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21 July 2005: Programme Number 57

AFRICA'S BATTLE FOR POWER IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL:
AFRICAN WOMEN IN CONFLICT PREVENTION AND PEACE-BUILDING:

African nations take a tough position to demand 7 seats on the influential Security Council - two of them to be veto-carrying permanent seats. But why? And can Africa get what it's demanding? Senior Nigerian diplomat, AMINU WALI.
....... Africa is therefore open to negotiations. But for negotiations to be productive, it goes without saying that the interlocutors must have fundamental points of agreement, bearing in mind the determination of Africa to rectify its present position as the only region without representation on the Security Council in the permanent member category.”

And still on power … Why are African women - the ones who suffer most in all acts of violence - still being denied the opportunities to prevent and resolve the conflicts? Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, a Zimbabwean who's the Regional Director of the UN Development Fund for Women UNIFEM, in East Africa and the Horn.: “It’s about power. It’s about power. In addition to that, it’s also the whole issue of attitude. It’s about recognizing that women are leaders. It’s attitude on the party of society including other women. There are some women who also feel, can I really be the chairman?’

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