Namibia to Host Women, Peace and Security Meeting

THE deputy prime minister and minister of international relations, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, today said Namibia was set to host an international meeting focusing on women, peace and security.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday and Thursday next week at the Namibian Institute of Public Administration And Management (Nipam).

“The choice of theme was informed by various factors, among them were our liberation struggle history and the active role played by Namibian women and secondly, the projection of women in conflict situations as mere factors,” she said.

This will be the third meeting of the focal point on United Nations Security Council resolution 1325. The first two were held in Alicante, Spain, and Berlin, Germany.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said as part of the country’s obligation to organise an open meeting of all UN member states to discuss an issue relevant to the maintenance of international peace and security, the country chose to organise the meeting on women, peace and security.

She added that this would be the first time the meeting would convene in Africa, with an expected participation from over 150 member states.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on 31 October 2000.

The resolution acknowledges the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women and girls.

It calls for the adoption of a gender perspective to consider the special needs of women and girls during conflict, repatriation and resettlement, rehabilitation, reintegration and post-conflict reconstruction.

Source – AllAfrica