Call for nominations to recognize exceptional African women advancing peace and security in Africa.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 12, August 2019: The African Union Commission (AUC) and the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) are calling for nominations of African women who have exceptionally advanced the women, peace and security agenda in Africa. The women will be featured in an upcoming commemorative book set to be launched in year 2020. The commemorative book initiative is part of the activities for the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. At least twenty (20) African women will be featured in the book. A chapter will be dedicated to each woman to share her story or contribution to either of the four pillars of Resolution 1325 namely; prevention, protection, participation and/or relief and recovery as part of the peace and security activities.

Additionally the book aims to send a message of encouragement to women across our continent and in the rest of the world, by reflecting the exceptional stories and contributions of the women to peace and security on the continent and serve as a learning experience and motivation to other women, especially young women involved in mediation, peacebuilding and peacekeeping activities. The commemorative book will be launched at the margins of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of State and Government of the African Union (AU Summit), scheduled for February 2020 at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This will also align with the launch of the African Union theme of the year 2020 on Silencing the Guns by 2020.

The African Union – United Nations collaboration envisaged in this initiative reflects a greater partnership between the two Organizations, marked by the signing of the UN-AU Joint Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security in April 2017, by H.E. Moussa Faki Mahammat, AU Commission Chairperson and H.E. Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General.

In the year 2000, the UN Security Council adopted its landmark Resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security. The Resolution observed that conflict affects women differently and underscored the importance for peace processes to be inclusive and address the needs, views and ensure the participation of women in order to achieve positive outcomes and a lasting peace dividend.

The nominations will close on the 12th of August 2019. To apply, visit African women contributions to the peace and security agenda and visit commemorative book on UNSCR 1325 .