BEFORE Continues to Support Women in Guinea

The democratic transition in Guinea has been particularly sensitive, as the country has work to overcome many obstacles such as the potential for large-scale violence during the 2010 presidential elections.

The tragic and deadly events of September 28, 2009 at the stadium in Conakry resulted in a climate of mistrust between the civilian women and women of the military that threatened the 2010 presidential elections. Ms. Nanfadima Magassouba, the Minister of National Solidarity and the Promotion of Women and Children, saw this and put out a request for support. In early 2010, BEFORE and its local and international partners quickly responded to this request. The resulting project, the Women’s Caravan for Reconciliation, National Unity and Social Peace, was focused on mitigating any potential electoral violence and promoting national reconciliation. The Women’s Caravan consisted of a series of dialogues, media campaigns and reconciliation efforts with local military and civilian women’s groups in major cities throughout Guinea.

The Women’s Caravan involved more than 950 women from varying regions, organizations, and backgrounds, and facilitated their reconciliation through participatory dialogue and meetings across the country. Response from Guineans was encouraging, and the Women’s Caravan received attention from the international media and officials from within the Guinean government, including Minister Magassouba. To read the final and complete report on the Women’s Caravan in French, click here.

This process of this participatory dialogue led to many recommendations and an action plan from the Women’s Caravan participants. In line with the recommendations from the Women’s Caravan and the follow-up activities, BEFORE is currently working with local partners to institutionalize women’s participation in the political sphere, protect their rights and foster a more sustainable peace process.