Stakeholders from four Mano River Union (MRU) countries have convened in Freetown for a two-day regional meeting aimed at strengthening women’s leadership and participation in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and regional stability.
The meeting, which commenced on November 12, 2026, at the Sierra Palms Beach Hotel in Lumley, is marking the 26th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Held under the theme, “Effective Implementation of WPS and Women’s Leadership for Conflict Prevention in the MRU Region,” the gathering has brought together women peacebuilders, Government representatives, regional institutions, United Nations agencies, development partners, Civil Society Organisations and young leaders from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire.
The two-day commemoration provides a platform for participants to assess progress in implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and identify practical approaches to strengthening women’s contributions to conflict prevention and sustainable peace across the region.
Discussions are focusing on national experiences in implementing the WPS agenda and National Action Plans, alongside emerging peace and security challenges confronting the Mano River Union countries.
Participants are also examining women’s leadership in preventive diplomacy and early warning, digital peace and the protection of women leaders, border security and trafficking, as well as the security of women traders.
The second day of the meeting will feature breakout sessions addressing community-based monitoring and accountability under the WPS agenda, the relationship between women traders, border peace and economic security, and the role of community women in conflict prevention.
Another session will explore youth-women alliances as a strategy for strengthening peacebuilding efforts across the region.
The programme will also feature a storytelling session during which women peacebuilders will share experiences and lessons from communities across borders, highlighting their contributions to community resilience and sustainable peace.
The gathering seeks to reaffirm the commitment of Governments, regional institutions, civil society and development partners to translating the principles of the Women, Peace and Security agenda into practical action.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in October 2000, recognizes the important role women play in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peace negotiations, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction.
The regional commemoration is organized by the Mano River Women’s Peace Network (MARWOPNET), with support from UN Women, the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund and the UN Peacebuilding Fund.
