Darfur women demand more power

The Darfur Women Forum demands security and peace, protection of (displaced) people, restructuring of the security system and weapons to be collected as top priorities in North Darfur.

The forum was organised by the joint UN-AU peacekeeping force (Unamid) in El Fasher, North Darfur, on Saturday. It called for empowerment of women, compensation, and women participation in the peace process.

At state and federal structures women must have a share of no less than 50 per cent, the forum concluded. It also demanded the establishment of a Commission on gender equality and empowerment of women, which should have a women representation of at least 70 per cent.

On the topic of justice, reconciliation, compensation and reparations, the women recommended that all perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur be held accountable. Land must be returned to its owners. Laws relating to women must be reviewed, especially with regard to family, children, public services, nationality and land ownership.

Women and children must be given priority with regard to compensation and redress. The traditions and customs that govern the relationship between nomadic herders and farmers must be reviewed. The forum supported civil society and women's organisations. It also supported local media in spreading the values of reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.

The forum called for inclusion of women's political, civil and economic rights in the Constitution, security laws, and power and wealth-sharing policies. It also called for positive discrimination in favour of women, and the establishment of an agency to finance economic projects that contribute to empowering women.

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