Abstract

In 2015, United Nations unanimously adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to provide a pointer for an enduring peace and prosperity in the planet. The 17 SDGs targeted diverse areas of development including gender equality as Goal 5 and respect for peace and security as Goal 16. The SDGs compliments existing norms for promotion of peace and security in the world. Despite this commitment of the UN Security Council on Women Peace and Security, through Resolution 1325 amongst others women are still marginalized in peace processes and their participation in the overall governance and development is still minimal in most countries in Africa. This paper x-rays the contributions of women in Africa towards peace and security, despite these obstacles and takes a cursory look at the recently adopted UN Pact for the Future for available opportunities towards inclusion and participation of women in peace building. As the world looks forward to Agenda 2030, the paper proposes the need to strengthen institutional frameworks, put in place concrete policy actions such as integrating gender mainstreaming in national prevention strategies, ensuring accountability for conflict-related gender-based issues, implementing gender quotas for political representation, and increasing investment in conflict prevention. It posited that these measures are essential to achieving the objectives of the UN Pact for the Future, the SDGs, and the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.