KIGALI DECLARATION

Declaring that peace is a prerequisite and indispensable for development ,

African women have decided to prevent and pacifically solve conflicts that may occur on the African continent. They have demanded their governments the recongition of the traditional role of a woman in the elaboration of peace process and their rights to an involvement in all initiatives for peace.

They requested the OAU Secretary general to accelarate the creation of an african women committee for peace (AWCP). African women encouraged Governments and NGO's as well as International organisations to conceive and promote teaching programmes on civic and human rights.

Maintaining that peace can only be built on Equality, Freedom and Justice, participants recommended to African governments to observe the bill of rights, they called the OAU and the UN to create a compensation fund for Rwanda Genocide victims and asked the government to bring their cooperation towards bringing to justice all planners of Genocide.

Concerning Kigali plan of action,

African women meeting in Kigali requested the OAU and CEA to put it into application and mobilise necessary ressources for its realisation.

Considering that poverty is a source of conflict ,

They recommended to governments and the International community to give priority to policies and programmes aimed at poverty eradication which favorise women promotion.

•  East African Sub Region Post Beijing Forum

Kenyan, Ugandan, Rwandan, Somali, Erithrean, Ethiopian and Tanzanian Delegations participated in sub region post Beijing forum which was held in Kampala (Uganda) from 29 th July to 1 st August 1996.

The rwandese delegation was made of representatives of women parliamentarians, government representatives and Pro-Femmes Twese Hamwe collective.

The objectives of the forum were :

•  Mutual sharing and informing one onother on experiences of countries since Beijing conference and lessons drawn from it,

•  Discuss and reach a concensus so as to define a sub-regional support initiative to recommendations from fourth International women Conference and reinforce its execution, follow up and evaluation for african and Beijing action plate-form and Beijing .

After viewing sensitive sub regional domains which are :

Peace and conflicts resolution, poverty and economic capacity reinforcement, human rights and women rights, education, the young girl and decision making, participants of the forum adopted the following resolutions :

•  Develop a legal defence network, documentary research

•  Capacity reinforcement and ressource mobilisation

•  Set up an institution framework in Kampala.