2.3. Challenges and Gaps 3. NORTH AFRICA ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 228

Kenya has appointed 33% women as lead mediators and 25% in negotiating teams, the highest figures in the sub-Saharan Africa, attesting to the country’s progressive commitment to including women in the peacekeeping process.1752

2.3. Challenges and Gaps

Rwanda’s NAP identifies certain challenges. For example, despite women having increased access to more positions of power, they are often restricted to “soft,” positions such as dealing with social affairs, rather than economic or financial matters.1753 Despite Sudan’s progress on female negotiators, this was limited to one track, with another being all male.1754 In 2019, only 184 peacekeepers deployed were women, out of over 2,300.1755

Somalia is still going through a conflict, mainly with Al-Shabab, which has put a massive strain on the nation.1756 The constant and ongoing conflict has made sexual violence within these conflicts a serious concern, especially for refugees and IDPs, especially as the offenders include government parties, militias, peacekeepers and Al-Shabab.1757 The perpetrators are those who are in the role of protection and prevention, further complicating the problem. Sexual violence remains a problem in South Sudan, even though the cessation agreement between South Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement “prohibited sexual violence.”1758 Armed clashes have led to a spike in violence and rape of girls and women,1759 and has limited victims’ access to help and aid. Furthermore, finance remains a difficulty, as the Government of South Sudan does not grant funds to women’s organisations.1760

While Seychelles has its National Gender Plan of Action 2019–2023, focused on VAW and peace and security, the funding for this has not yet been confirmed or allocated.1761 Once the Plan is funded, only then will it be possible to evaluate how all the priorities will be implemented.

Earlier in the decade, Somalia’s government signed a joint communiqué with the UN regarding sexual violence in conflict, although no specific actions or strategies have yet been developed.1762 The pandemic has delayed – and may continue to delay – justice in cases of sexual violence. There have been no convictions for sexual crimes since April, owing to the closure of the courts.1763 In March 2020, Sudan signed a Framework of Cooperation with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, which aimed to support national policies, legislation and programmes on prevention and response to strengthen protection; access to medical, psychosocial, legal and socioeconomic services; collaboration on the national health, justice/legal and security systems; training and capacity-building on documentation, investigations and prosecutions; protection of victims and witnesses; and reparations for victims. It also called for engagement with tribal and religious leaders and civil society, including women- and youth-led organisations to prevent and report sexual violence and develop evidence-based advocacy to raise awareness.1764 Progress in implementation has been slow.

A lack of data from many countries on women’s participation in the prevention and resolution of conflict further impedes any efforts to remedy or evaluate the situation. For instance, Mauritius does not have a record of the number of women living under any conditions of violence or conflict – that is, in armed and other conflicts or foreign occupation – including refugee women or displaced women in need of international protection.1765