• Strengthening accountability for national, regional and international Women Peace and Security policies and frameworks, in particular in Austria, the African Great Lakes Region and at EU level.
• Increasing political and financial support from relevant power-holders and donor agencies to civil society organizations to be able to engage actively as representatives and facilitators of civil society interests on Women Peace and Security, gender equality, Sexual and Gender Based Violence and to effectively participate in the monitoring and implementation of corresponding policies and frameworks.
• Strengthening participation of women from crisis-affected communities and local women’s groups in decision-making and policy formulation and implementation across peacebuilding, post-conflict reconstruction and humanitarian assistance and protection.

The African Great Lakes Region (Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Dem. Rep. Congo) has seen many conflicts, often characterized by massive abuse against women. Today, Uganda is hosting close to 1.4 million refugees – one million from South Sudan and nearly 250,000 from DR Congo – who fled violent conflict. Peace is often illusive for women – oppression and sexual violence continue even as war is formally over. Therefore, CARE advocates for…

• addressing root causes of armed conflicts in the region;
• enforcing all protocols on Women, Peace and Security and on the eradication of GBV and sexual violence in general;
• including women in decision-making and policy formulation and implementation across peacebuilding.