EUTM RCA and the International Women's Day

After the opening remarks ensured by the Ministère de Promotion de la Femme, Famille et Protection de L’Enfant and the European Union Delegation in CAR, the conference had the following Panels:

• Panel 1 - The role of Leadership - the Way to Equality in the Central African Republic
• Panel 2 - Institutional Best Practices in Women's Empowerment in the Central African Republic

The panels' discussion themes took into account the European Action Plan III for Gender Equality, an ambitious programme for gender equality and women's empowerment in the EU's external action.

The conference's concept aimed to involve civil society and security forces in interactive discussions with several entities[1], sharing their experience in the panels.

Attending the International Women's Day Conference were representants from International Organizations, national authorities, International and National Non-Governmental Organizations, Defence and Security Forces, Students from the University of Bangui and others from the Civil Society. The discussion has involved sixteen panellists sharing their experience in each panel, having questions from a very participative attendance.

During the conference, panellist has stressed the education gaps, costumes and traditional favourable treatment of men, conservative behaviours, differences between urban areas and provinces (rural areas), gender-based violence, the need to implement structures, especially in rural areas, and women as the first victims of conflict.

The organizations appointed actions to face those difficulties, as the involvement of all the society, the necessity of listening to women to generate confidence, develop rural areas, cultural sensibilization, enhance women’s competences, diversity in the organizations, implementation of institutions on the field, providing means to women own development, and coordination between actors on the field.

All in all, all participants agreed that women and men should work together towards the equal Central African Republic.

During the closing remarks, the Minister of Defence thanked EUTM for the organization of this event.

The Minister emphasized the complementary of men and women on the construction of a better world.

She stressed that the CAR situation had been complicated by several disturbances that hinder peace, and women are always the first victims of conflicts, as we have seen again.

The Minister hopes that our brave women will face crises in better conditions and wait to see what we can do together. She also highlighted the front line Security and Defence Forces role moreover the support of the European Union as the principal donor, and, in particular, the  EUTM actions since 2016.

Furthermore, it accentuated that the benefits can only exist if security is guaranteed, and for that, CAR must use all the means to build an autonomous and adapted defence tool.

Investment in promotion on women should increase and be a priority.

The Minister ended her speech launching the challenge to have meetings every six months to monitor the development and what actions still need to be put in place to move forward on equality and women's empowerment in CAR.

To conclude, this conference joined The Central African authorities and people from different backgrounds from 20 other nations working in the central African republic discussing crucial subjects regarding equality and women's rights and better general efficiency in CAR.

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[1] Ministère de la Défense Reconstruction Armée; Ministère Promotion  Femme,  Famille  Protection L’Enfant ; Ministère de la Justice et des Droits Humains - Femmes Magistrats ; Autorité National des Elections ; MINUSCA Unité Genre ; ONU FEMME ; International Rescue Committee ; Etat-major des Armées; Forces Sécurité Intérieur; Autorité Locale; Croix Rouge Centrafricaine; Réseau des Femmes Leaders Africaines; Organisation des Femmes Centrafricaines; EUTM; EUAM.