Women say Darfur peace won't work without them
Blogged by: Megan Rowling
The Darfur peace talks in Libya may have got off to a disappointing start with a boycott by key rebel factions. But activist Safaa Elagib Adam made sure she was there to push for better representation for women from the outset.
As a veteran of the last round of talks in Abuja, the secretary general and gender adviser of the Khartoum-based Community Development Association knows she faces an uphill struggle. She was one of only four women representing civil society last weekend in Libya, and says there were no women on either the government or the rebel delegations.
Nonetheless, Elagib Adam and her colleagues were able to communicate the importance of women's participation in a speech to delegates, as well as at meetings with the government, rebels and international mediators. "We are legitimate, we are now part of the process, and we will keep the connection going," she told me in a phone interview from Khartoum.
The women received a positive response, although they don't yet know what role they'll be offered at the talks going forward.
One thing they are sure about, though, is that the peace process won't work without them.
"Women are not just victims," says Elagib Adam. "They must have a voice at all levels. We need to include women to reach a sustainable peace." She stresses that women should be part of each negotiating delegation as well as civil society representatives at the talks.
A wish list drawn up at a September consultation on the Darfur peace process bringing together 10 or so women's groups from across the political spectrum states that women should make up at least 30 percent of participants in all negotiations.
Carla Koppell, director of the U.S.-based Initiative for Inclusive Security which organised the consultation, says Darfuri women have been marginalised in the peace process so far. "Even those who have made it into the room don't really feel like they have a voice. And they see a difference in how they would have raised the issues. For example, they would like to have seen security addressed earlier."
The urgency of getting their concerns onto the agenda means they're willing to adopt a pragmatic approach and bury their political differences on certain issues, Koppell says.
The ill-fated Darfur Peace Agreement, which only one rebel group signed in May 2006, hasn't been worth the paper it's written on as far as women are concerned. "We don't see any benefit. The situation is escalating on the ground; there is more violence and more tribal conflict," says Elagib Adam.
She outlines Darfuri women's priorities for any new agreement: the establishment of peace and security through a ceasefire; better protection on the ground for women, who have suffered high levels of sexual violence; affirmative action, including more participation for women at every stage; a reparation fund earmarked for women; guarantees of land and property rights for women; and an equal share of reconstruction benefits.
The activist, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, says even when men do address issues that are important to women, they often see things differently. "For them, security is about moving forces from place to place, but for a woman farmer, that's not her business. She wants to be able to go to the market or her land in safety. We need to create space for women in which they are not subjected to violence."
If that's to happen, then any new deal must be structured so that it translates into real change on the ground. Elagib Adam proposes targets for women's participation and compensation and clear mechanisms for implementation.
In the meantime, she and other civil society representatives believe they could play a role in helping unite the fragmented groups.
Koppell recalls with a chuckle how frustrated women's groups at Liberia's peace talks ended up locking negotiators in a room - without which the vice president later conceded the negotiations wouldn't have concluded so efficiently.
While such tactics may be a last resort, Koppell believes Darfur's trouble-fraught talks could certainly benefit from more creative thinking. "It may well be time to look to those who aren't armed but who have the largest stake in the peace process, and give them more influence," she says.
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2 responses to “Women say Darfur peace won't work without them”
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06 Nov 2007 10:02:31 GMT
This post offers valuable insight to a struggle within a larger conflict. Women are a marginalized group who are not usually counted as necessary representatives in the peace process of Darfur. The focus is mainly on rebels and the government, but as you point out, it is very important to also look at âthose who arenât armed,â yet are still just as affected by the situation, if not even more.
My only concern lies in how the numbers of women representatives can be raised, which I agree is a vital task. The fact that women are so ignored within the system may discourage them from attempting to be heard, because they feel as though their efforts will be futile. As you point out, ââeven those who have made it into the room donât really feel like they have a voice,ââ so, tragically, what is the point of getting in on negotiations if they arenât even taken seriously? How do we break this cycle? I do believe, however, that the international community and negotiators could learn a lot from the actions of these womenâs groups. The fact that they are able to âadopt a pragmatic approach and bury their political differencesâ in order to achieve their common goal is remarkable. If the international community realized that the bottom line is ensuring genocide in Darfur is ended, and countries were able to put their own agendas aside in favor of a larger, humanitarian agenda, then we might have much more progression in saving thousands of lives in Darfur.15 Nov 2007 16:33:28 GMT
I admire our sister. Safa Alagib work with our Darfuri women groups and her breavery lead to the peace negociations from in side the country. I think it is time for us the Dafrurian women from the Diaspora to step ud, unite with our sisters have our agenda put together and get to the negociations table. I think it is time for us specially the Darfurian women to to raise our voice and have our needs and rights considered now. I think this is the right time for us the women to be considered as equal "partners with equal share" and represent our self and not on behalf of. I think it is fair for us and we "the Darfurian women" have very qualified women that can exeeds the 50% of the representations in any decision making arena. I think on the grass roots level we have the majority being in the camps more that 75% or our other comunities.
I here by recall the internationl community to support the Darfurian women in side the country and in the Diaspora to reach the negociations table and speak for themselves.I ask the Women's Initiative group in specific who is always in support to the Sudanese women to assist us in the Diaspora as well to get into the up coming peace negociations tables.