominee’s contact details (especially telephone numbers and e-mail
addresses).
We are prepared to consider self-nominations; and also nominations of
more than one person. Please also feel free to indicate other
organizations to which we should forward this request for nominations.
Nominees will be contacted by Vital Voices and will be asked to fill
out an application form that includes some basic information about
themselves, their experiences and suitability to attend the programme.
On the basis of this information, a panel of staffers from Vital
Voices, the African Centre for Dispute Settlement, and Partners for
Democratic Change will draw up a short list and successful
participants will be notified by 30 June 2011.
We look forward to receiving your nominations, and thank you for your
interest and support in this initiative.
http://www.vitalvoices.org/
Call for applications: Women Mediators and Peacemakers in Africa
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