Gender mainstreaming overview

The Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa and the AU Policy on PCRD highlight the need for gender mainstreaming of peace and security processes in Africa. Despite these continental commitments to gender equity, as well as international instruments such as UNSC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, women and gender concerns continue suffer double marginalisation from these processes—firstly, in terms of participation of women, and secondly, in terms of consideration of gender issues. While gender mainstreaming is critical to all peace and security processes and will be integrated into all of Pax Africa’s activities, gender mainstreaming of the security sector is of critical importance. Pax Africa has provided support and assistance to the SA DOD for several years to accelerate gender mainstreaming in line with the broader transformation agenda.

The objective of gender mainstreaming is to: contribute to increased representation of women at all levels, across all areas of the security sector; improve the level of gender sensitivity of the security sector; improve the preparedness of troops/police being deployed on peace support operations to respond to gender issues; support and enhance the capacity of oversight mechanisms to monitor progress on gender equity; and improve the accountability of the security sector in terms of attaining gender equity. Having begun with the South African DOD, Pax Africa will also provide support to other Member States and to regional and continental institutions and mechanisms as required.