Gender peace Network Internationalb is a Women, Children and Youth Empowerment and Community Development organization with Headquarters in Liberia, West Africa. Gender Peace Network Liberia (GP-Net) was formally established in November 2010
The organization comprised of former volunteers from the Liberia Volunteers for Peace Programme and National Youth Volunteers service programme founded by UND
P Peace building fund in 2009-2010 and implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports The VPP/NYVS/UNDP program came in after 14 years of civil conflicts in Liberia which killed thousands of people and displaced million in exile, the conflicts came to an end in 2003 after a comprehensive peace accord in Ghana. Liberia is now in a post conflicts stage and needs basic peace building, youth and women empowerment programmes to promote peace and reconciliation in the country. The Government of Liberia (GoL) and the United Nations (UN) in Liberia recognized that a focus on peace building is a cornerstone of national development and crucial for ensuring that the nation never returns to war. While it is clear that an overall state of security has been maintained in Liberia since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in August 2003, as in any post-conflict country, challenges remain that requires attention to ensure there is no relapse to violent conflict. Liberia’s history of conflict largely defines the challenges faced today by Government, citizens and development partners for recovery and sustainable development. A wide range of GoL and UN publications identify the following seven interrelated ‘conflict factors’:
1. Poor leadership and the misuse of power (both central and local levels). The failure of previous leaders to create inclusive, transparent, accountable governance, political mobilization along ethnic lines, and the absence of trust of leadership.
2. Weak justice systems: Constraints on the formal justice system with a lack of infrastructure, materials and an acute shortage of qualified personnel and general capacity; undue delay or no prosecution of matters and a need to regulate traditional dispute resolution mechanisms; especially those involving gross violations of human rights.
3. Lack of shared vision: Social and economic inequality between identity groups, competition over resources, exclusion and deep-rooted hostilities – aggravated by contradictory customary, statutory and historical claims to land ownership.
4. Poverty and food insecurity: Both drivers and consequences of conflict, this factor is aggravated by disruption to agriculture and livelihoods during the war, resulting in children being exposed to abuse to support family food needs and a reduced education.
5. Mismanagement of natural resources: The illegal exploitation of natural resources, coupled with the lack of real dividends for communities, has been at the heart of conflict in Liberia. This requires transparent resource management founded in sound environmental management practice and good governance. Land is also considered a natural resource and disputes over it are wide-ranging.
6. Pressure on reintegration / Lack of absorption capacity in areas of return: With limited infrastructure, services and job opportunities, the return of the displaced adds pressure and exacerbates tensions. Gender Based Violence (GBV) is increasing, as is a perceived threat to the physical security of adolescents - particularly girls.
7. The regional dimension: Instability in neighbouring countries that exacerbated and facilitated conflict within Liberia’s borders in the past, and current unaddressed political issues in Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire remain a source of concern. Ethnic group contiguity across national boundaries, poor to non-existent border security, and the movement of displaced populations in and out of bordering countries may also pose risks. Similar conflict issues or factors appear in Liberia’s draft PRS and other documents - identifying the same issues, sometimes articulated slightly differently. In examining such factors and developing strategies to address them, special attention must be paid to youth and the gender dimension. The war exacerbated gender inequality in Liberia; a significant number of women and girls suffered various types of violence, including s*xual abuse and gender-based violence. Mainstreaming gender issues into national policies and frameworks, and into the high-impact interventions proposed under this Plan, is essential to achieving equal participation and full involvement of women in the maintenance and promotion of peace in Liberia.
