Source: United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) |

Women Representatives Meet in Tripoli in Support of Reconciliation Efforts Between Qaddadfa and Awlad Suleiman Tribes

Women participants to the meeting discussed the root causes of the conflict in the South, and diverse ways in which women have contributed to dialogue, mediation and peaceful coexistence in their respective communities

We reiterate our support to all women-led reconciliation initiatives in Libya and call on women to actively participate in all peace and reconciliation efforts

TRIPOLI, Libya, November 13, 2017/APO Group/ --

As part of its efforts to promote reconciliation in Libya, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the support of Promédiation, a non-governmental organization providing expertise in conflict resolution in Southern Libya, facilitated a two-day dialogue meeting, on 07 and 08 November, in Tripoli, between women representatives from Qaddadfa and Awlad Suleiman tribes.
 

The meeting, attended also by a number of women activists from other tribes in Sebha, aimed at building an inclusive and sustainable peace process in the South, with a focus on addressing the conflict between Qaddadfa and Awlad Suleiman tribes. The event allowed women activists, mediators, opinion-makers and community actors, mostly from the Awlad Suleiman and Qadhadfa tribes, to discuss their concerns and opinions in an impartial, neutral and confidential environment.

The initiative is part of reconciliation efforts, conducted by UNSMIL, to bring Qaddadfa and Awlad Suleiman tribes to an actual dialogue. Any reparations programme designed and implemented in the framework of a future reconciliation agreement between these two conflicting parties should include the rights and specific needs of women. Therefore, including women in negotiations and political dialogue in the South is crucial for the success of the peace process in Sebha.

Women participants to the meeting discussed the root causes of the conflict in the South, and diverse ways in which women have contributed to dialogue, mediation and peaceful coexistence in their respective communities. Learning from other local experiences in conflict resolution in the South, participants managed to identify and to define clear and concrete steps that they can take to increase confidence between and within communities in order to build peace in Sebha.

After two days of discussion, the women agreed on the attached statement, calling for a reinforcement of the peace process in the South of Libya and a stronger role for women in peace processes:
 

Statement by women participants to Awlad Suleiman and Qaddad dialogue meeting in Tripoli on 07 and 08 November 2017

“We, women who participated to the dialogue between Awlad Suleiman and Qaddadfa in Tripoli, after having reviewed the root causes and the reasons of this conflicts and ways to address it, have agreed to call on the international community to continue its support to promote reconciliation among all Libyans, and to renew its efforts to reach peaceful and sustainable solutions. We also call on the international community to help solving the conflict between the Qaddadfa and Awlad Suleiman tribes and to support the establishment of a women network for peacemaking and reconciliation.

We reiterate our support to all women-led reconciliation initiatives in Libya and call on women to actively participate in all peace and reconciliation efforts, both at the community level and at the national level. We also reaffirm the importance of the continuing participation of women in building State institutions and promoting the rule of law.”
 
Note to correspondents
The training was organized as part of the project “Towards National Reconciliation in Libya,” jointly implemented by UNSMIL and UNDP and funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund. The project aims at assisting Libyan national and local authorities, civil society and other partners in their effort to promote an inclusive vision for national reconciliation, while supporting local-level dialogue and reconciliation initiatives throughout Libya.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).