Nearly 70 delegates from 16 countries across West Africa and the Sahel have gathered in Praia, Cabo Verde, for the annual meeting of the Working Group on Women, Youth, Peace and Security (WGWYPS-WAS).
The five-day meeting aims to assess regional progress and establish strategic priorities for the coming years. The gathering, co-organized by the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), UN Women, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is focused on the theme: “25 Years of Implementation of Resolution 1325 (2000): Perspectives of Women and Youth.”
During the meeting, participants undertook several critical tasks: Review and Validation: Assessing national and regional progress reports on the peace and security agendas. Planning: Finalizing work plans for 2026. Strategic Direction: Adopting the comprehensive 2026-2030 Strategic Plan for the region. Solidarity Missions: Identifying specific target countries for future advocacy and solidarity missions.
A central goal of the WGWYPS-WAS is to strengthen the participation of women and youth in peace processes, guarantee gender equality, and contribute to a more stable and inclusive West Africa and Sahel.
Discussions highlighted several persistent challenges hindering the full realization of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas. Key concerns include limited funding, fragmented regional efforts, and the need for greater state ownership of National Action Plans.
The meeting also featured a capacity-building session on the Continental Results Framework (CRF) and a field visit to showcase innovative, locally driven initiatives promoting social cohesion and peace within Cabo Verde. Participants unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to advancing these agendas to foster sustainable peace in the region.
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