ANGOLA

Angola's most recent NAP was launched in 2017 for the period 2017-2020. It is unclear whether a further NAP is in development.

‍

Objectives/Aims of the 2017-2020 NAP:

The NAP has one overarching General Objective followed by six Strategic Objectives.

General Objective:

“Recognizing that peace is closely linked to equality between women and men and sustainable development, and affirming the important role that women play in preventing and resolving conflicts and consolidating peace, the National Plan for Angolan Action intends to contribute to the increased participation of women in decision-making processes and their full involvement in all efforts to maintain and promote peace and safety. It is also intended to contribute to the eradication of human rights violations of women in conflict situations, including sexual violence affecting women and girls in aggravated forms, and trafficking in women and children.”

Strategic Objectives:

1. Increase women’s participation and integrating gender equality at all stages of the peace-building processes, and at all levels of decision-making.

2. Ensure training of all people involved in the peace-building process, both on gender equality and gender-based violence;  also training on other relevant aspects of UN resolution number 05 of 1325 and 1820.

3. Promote and protect the respect for the human rights of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict areas, economic empowerment, education, and civil society, taking into account the need for:

∙ The Prevention and Elimination of Gender-based Violence and Sexual Violence;  

∙ Promotion of Women’s Empowerment.

4. Deepen and disseminate knowledge about the topic of “Women, Peace and Safety”, including the formation and sensitization of the Ministerial Departments, Civil Society and Decision-Making Bodies.

5. Promote the participation of civil society in the Implementation of Resolution number 1325 (2000) regarding Women, Peace and Security.

6. Budgeting from a Gender Perspective.

‍

Commentary:

This NAP has clearly articulated goals especially with regard to increasing women’s participation in security forces, which includes the  introduction of a target of 40% of decision-making and leadership roles to be held by women in ”bodies of Defence and Security”, and international missions. The introductory section details progress that has been made so far with key statistics about women’s participation in different sectors, and uses this framework as a data-driven lens to articulate goals for participation moving into the future. It is also effective in that it identifies key agencies in charge of implementing each objective, together with timelines and key indicators of progress.

There does not appear to be any further NAP in development since 2020.

‍Civil society engagement in development of the 2017-2020 NAP:

The Angolan NAP states it has civil society engagement as one of its high level objectives, which it sees as being critical to ensuring civil society participation is central to implementation. However the extent to which the government is committed to incorporating the voice of civil society is unclear.  References to civil society organisations in the “Table regarding the Actions to be Implemented” are limited to “NGOs and churches.”

‍

UN Peacekeeping statistics:

In May 2023 Angola  contributed 2 police working on UN Missions, one male and one female.

‍

‍Women’s role in peacekeeping and the security sector:

The NAP sets out a clear target for 2020 for 40% of leadership and decision-making roles in the Government’s Defence and Security sectors to be held by women.  The Table of Actions to be Implemented also targets for “60% of the population to be informed about Women, Peace and Security” and “100% of the topic regarding Women Peace and Safety (to be) included in the courses taught by the IDN, Military Academies and Educational Institutions of MININT” (ie the Angolan government’s military and defence forces).  It has not been possible to find data relating to whether these targets were achieved by the end of 2020.

‍

References:

‍angola-nap-2017-english_1.pdf (un.org)

United Nations Peacekeeping. (May 2023): Troop and police contributors | United Nations Peacekeeping ‌

Contribution of Uniformed Personnel to UN by Country, Mission, and Personnel Type (May 2023): 05-Missions Detailed By Country

Breakdown by gender of countries’ contribution of Military Observers and Staff Officers to missions (March 2023): operational effect and women peacekeepers (un.org)

‍

‍