Reporting on Women, Peace, and Security:  Local actors receive training in Niger 

Accra, Oct. 4, GNA – More than 30 local actors drawn from seven regions of Niger have been trained to monitor and report on the implementation of the Women Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda in Africa, using the Continental Results Framework (CRF). 

The training, convened by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in partnership with Niger’s Ministry for the Promotion of Women and Protection of Children, benefitted more than 20 organisations in Niger. 

A brief opening ceremony was held at Niamey, Niger on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 to commence the workshop. 

Funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the training aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of participants on the WPS monitoring and reporting.  

Adopted by the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council in 2018, the CRF aims at enhancing regular and systematic monitoring and reporting of the WPS agenda in Africa and contributing to closing the gap between WPS policy commitment and implementation in Africa.  

The United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 was adopted in 2000 as a tool for advancing the WPS Agenda. 

Air Commodore George Arko-Dadzie, Deputy Commandant, KAIPTC, described the CRF as a tool for accountability, saying many Member States had used the tool to report on their National Action Plan. 

He said as part of efforts to address the existing gaps associated with monitoring and reporting on the progress of the WPS Agenda, the KAIPTC had developed the training package to equip national actors to effectively use the prescribed CRF tool. 

“A key outcome of the training is to guide participants to outline a comprehensive roadmap on operationalising the CRF in Niger and to enhance local actors’ commitment to report on Niger National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325,” Air Commodore Arko-Dadzie said. 

Madame Allahoury Aminata Zourkaleini, Niger’s Minister for the Promotion of Women and Protection of Children, urged the participants to follow the modules of the CRF to aid the effective implementation of their daily activities. 

She said the CRF would ensure the systematic and regular reporting of the WPS Agenda and facilitate the implementation of policies for women, peace, and security on the continent. 

“The training will allow our focal points to significantly improve their knowledge regarding monitoring and reporting using the Framework,” Madame Zourkaleini said. 

The AU Agenda 2063 advocates the meaningful participation and leadership of women and their efforts towards “silencing the guns”, enhancing good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice, the rule of law towards a peaceful and secure Africa. 

The CRF has two main objectives – to institutionalise regular and systematic monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the WPS Agenda in Africa, and to strengthen accountability for the implementation of the agenda. 

GNA