Burundi
Consensus reached on women's centrality to a new Burundi

afrol.com, 17 August - In a historic move, all 19 negotiating parties agree to include gender equality recommendations in Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi. Equality for women in Burundi is closer to becoming a reality. In an historic move, sources close to the negotiations have said that the majority of proposals crafted by Burundian women at a recent conference held in Arusha from 17 - 20 July were accepted by the nineteen parties. The proposals were submitted at a meeting with former South African President, Nelson Mandela, who is the facilitator for the Burundi peace negotiations. 

The recommendations were made at the four-day All Party Burundi Women's Peace Conference, organized by UNIFEM and the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, held parallel to the official peace talks. The Burundi women participants represented the 19 negotiating parties, observers, refugees, internally displaced people and the Diaspora. 

"The inclusion of women's proposals in the Arusha accord make the peace agreement one of the strongest in recognizing the centrality of women's rights and opportunities to democracy, governance, peace security, and reconstruction," said Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of UNIFEM, "it is a model for peace efforts worldwide." After four years of intense negotiations, hopes are high that the peace accord will be signed on 28 August in Arusha where it is expected that up to 30 heads of state and government will attend. In his role as facilitator for the peace talks, Mandela invited women to nominate a representative to sign the peace accord. 

Some of the key recommendations made by the women included: the establishment of mechanisms to punish and put an end to war crimes such as rape and sexual violence; guarantees for women's rights to property, land and inheritance; measures to ensure women's security and safe return; and guarantees that girls have the same rights as boys to all levels of education. 

The key proposal on which negotiators could not reach agreement, but recognized its importance and significance and postponed for future discussions, is the proposed 30% representation of women in all decision-making during and after the transition. "Our goal is equality, but we ask for a 30% quota in the legislature, judiciary and executive branches of government and in all bodies created by the peace accord," stated the women in their declaration to former President Mandela. 

At the final stages of reaching agreement on the Peace Accords, the opportunities for women to play crucial roles in its implementation expanded considerably by the agreement in principle of the women's proposals in the draft agreement. Former President Mandela has noted that, "the inclusion of the women's proposals demonstrates how the parties can work together around areas of concern for the entire country. It signals a huge step forward for making peace a reality in Burundi." 

Graca Machel, an active champion of women's roles in peace-building worldwide and the wife of Mandela, applauded this historic act by the negotiating parties. "The negotiators of peace in Burundi are showing the world that, even in the midst of heated debates, consensus on creating opportunities for women to assume their rightful roles as shapers and beneficiaries of a new society can be an area of universal agreement."

Source: UNIFEM

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