Botswana calls for women, children to be key stakeholders in peace negotiations
Gaborone, Botswana (PANA) - Botswana has called for women and children to be key stakeholders in peace negotiations and reconciliation talks.
Speaking on Thursday at the validation workshop of African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) study on "Governance, Gender and Peace Building: Strengthening The Nexus," the Minister of Nationality, Immigration And Gender Affairs, Anna Maria Mokgethi, said active engagement of women in preventing and resolving conflicts in Africa will yield the peace the continent requires.
“It is sad to note that women and children remain the majority of victims of armed conflict, refugees and internally displaced persons as they are easy target for combatants,” she said, adding that women and children are key participants in peace negotiations and reconciliation at all levels.
The minister also applauded the continent’s continued efforts to do research on thorny issues that impede on progress.
The African Peer Review Mechanism Chief Executive Officer, Prof Eddy Maloka, said gender equality and the rights of women are constant cross-cutting issues always at the forefront in almost all the APRM Country Review Reports.
“It is therefore common sense for APRM to highlight as critical the nexus between gender equality and good governance. It has been proven that social ills, like conflicts, terrorism and human trafficking adversely affect women and children than men,” said Maloka.
-0- PANA DRW/MA 17Jan2019
