Central African Republic
The first NAP of the Central African Republic (CAR) was launched in 2014 for the period 2014-2016. It was followed by the adoption of a new NAP in 2019, which covers the period 2019-2022. It does not seem that a new NAP is being prepared.
Objectives of the 2019-2022 NAP:
This NAP is based on five pillars / strategic axes, each of which are supported by several objectives and detailed activities to be undertaken for implementation. The five strategic axes are:
- Reinforcement of conflict prevention measures in order to avoid the emergence of violent conflicts and consolidation of peace so that the CAR does not fall back into conflict;
- Increased participation (of women) to promote full and meaningful participation and strong leadership of women in all efforts to maintain and promote peace and security;
- Strengthening protection to promote and protect human rights, specifically those of women, in times of peace, in times of conflict and at all stages of conflict resolution;
- Recovery and transitional justice so that the specific needs of women and girls are guaranteed in all reconstruction processes in conflict or post-conflict situations, with particular attention to the most vulnerable (displaced and/or refugee women and girls , survivors of gender-based violence, women and girls with disabilities);
- Reinforcement of protection and security in the event of new threats to human security.
Commentary:
This NAP builds on a review of lessons learnt from the earlier NAP, and puts an emphasis on women’s inclusion in decision-making roles, especially those related to security governance, conflict resolution and prevention. It also aims to take into account women’s needs during the post-conflict reconstruction phase of the country. The document acknowledges the importance of going beyond the minimal level of safeguards and adopting voluntary measures to promote the inclusion of women. Matrices setting out timelines and budgets for various activities are contained in the NAP.
Civil society involvement in development of the NAP:
Women’s organizations were involved in the drafting of the NAP, especially in the data collection and processing stages. Moreover, the document is described as “the culmination of a participatory and inclusive process” by the CAR officials. In the matrix setting out the implementation plan for the NAP there is reference to women’s organisations and NGOs being involved in implementation and verification of results.
UN peacekeeping statistics:
As of September 2024, CAR was not contributing any UN peacekeeping personnel.
Women’s role in peacekeeping:
The NAP highlights the meaningful and full participation of women in promotion of security and peace. It also aims at better protecting women against gender based violence and equipping them against other immediate threats in the country.
References and sources:
National Actional Plan of CAR 2019-2022, an English translation (unofficial) is available at:
CAR-NAP-2-2019-2022_french_ENG-translation-Google-Translate.pdf (wpsnaps.org)
United Nations Peacekeeping. (2024). Troop and police contributors | United Nations Peacekeeping (as of 30 September 2024): https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/02_country_ranking_78_september_2024.pdf
