Rethinking the role of mediation in Africa : a decolonial feminist analysis of the Southern African Development Community Regional Strategy on Women, Peace and Security (2018-2022)

Abstract

Mediation processes have witnessed low levels of participation of women. Existing literature ascribes this to prevailing patriarchal environments, cultural norms and gender stereotypes, women’s victimhood in conflict and various other factors. Several structures and policies have been established to redress the low participation of women in mediation. However, what remains evident is that despite the creation of and existence of extensive policy frameworks aimed at increasing the participation of women in mediation, women’s marginalisation persists. This research study uses a decolonial feminist analysis to reveal that there are potential commitments that are overlooked by these structures and policy frameworks which are evident in the conflation of gender and women in literature and policy documents concerning women, peace, and security.

Gender identities intersect with other identities such as race, class, religion, sexual orientation, age, geographical location et cetera, but this is rarely acknowledged in mediation structures such as the African Peace and Security Architecture and in policies such as the Southern African Development Community Regional Strategy on Women, Peace and Security (2018-2022), which is the particular interest of this study. This policy framework, it is argued, adopted a cookie-cutter approach, which hinders the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 because it does not acknowledge gender minorities, intersecting identities, and structural inequalities. The failure to acknowledge this perpetuates and persists, as do the barriers to women’s meaningful participation in mediation as well as ensuring an inclusive, holistic approach that takes into account gender minorities and intersecting identities and what contributions they can make to mediation and ultimately to fostering lasting peace.