The situation of armed conflict and insurgency that the Central African Republic has experienced over the past two decades and which has resulted in widespread insecurity throughout the country since the Séléka coalition took power on March 24, 2013, has had dramatic consequences for the population. Women and children are the most vulnerable groups during these military-political crises. Particular attention should be paid to the specific needs of women to strengthen their role in the peace process, national reconciliation, and the economic recovery of the country.

Mandate

The mandate of the Gender Section is defined by UN Security Council Resolution 2552, which in paragraph 44 calls on MINUSCA to "take full account of gender issues in all aspects of its mandate and to assist the authorities of the Central African Republic to ensure the full, equal and effective participation, contribution and representation of women, including survivors of sexual violence, in all areas and at all levels, including in the political and reconciliation process and in the implementation of the Peace Agreement, stabilization activities, transitional justice, the work of the Special Criminal Court and the Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission, security sector reform and disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation activities, and preparations for the 2020 and 2021 elections, including through the provision of gender advisors ».

Section Priorities

At the internal level (within MINUSCA) :

• Provide technical support and guidance to senior management on gender mainstreaming within the Mission ; 
• Ensure that the gender dimension is taken into account in the activities of the Mission's components and sections ;
• Develop the capacity of mission staff on gender issues.
• Provide technical support for the effective implementation of the Secretary General's Gender Strategy within the Mission ;

At the external level (in collaboration with government institutions, civil society organizations, and other technical and financial partners) :

• Improve the knowledge of policymakers, development partners, and communities on Resolution 1325 and other international, regional, and national legal instruments related to women's rights.
• Support strategies and mechanisms for violence prevention and conflict management in the context of promoting local governance.
• Increase the participation and representation of women and youth in the peace and electoral process.
• Increase women's participation in the management of national political life (access to decision-making bodies).
• Promote gender mainstreaming in DDR and SSR programs

 Major Section Accomplishments:

Internally (Support for gender mainstreaming within the Mission)

• Development, validation, and dissemination of the Mission's Gender Strategy 2019-2022
• Establishment of a mechanism for the implementation of the Strategy with the designation and capacity building of Gender Focal Points in the different components and sections of the Mission ;
• Operationalization of the monitoring and evaluation mechanism of the progress made in the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security mandate with the quarterly production of data on the 15 main indicators adopted by the DPO for the Peace Missions in the field ;
• Outreach of the Department of Peace Operations information package on Gender Equality and Women, Peace, and Security in the Mission ;

Outside the Mission

• Mobilization and coaching of Central African women leaders for strong advocacy at a high level in favor of women's participation in the AU peace process, resulting in the representation of women in the delegation for the Khartoum talks between the Government and the armed groups (8 women out of 78 delegation members and, historically, 1 woman signatory of the February 6, 2019, Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation);
• Capacity building, mobilization, and involvement of Central African women leaders who are members of the AWLN network in the APPR extension campaign in the 16 prefectures of the country.
• Mobilization and coaching of Central African women leaders for strong and high-level advocacy in favor of women's representation in the APPR implementation and monitoring mechanisms (23% of women are members of the various instruments provided for in the Agreement);
• Realization of the study on the Analysis of the African Union peace process from a gender perspective, a joint United Nations, European Union, and African Union project;
• Support to the advocacy for the adoption of the new Electoral Code in favor of gender equality in partnership with UNDP and the Electoral Unit of the Mission ;
• Mobilization and coaching of women leaders for strong and high-level advocacy for women's participation in the electoral process on the occasion of the Open Day celebration on resolution 1325 (December 2019). Commitments were made by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and the Representative of the European Union to ensure the security of the electoral process and support initiatives to promote the effective participation of women in the 2020-2021 elections.
• Development and implementation of a Communication Plan for the promotion of women's participation in the 2020-2021 presidential and legislative elections as voters and candidates in partnership with SCPI ;
• Advocacy for the inclusion of women's specific protection needs in the Integrated Election Security Plan ;
• Implementation of a joint project of a women's watch box for the monitoring of elections and violence against women during elections in partnership with UN Women and UNDP ;
• Support for the implementation of a mask and handmade soap project initiated by the Women Leaders Network (AWLN) as part of strengthening the role of women in the prevention of COVID-19 and their resilience to the consequences of the pandemic;
• Publication of a particular Women, Peace, and Security Magazine with the support of SCPI in March 2021.