28.08.2019 (Entebbe, Uganda): The IGAD Security Sector Program (IGAD SSP) have today concluded a 3-day training conducted to contribute and enhance institutional capacities of IGAD member states in incorporating gender perspectives and women empowerment in security sector development with targeted post-conflict countries, leveraging on the strengths and opportunities in order to improve good governance and civilian oversight.
In attendance were key and relevant institutions from IGAD member states bringing together policy/decision makers and practitioners among them being from Judiciary, the criminal justice sector, Ministries of Internal Affairs, Defense and Gender/Women’s Affairs, Police, Judiciary, and Attorney General Office.
The training was officially opened by the IGAD SSP Director Commander Abebe Muluneh who highlighted that, the IGAD region security landscape faces a number of emerging, evolving and existing common transnational security threats ranging from terrorism, transnational organized crimes to maritime insecurity in addition to the armed conflicts.
“These critical emerging security threats and challenges require security sector development and furthermore, require women empowerment and gender equality to be effectively tackled” Commander Abebe went on to emphasize.
IGAD SSP promotes and strengthens regional and national capacities for Member States to better predict, prevent and counter Transnational Security Threats (TSTs) in order to contribute to regional peace and stability, and foster enabling environment for regional integration and development of the sub-region which is in line with the Security Sector Reform (SSR) advocating for the transformation of the security sector/system and to include all the actors, their roles, responsibilities and actions. In addition, IGAD SSP strives to support Member States’ security institutions in their provision of security effectively and efficiently; with more emphasis on the key concepts of human security, gender equality and respect of Rule of Law.
The training was conducted through the support from the European Union Trust Fund (EUTF) through the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) under the IPPSHAR Programme and was conducted by experts from the region and Geneva Centre for Security Governance (DCAF) who shared their wide experiences on SSR and women empowerment.
Background
- IGAD stresses the importance of women empowerment, equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, addressing essential protection needs and incorporating a gender perspective in relief and recovery programs in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security as a fundamental milestone reaffirming the important role women play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peacemaking, and humanitarian responses, also in line with AU Security Sector Reform (SSR) Policy Framework among others.
- IGAD adopted a Regional Action Plan for implementation of Women, Peace and Security Resolutions in 2013 as a measure to promote implementation of UNSCR 1325 in the region and to be in line with the IGAD Gender Policy Framework and IGAD Peace and Security Strategy 2016-2020 as well as the IGAD Security Sector Program (IGAD SSP) which document normative frameworks on women empowerment at international, continental, regional and national levels in mainstreaming a gender perspective in all programs, projects and initiatives.
