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UNSCR 1325 and African Women in Conflict and Peace

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The Palgrave Handbook of African Women's Studies

Abstract

The adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) in October 2000 attracted widespread commendation from African women groups and civil society organizations as the first international framework recognizing the interlinkage between women, peace, and security and a major milestone in global efforts to achieving gender equality and better status for women globally. UNSCR 1325 is important to Africa in particular considering the prevalence of violence, conflict, and wars on the continent and its dire consequences for women, men, girls, and boys. Women and girls in Africa suffer from widespread atrocities, discrimination, and violence including sexual violence, rape, and mutilation, to mention a few. Nevertheless, African governments, the African Union, and Regional Economic Communities have put in some effort to achieve the goals of the resolution and have integrated the principles and provisions of the resolutions into their legal and policy framework and structures at the national, regional, and continental levels including the adoption of national and regional action plans for implementing UNSCR 1325. However, several years after the adoption of the resolution, the goals of the resolution cannot be said to have been effectively achieved in Africa as women and girls still experience widespread violence, discrimination, and inequality. Using a desk review of literature, the paper examines the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in Africa, with a view to highlighting its impact, successes, limitations, and challenges on the continent.

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Correspondence to Omotola Adeyoju Ilesanmi .

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Ilesanmi, O.A. (2020). UNSCR 1325 and African Women in Conflict and Peace. In: Yacob-Haliso, O., Falola, T. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of African Women's Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77030-7_94-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77030-7_94-1

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