REGIONAL IMPACT

AWCPD - AUWC

FAS played an important role in the creation of the African Women Committee on Peace and Development (AWCPD) in the African Union, which will become later on the African Union Women's Committee (AUWC).

Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa

FAS went on to organize an advocacy campaign within the AWCPD that led to the adoption of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the inclusion of a gender parity requirement in the statutes of the African Union (AU).

Election of AU Women Commissioners - Parity Principle

The gender parity requirement, which is the first of its kind in a continent-wide body anywhere in the world, was fulfilled by the AU in July 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique with the election of five AU women commissioners out of ten. 

Adoption of SDGEA

Thanks to its gender equality programme in the AU, FAS also contributed to the adoption of the AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA) on 8 July 2004.

Gender is my Agenda Campaign

FAS was selected, by the civil society and the AU, as the Coordinator for the Gender is my Agenda Campaign.  FAS is in charge of tracking the integration of a gender-sensitive post-conflict framework into the programmes of New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Monitoring & Implementation of the SDGEA

Since the launch of the Gender is my Agenda Campaign, African Union Pre-Summit Women's Consultative Meetings facilitated by FAS, have allowed the women's movement to progress significantly on the monitoring and the implementation of the SDGEA, adopting new relevant lobbying instruments for submission to the AU summit such as Civil Society Shadow Reports.

Opening of Regional Office in Dakar

FAS' Regional Office in Dakar, Senegal was established in May 2003 and operational by March 2005. Following the signing of an agreement with the Government of Senegal providing it with its premises, the Dakar Office has been able to strengthen its institutional support including assuming an increasing amount of operational activities transferred from the Secretariat.

Establishment and Courses of the Pan-African Centre for Gender, Peace and Development Dakar, Senegal

In addition, FAS Dakar team established and launched the PanAfrican Centre for Gender, Peace and Development in 2004 in Dakar, Senegal. This project responds to the urgent need for a localised gender training facility in Africa. The Centre prepares African women to take on leadership roles at the national, sub-regional, regional, continental and international levels so that they become full and equal participants in decision making processes.  The laying of the Centre's foundational stone took place on the occasion of the first African Gender Forum in May 2005, and already two courses were held in collaboration with the University of Peace (UPEACE, Costa Rica) respectively on "Gender and Peacebuilding" and "Gender and Conflict: Human Rights and Transitional Justice". In 2007, several women from Sudan were trained to strengthen their capacity in participating in the peace process in their country.

Study on the Women's Peace Movement in Africa

After working for ten years to advance the women's peace movement in Africa, FAS has launched "The Women's Peace Movement in Africa: A study on 10 years of practice towards peace and security-building" that assesses the impact of its work within the movement. The findings of the study were launched at the Conference on Gender, Peace and Security in Africa: Capitalizing on 10 years of women's experience organized by FAS in Bamako, June 2006. The event was attended by women's organizations from all over Africa, by H.E. Amadou Toumani Touré, H.E. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Hon. Nkosazana Dalamini Zuma and Hon. Elisabeth Rehn.

Creation and Organization of the African Gender Forum & Award (AGFA)

In 2005, FAS and its Pan-African Centre for Gender, Peace and Development (Dakar, Senegal) organized the first edition of the African Gender Forum and Awardplatform for the exchange of ideas and experiences between women from Africa and other regions of the world, and also propose strategies and measures for maximizing the effective implementation of women's instruments including the SDGEA. On the other hand, the African Gender Award seeks to celebrate African leaders or government representatives, who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in gender mainstreaming and social and cultural impediments to women's advancement.

Award to President Wade of  Senegal, President Mbeki of South Africa and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda

While the first Forum brought together African and Arab actors to discuss issues of gender, politics, economics and culture, the second edition (2007) featured on "African Women for Africa's Development: Building partnerships with the Diaspora".
The 1st Edition of the Gender Award granted President Wade of Senegal and President Mbeki of South Africa in celebration of their work towards gender equality and mainstreaming in the African Union (AU).
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda received the 2007 African Gender Award for his exceptional achievements in integrating women into Rwanda's policy making institutions.

 

SUB-REGIONAL IMPACT

 

INTERNATIONAL IMPACT