Podcast Series: She Stands for Peace

"She Stands for Peace" is a podcast series that explores the state of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa, through a series of dialogues with key actors. From policymakers, to donors, and grassroots peacebuilders, the host, Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola, takes a deep dive to unpack the various insights and lived experiences of guests to explore the central question; "20 years after the UNSCR 1325 was passed, how far have we come?". The interviews are insightful and inspiring, as they take stock and share forward-looking strategies for the implementation of UNSCR 1325, post-2020.

Download the UNSCR 1325 Commemorative Book "She Stands for Peace: 20 Years, 20 Journeys": ENGLISH VERSION or FRENCH VERSION

Episode 38  | Women's Equal Participation in Electoral Processes | Sarah Muhoya
Sarah Muhoya is the Coordinator of the Democracy Trust Fund in Kenya and Head of Positioning & Democracy at Echo Network Africa. In this episode, we discuss women’s equal participation in electoral processes in Africa for political stability and sustainable peace. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 37  | Anita Kiki Gbeho | Inclusive Approaches to Women's Political Participation
Anita Kiki Gbeho is the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). This episode discusses inclusive approaches to women’s meaningful political participation and leadership. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 36  | Ambassador Mona Juul | The Foreign Policy and WPS in Africa
Mona Juul is Norway's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In this episode, she discusses Norway's presence in the Security Council, its focus on safeguarding women's participation and wider discussions on foreign policy and WPS in Africa. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 35  | Editar Adhiambo Ochieng | Peacebuilding in informal settlements in Africa with Editar Adhiambo Ochieng
Editar Adhiambo Ochieng is Founder of the Feminist for Peace, Rights and Justice Centre. In this episode, she discusses the impact of women's civic and political participation, election violence, and peacebuilding in informal settlements. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 34  | Comfort Mussa and Amal Habbani | Women, Media and Peacebuilding
Comfort Mussa and Amal Habbani are journalists from Sudan and Cameroun. In this episode, they discuss the role of journalists, and women journalists, and the impact of their working conditions on the extent to which they can contribute to achieving the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Africa. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 33  | Awa Dabo | Supporting Peacebuilding Strategies and the WPS
Awa Dabo is the Deputy Head of Office for the Peacebuilding Support Office, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. In this episode, she talks about supporting peacebuilding strategies for the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Africa, the realities of localising global strategies, transitional justice, and creating enabling environments for women peacebuilders in Africa. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 32  | Rita Lopidia | Protecting Women Peacebuilders
Rita Lopidia is Executive Director and Co-founder of Eve Organization for Women Development in Juba, South Sudan, and coordinator of the South Sudan Women’s Coalition for Peace. In this episode, she talks about the experiences of women peacebuilders when executing their roles and work, and how we might rethink how women peacebuilding organisations are supported. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 31  | Mediation and Early Warning with Pravina Makan-Lakha
Pravina Makan-Lahka is an Advisor on Women, Peace and Security at the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD). In this episode, she discusses the importance of women's meaningful participation in mediation and early warning, and how we can ensure the gender perspective is integrated into conflict early warning systems. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 30  | Advocacy for the protection of women and girls | Fatima Maiga
Fatima Maiga is a Founding Member and President of the Coalition des Femmes Leaders Nord, Sud et Centre du Mali (NSC). In this episode, she discusses how we might rethink our interpretation of protection and Fatima shares examples of advocacy for the protection of women and girls in Mali. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 29  | Food Security, Climate Security & the WPS Agenda | Michael Dunford
Michael Dunford is the Regional Director for Eastern Africa at the UN World Food Programme (WFP). In this episode, he discusses the realities of tackling food security in conflict settings, the impact of climate change, and how conflict-sensitive food systems might better respond to impacts of conflict on women. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 28  | Creating Enabling Environments for Peacebuilding | Ilwad Elman
Ilwad Elman is the Chief Operating Officer of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre. In this episode, we discuss the challenges and trauma of peacebuilding, her work in supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, and applying a youthful lens to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 27  | Partnerships in Peacebuilding and Reconciliation | Hamsatu Allamin
Hamsatu Allamin is the Founder and Executive Director of the Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development. In this episode, she discusses how we might rethink our consideration of who makes up partners in peacebuilding and reconciliation, and our approach to establishing these partnerships in a local context. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 26 | Academia and Peacebuilding | Dr. Mandiedza Parichi
Dr Mandiedza Parichi is the Chairperson for the Peace Studies Department at the Midlands State University in Gweru. In this episode, she discusses the role academia can play in peacebuilding processes.Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 25  | Dismantling Barriers to Women's Participation in Peace Processes | Dr Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe
Dr Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe, former Vice President of Uganda, and currently Senior Presidential Adviser on Health & Population. In this episode, she discusses increasing the representation of women and their perspectives in formal and informal peace processes.Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 24  | Protecting the Participation of Women in Peacebuilding | Signe Gilen
Signe Gilen is Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this episode, she discusses Norway's membership of the UN Security Council and its work towards protecting women’s participation in peace processes, alongside other key WPS and humanitarian strategies.Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 23  | UN-AU Partnership for Peace and Security | SRSG Parfait Onyanga-Anyanga and Mme Bineta Diop
SRSG Parfait Onyanga-Anyanga is the UN Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union and Mme Bineta Diop is the African Union’s Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security. In this episode, they discuss the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union and coordinating the activities of stakeholders towards achieving the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 22 | Reconstruction and Peacebuilding | Ahunna Eziakonwa
Ahunna Eziakonwa is the Regional Director and Assistant Secretary-General for UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa. In this episode, she talks about the application of a gender perspective to reconstruction and peacebuilding. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 21 | Human Rights | Ilze Brands Kehris
Ilze Brands Kehris is the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights. In this episode, she discusses the range of mechanisms to respect, protect, and promote women's rights before, during and post-conflict. She offers her insights on how to keep rights defenders safe in their interactions with the UN for human rights.Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 20 |Trauma, Reconciliation and Forgiveness | Candice Mama
Candice Mama is an author and activist from South Africa whose work has centred on trauma, reconciliation, and forgiveness. In this episode, she talks about her experience meeting and forgiving the man who murdered her father during Apartheid. Candice shares her thoughts on how we might approach reconciliation differently, how to support survivors of trauma, and the importance of accurate historical education for peacebuilding. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 19 | Digital Inclusion of Women| Marwa Azelmat
Marwa Azelmat is Technology and Women's Rights Policy Consultant. In this episode, she explores the gaps and opportunities for the digital inclusion of women in Africa’s Women, Peace and Security Agenda. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 18| From Commitment to Action | Raheemat Omoro Momodu
Raheemat Omoro Momodu is Head of Human Security and Civil Society at ECOWAS- Economic Community of West African States. In this episode, Ms. Raheemat shares her insights and best practices on how RECs, the African Union and the Member States have translated commitments to Women, Peace and Security, to action. Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast platform: https://linktr.ee/SheStandsForPeace