“[United Nations Security Council resolution 1325] recognizes that an understanding of the impact of armed conflict on women and girls and effective institutional arrangements to guarantee for their protection and full participation in the peace process can significantly contribute to the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security.” Resolution 1325, October 2000
“To build on UNSCR 1325 and, through collective action, promote, facilitate and monitor the meaningful inclusion of gender perspectives in all aspects of Liberia policy and practice on peace and security”. We achieve this through collaborative research and advocacy around key policy instruments such as UN Security Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. We also work to bridge the gap between the realities of women (activists and non-activists) at the local level in (post) conflict affected country like Liberia and work with Government decision makers and practitioners to working on peace and security. OUR MEMBERS
Our members are experts in the fields of gender, peace building, humanitarian; development and human rights issues and we act as a resource and provide support to policymakers and practitioners engaged in promoting peace and security within Liberia. The structure of GP-Net comprises the following: Board of Directors, Secretariat and the Community group
Our Works
Gender Peace Network Liberia is an expert working group of peace and development NGOs, academics and grassroots peace builders. Building on UNSCR 1325, GP-Net promotes, facilitates and monitors the meaningful inclusion of gender perspective and practice on peace and security. GP-Net is currently running the following pogrammes: Creating awareness on girls’ education, gender equality, equity, Life skills training, peace building/ domestic and community conflicts resolutions and micro enterprise and Land disputes. Taking a gender, development and human rights perspective:
We take a gender perspective when working on peace and security issues and consider that gender relations and gendered identities impact on the processes of prevention and resolution of conflict, peace building and reconstruction after violent conflict. Empowering women through agricultural production and micro loan. Using a gender perspective is a strategy for making women's, as well as men's, concerns and experiences integral to the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres, so that women and men benefit equally. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality and sustainable peace. Whilst carrying out our work in the area of peace and security, we are guided by the following international human rights conventions:
• UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security (2000)
• UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979)
• The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
• Constitution of Liberia (1986)
• Freedom of information Act (FOI)
• etc
We see the shift in policy discussion from national security to human security as a progressive step towards placing individuals at the centre of national, regional and international security agendas. We inform our advocacy and awareness raising activities by carrying out research on gender, peace and security realities in:
Grand Gedeh County: Liberia/ West Africa
We are currently carrying out awareness and trainings on the new approved Land policy and good governance practices, peace building & conflict management in Gbarzon and Tchien Districts (Grand Gedeh County). These programs will form the basis of shadow updates that will monitor the new Land Policy to minimize land conflicts and promote good governance and sustain the peace in the local communities. Our members are active and have partners and programmes in the county:
OUR PARTNERS ARE:
Liberia Democracy Watch ( LDW)
Found for Peace in Washington DC USA
We also work with the following:
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Ministry of Internal affairs
etc
THE MISSION STATEMENT:
Gender Peace Network Liberia works for a just society, where all human beings should be treated equally, irrespective of s*x, color, ethnic and geographical backgrounds. Provide awareness and sensitization on gender related issues for equality, justice peace and human rights. Our Program strategies/Objectives
1. Civic Education: This section includes groups and projects that provide training and education to young leaders and other youth on democratic principles and practices, such as pluralism, local governance, transparency, and tolerance. Those projects also offer youth the skills for conflict resolution, problem solving, and constructive dialogue to bring an effective change in the social and political lives of their country.
2. Elections and Voter Education: Groups and projects in this section encourage youth participation in elections, educate youth on elections, electoral systems, and the importance of voting, as well as study the factors that influence youth's voting behavior.
3. Human Rights: This section focuses on youth groups that work to promote political, social, and environmental rights of all citizens within their societies and globally. These groups also educate youth on how they can defend and exercise their rights.
4. Mobilization and Empowerment: Groups and projects in this section promote a culture of democracy by mobilizing and empowering youth to become active citizens, to engage in various campaigns, self-governance structures within their schools, universities, and societies, to think critically about issues affecting their society, and to galvanize reforms in their regions.
5. Youth in Policy making: This section focuses on groups and projects that promote youth involvement in policy making and strive to ensure that youth voices are heard and incorporated into government' policies. this also help to empower youths learn basic life skills.
6. Women’ participation in politics: Women's participation and representation in the political realm and the overall topic of gender equality are vital components to the consolidation of a democracy. A number of groups conduct training and advocacy programs to enhance women's participation, implement projects to empower and mobilize women, and educate women and men on the overall importance of women's issues in politics
7. Peace Building & Democracy: Women's participation and representation in the political realm and the overall topic of gender equality are vital components to the consolidation of a democracy. A number of groups conduct training and advocacy programs to enhance women's participation, implement projects to empower and mobilize women, and educate women and men on the overall importance of women's issues in politics and address burning issues. We also create awareness, campaigns and trainings on peace building and conflict management to promote community relation and peaceful co-existence.
8. Gender Equality, equity, and Awareness on HIV/AIDS: Women and girls should be aware of gender equality issues to promote social cohesion between then and men. It is also necessary to promote the prevention of HIV/AIDS or raise awareness on the referral of positive patients to take advantage of the ARV drugs. Women involvement in this play a pivotal role to reduce diseases in the society
