Women should be represented at talks between DRC and M23 rebels

When infrastructure breaks down during the war, women do not only bear the brunt to continue caring for the wounded but they can also be forced into sexual exploitation and prostitution to make ends meet.

Peace talks between the government of DRC and the M23 rebels started in Kampala on December 9, a day before the end of 16 days of activism against sexual violence. This, however, does not mean an end to the struggles for women rights. It only renews the energy and sharpens the alertness of every human being to see every socio-economic and political process through the lenses of women issues.

This is why it is important to ask at this very early stage: to what extent are women issues part of the agenda in the DRC and M23 rebels talks and if any, who is articulating them so that they form part of the agreement to be signed later? These questions do not only arise out of the moral imperative but as part of obligations that state parties have to fulfil as per regional and human rights instruments.

It is a truism that women remain a minority of combatants and perpetrators of war, but they increasingly suffer greatest harm during conflict. Research has shown that contemporary warfare leaves 90 per cent of civilian causalities most of whom are women and children and women in war-torn areas can face specific and devastating forms of sexual violence, which are sometimes deployed systematically to achieve military or political objectives. In the case of eastern DRC, there has been for long all sorts of accusations of rape, sexual violence and other crimes committed with impunity that would require that the victims or their representatives have their say towards a solution to this crisis.

When infrastructure breaks down during the war, women do not only bear the brunt to continue caring for the wounded but they can also be forced to sexual exploitation and prostitution in order to make ends meet for their families , unwanted pregnancies notwithstanding. For this reason alone, it is only fair and democratic that women be involved in peace talks as a step towards finding a lasting solution to conflict in eastern DRC.

To translate this moral imperative into a legal obligation, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a Resolution on Women , Peace and Security in 2000, popularly known as the UNSC Resolution 1325, where member states are urged to increase women’s representation at all decision-making levels for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict. The Council also called on all actors involved in negotiating and implementing peace agreements to adopt a gender perspective.

It also requires all parties to armed conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender based violence and all forms of violence that occur during armed conflicts. These obligations are further strengthened in subsequent UN, AU and ICGLR instruments, including UN Security Council resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 and 1889 (2009), the ICGLR Pact on Security Stability and Development (2006), the ICGLR Protocol on prevention of sexual violence against women and children (2006), the ICGLR Goma Declaration (2008), to mention but a few.

This is the reason why though dismally involved , according to the UN, women have participated in peace talks in Burundi (2000) Arusha Peace Talks (2 per cent); DRC (2003) Sun City Agreement (12 per cent); Sudan (2005) Naivasha CPA agreement (9 per cent); Durfur (2006)-Abujas (7 per cent); DRC (2008)-Goma North Kivu Acte De Engagement (20 per cent); DRC (2008) Goma -South Kivu (20 per cent), Uganda (2008) Juba peace Talks (20 per cent) and Kenya (2008) On Principles of partnership of the Coalition Government (25 per cent).

The percentages of women involvement in peace negotiations remain miserably low in the region as compared to the case of, for example, Philippines in 2011 during the Oslo Joint statement between the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of Philippines where there were 35 per cent women in the negotiating team and 33 per cent women signatories.

The ICGLR member states have a moral and legal obligation to raise the profile of women in the negotiations in order for the agreement to benefit from the gender-related language and input where the voices and interests of the vulnerable are heard. It is recommended that the DRC and the rebel M23 should consider women representation in their delegations.

In addition, ICGLR member states and partners should combine resources to develop the capacity of women in the negotiation process. This is necessary for sustainable peace and security in the eastern DRC.

Mr Byamukama is a Programme officer, Cross cutting issues, ICGLR Secretariat Bujumbura, Burundi.