In its continued efforts towards the realization of the goals outlined in the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, UNITAR has joined forces with The Office of the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security (OSE) through the secondment of a Gender Monitoring Specialist. With the gracious support of the US government through USAID, beginning in June 2021 the Specialist has been leading the OSE’s support to Member States, Regional Economic Communities, and civil society actors to accelerate the delivery of the WPS Agenda, ensuring states are accountable and committed to the WPS Agenda and that the role and leadership of women in peace processes is strengthened on the African continent. Through this partnership, UNITAR and the OSE are supporting a diverse range of actors to make National Action Plans more tangible, moving from frameworks to action by supporting the rollout of the Continental Results Framework (CRF) for monitoring and reporting on the WPS Agenda in Africa.

Significant progress has already been made as the OSE has conducted Member State consultations in Sierra Leone, The Central African Republic, and South Sudan. During these missions, the OSE team met with a variety of important actors including national ministries and civil society organizations, to help them understand the Continental Results Framework as well as the important role they play in delivering on the WPS Agenda. In the coming months UNITAR and the OSE will further collaborate, seeking to provide dedicated support to AU Member States. UNITAR will leverage its position as an internationally recognized leader in tailored capacity building and work hand in hand with the OSE in the development of training materials on the CRF. Together, UNITAR and the OSE are supporting and encouraging the voices of women at all levels and stages of peace processes on the African continent by providing institutions and individuals with the tools to effectively implement, monitor, and report on the WPS agenda.