Presentation workshop of the results of the study on "Mainstreaming of Women’s Needs and Participation in Security Sector Reform Processes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger "

Given the many challenges facing the Sahel region, security is undoubtedly the most pressing. The traditional strategies developed by governments and security institutions have not produced convincing results. Hence the emergence of more and more voices calling for a change of strategy and a far-reaching reform of the security sector (SSR) to provide more effective security tailored to the needs of the region's populations. It is therefore necessary to involve the various categories of the Sahel's population in order to play a role in conflict prevention and peace-building.

Women represent an important category in this respect, and their integration and consideration of their needs, among others, is no longer a simple option, but a strategic priority that is now increasingly integrated into the development programmes of the countries in the region.

In a statement issued by its presidency in February 2021, the UN Security Council stressed the importance of the role played by women in West Africa and the Sahel in conflict prevention and resolution, peacebuilding and post-conflict situations. In this declaration, the members of the Council stress that women ‘must participate on an equal footing in all efforts to maintain and promote peace and security and be fully and effectively involved’. Similarly, in its framework policy on security sector reform, the African Union states that ‘SSR shall adhere to the principles of gender equality and women's empowerment (...). The whole SSR process will therefore include women-specific activities, gender sensitisation and responsive programming, and will aim to transform opportunities for gender equity in the security sector’.

The main aim of this study is to analyse the advantages and opportunities of a security sector that includes the gender dimension, in order to gain a better understanding of the challenges involved in taking this dimension into account and promoting greater involvement and integration of women's needs in SSR in the central Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger).

The workshop, moderated by Ornella MODERAN, independent researcher and public policy adviser with expertise in security sector reform and the political economy of conflict and instability, and Commissioner Aliou Ibrahima SYLLA of the Office of the Commissioner for Security Sector Reform (Mali), provided an opportunity to analyse the contours of the debate on the greater involvement and integration of women at all levels of the SSR process for a more stable and secure Sahel region.

The discussions, moderated by Nana Alassane TOURE, gender, security and human rights expert (Mali), provided an opportunity to :

• Criticisms and comments on the document ;
• Analyse the advantages of an inclusive security sector for the stability of Mali in particular and the central Sahel as a whole;
• Make a comparative analysis of the progress made in integrating and taking account of women's needs in SSR processes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger ;
• Determine the challenges or barriers to women's participation in SSR processes and show parallels, taking into account the specific features of each country ;
• Identify courses of action for taking greater account of women in conventional and non-conventional security management mechanisms and peace processes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger ;
• To make realistic recommendations for the development of SSR policies and procedures to ensure better involvement and integration of women's needs in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, in accordance with the texts in force at national, continental and international level.

The discussions were unanimous on a number of points :

Firstly, the study briefly reviews the progress of SSR in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. It also examines the progress made in terms of women's participation in these institutions, and the extent to which gender-specific issues are taken into account in the services offered by these institutions. The study also describes the obstacles that continue to limit progress in this area, and concludes by proposing practical recommendations for meeting the challenge posed by persistent obstacles.

The study then looks at women's participation in the security sector in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, and at institutional responses to the specific security needs of girls and women.

Finally, despite an impressive legal and political arsenal, the effective implementation of the commitments made by the Central Sahel states in favour of women's participation in security issues continues to present major challenges in all areas. While collective progress is to be welcomed, such as the gradual opening up of defence and security forces to women since the 1960s or 1970s, depending on the country, much remains to be done to really convince decision-makers of the concrete added value of more feminised SDF, and to mobilise the political will needed to prioritise reforms that actively promote the participation of women in the security services on an equal footing with men. Popularising research that explains the link between gender equality, women's participation and the strengthening of peace and security could help to make progress in this direction. In short, taking up the challenge of women's participation more resolutely can have a considerable positive impact on the effectiveness of the security services.