Episode 17| Inclusion and Partnerships | H.E. Bankole Adeoye and SRSG Hanna Tetteh
H.E. Bankole Adeoye is the African Union's Commissioner for Political Affairs and Peace and Security. SRSG Hanna Tetteh is the Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union. In this episode, they discuss the importance of partnerships based on mutual respect and commitment for the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa. With a background in political affairs, these guests share how their work in this area has shaped their perspectives on their approaches to the WPS Agenda. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn DeezerSpotifyAudible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music


Episode 16 | Disarmament as a means for peacebuilding | Hon Betty Ogwaro
Hon. Betty Achan Ogwaro is an MP in the government of Southern Sudan. In this episode, she discusses arms as a root cause of conflict that impacts women and girls unequally. Hon. Ogwaro offers insights on important sociocultural contexts in understanding the challenges of disarmament and the successful implementation of the peace agreement. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn DeezerSpotifyAudible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music

Episode 15 | Implementation of the WPS Agenda | Dr. Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka
Dr. Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka is the Former Executive Director of UN Women. In this episode, she discusses how the UN system, Member States and other parties at all levels work to uphold their commitments to implementing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. She shares her insights on the importance of political will in moving the needle on women's rights, and the central role youth play in this. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn DeezerSpotifyAudible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music

Episode 14 | Displacement and Humanitarian Assistance | AU Commissioner El Fadil
H.E. Amira El Fadil is the African Union Commission's Commissioner for Social Affairs. Ahead of the 2021 World Humanitarian Day on 19 August, we discuss issues relating to displacement and humanitarian assistance in Africa. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn DeezerSpotifyAudible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music

Episode 13 | Inspiring & Organising the next generation of peacebuilders| Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili
Dr Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili is co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. In this episode, Dr Oby  talks about inspiring and organising the next generation of peacebuilders. She shares insights on how we might approach governance and youth participation differently. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn DeezerSpotifyAudible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music

Episode 12: Pan-African Feminist Peacebuilding | Aya Chebbi
Aya Chebbi is a pan-African feminist activist and the former AU Special Envoy for Youth. In this episode, she talks about Pan-Africanism, and women’s participation in leadership and decision-making for peace and development in Africa. Aya also shares key insights on the importance of inter-generational dialogue towards the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn DeezerSpotifyAudible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music

Episode 11: Women's Participation in Peace Negotiations – A conversation with Betty Bigombe 
Betty Bigombe is the Special Envoy of Uganda to the South Sudan Peace Process. In this episode, she talks about her experiences as a negotiator, which started with her encounters with LRA leader, Joseph Kony. Ms Bigombe talks further about the participation of women in formal peace negotiations and mediation, and touches on the mental health aspect of mediation. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn DeezerSpotifyAudible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music

