Kenya hosted a regional workshop on women, peace and security, launching a new action plan to advance women’s leadership in peacebuilding.
Convened by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and held in Nairobi, the three-day workshop brought together government officials, civil society leaders, development partners, and women’s networks to strengthen the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.
Speaking on behalf of Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe, State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action Secretary Administration Michael Mwenga underscored the urgency of embedding grassroots women’s voices in peace processes.
“Women at the grassroots level often bear the greatest burden of insecurity, yet remain underrepresented in decision-making spaces,” the statement noted.
The meeting comes at a pivotal moment for the region, as countries seek practical frameworks to integrate lived community experiences into policies that foster long-term stability.
A New Regional Roadmap: 2026–2030
A major milestone of the workshop was the unveiling of the Second-Generation Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2026–2030).
The plan aligns with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325—widely recognised as a landmark framework that affirms women’s critical role in conflict prevention, mediation, and post-conflict recovery.
The new action plan focuses on strengthening women’s leadership in peace processes, enhancing cross-border security cooperation, improving coordination among member states, and promoting more gender-responsive peacebuilding systems.
The framework builds on lessons from earlier initiatives and reflects extensive consultations across ICGLR member states. It has already secured strong political backing, having been adopted by gender ministers in November 2025 and endorsed at the 9th ICGLR Heads of State Summit.
Tracking Progress with the Gender Barometer
The workshop also validated the ICGLR Gender Barometer II, a regional monitoring tool designed to assess progress in gender equality within peace and security frameworks.
According to government officials, the barometer will help measure implementation gaps, inform targeted interventions, and strengthen accountability mechanisms.
This data-driven approach is expected to sharpen policy responses and ensure measurable outcomes in advancing women’s participation.
Across the Great Lakes Region, women mediators and peace champions are already playing a transformative role—facilitating dialogue, supporting early warning systems, and leading community peace initiatives in conflict-affected areas.
ICGLR Deputy Executive Secretary Ambassador Yasir Ibrahim Mohammed emphasised that sustainable peace remains unattainable without women’s full participation.
Development partners also reaffirmed their support. Alida Kaneza of GIZ highlighted Germany’s role in backing the initiative through the Integrated Women, Peace and Security project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Crucially, she stressed that ownership of the plan lies with regional governments and civil society actors who shaped it through inclusive consultations.
To ensure effective implementation, the workshop includes specialised training sessions on results-based monitoring and evaluation from March 19–21, 2026.
These sessions aim to strengthen:
- Coordination between stakeholders
- Reporting systems
- Accountability frameworks
As the region continues to navigate complex security challenges, the new ICGLR action plan signals a renewed commitment to inclusive peacebuilding—one that recognises women not just as victims of conflict, but as essential architects of sustainable peace.
With Kenya at the forefront, the initiative is poised to shape a more resilient and equitable future for the Great Lakes Region.
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