Episode 10: Sexual Violence in Conflict with SRSG Pramila Patten  
Pramila Patten is the Special Representation of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. In this episode, SRSG Patten discusses sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women in conflict and post-conflict settings. She also speaks to the plight of refugees in conflict areas and offers her insights and expertise on how the international community can better address sexual violence in conflict. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn , DeezerSpotify, Audible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music

Episode 9: “Conflict Prevention – A conversation with Ms. Teresa Whitfield” 
Ms. Whitfield is the Director of the Policy and Mediation Division, UNDPPA. In this episode, she talks about conflict prevention and the incorporation of a gender perspective, and the participation of women in preventing the emergence, spread, and re-emergence of violent conflict.  Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn , DeezerSpotify, Audible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music

Episode 8: 'Peacekeepers and the Protection of Women’s Rights' – A conversation with Nicholas Haysom
Nicholas Haysom is Special Representation of the Secretary General to South Sudan, and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. In this episode, he discusses the roles peacekeepers play in the protection of women's rights. From being Chief Legal and Constitutional Adviser to Late President Nelson Mandela, with whom he worked again during the Burundi Peace Talks, to his work in Sudan and more recently South Sudan. SRSG Haysom shares his reflections, insights, and expertise. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn , DeezerSpotify, Audible and SoundCloud, Amazon Music

Episode 7: 'Operationalizing Peace' – A conversation with André Mundal
André Mundal is the Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, Norway. In this episode, he discusses the commitment of Member States to the WPS Agenda. André Mundal has a background in both the military and diplomacy and brings insights on the effective operationalizing of National Action Plans of UNSCR 1325. Norway's current and fourth National Action Plan offers an example of how member states might monitor and measure the success of NAPs. He also stresses the importance of working with an active civil society and creating opportunities for new learning. 
Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn , DeezerSpotify, Audible and YouTubeAmazon Music

Episode 6: 'Youth, Peace and Security' - Panel discussion with Hajer Sharief and Karabo Mokgonyana
Hajer Sharief is the cofounder and project manager of 'Together We Build It' organisation in Libya, and Karabo Mokgonyana is the African Youth Ambassador for Peace at the African Union. In this episode, our host Dr Yemisi Akinbobola explores their journey as young women peacebuilders, and discuss youth participation, participation of young women in peacebuilding, and social media led activism as a natural habitat for youth participation. Hajer and Karabo also offer their insights on the extent to which UNSCRs1325 and 2250 have been integrated in Africa's Women, Peace and Security agendaListen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneIn , DeezerSpotify, Audible and YouTubeAmazon Music
 

Episode 5: 'Glocalizing Peace' with SRSG Bintou Keita, MONUSCO

In this episode, our host Dr Yemisi Akinbobola interviews Bintou Keita, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). SRSG Keita speaks about her work and reflections on local ownership of peacekeeping, which we've summarized as ‘Glocalizing Peace”.  Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneInYouTube, DeezerSpotify, Audible and Amazon Music

Episode 4: 'Localizing Peace' with Madame Bineta Diop, AU Special Envoy on WPS
In this episode of She Stands for Peace, host Dr Yemisi Akinbobola is joined by Mme Bineta Diop, Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security to the African Union Commission. The focus of this episode is localizing peace. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneInYouTube, DeezerSpotify  Audible and Amazon Music

Episode 3: 'Mediation for Peace' – a panel discussion 
In this episode, our host Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola is joined by three women with a range of roles and experiences in peacebuilding. Ms. Hester Paneras is the Head of Institutional and Operational Partnership Service at the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), Ms. Martha Tukahirwa is the regional advocacy and communications officer at the Strategic Initiative for women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network); and Ms. Lydia Hafyenanye, a Police Officer with the Namibian police force, and a former peacekeeper with the UN Police working with the UN/AU Mission in Darfur. The focus of this episode is Mediation for Peace. Listen to this episode on 
iTunesStitcher,TuneInYouTube, DeezerSpotify  Audible and Amazon Music

Episode 2: 'Financing Peace' with Per Olsson Fridh
Per Olsson Fridh is the State Secretary for the Swedish International Development Corporation. In this episode, we talk about financing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa, and how governments might apply a feminist approach to their foreign policy. Listen to this episode on 
iTunesStitcher,TuneInYouTube, DeezerSpotify, Audible and Amazon Music

Episode 1: 'Partnerships for Peace' an interview with SRSG Hanna Tetteh

Hanna Tetteh is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union. In this episode, we talk about the various levels of partnerships involved in achieving the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa. Listen to this episode on iTunesStitcher,TuneInYouTube, DeezerSpotify, Audible and Amazon Music

For enquiries, email UNOAU Communications Team: unoau-public-information@un.org