The Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect has been a longstanding supporter of GAAMAC and the meeting aimed at strengthening the relationship between the Office and the GAAMAC Africa Working Group.
Justice Jamila Mohammed, Chair of the Africa Working Group, shared her vision of building a Pan-African Working Group with robust representation from all regions of Africa. She stressed that “atrocity prevention is something we have to do together” and that no region can be left behind. The Working Group encourages all states in Africa to have national mechanisms that can assist them in the prevention and response to genocide and mass atrocities.
According to the Special Adviser, a crucial factor in cementing atrocity prevention is translating the concept of an international and regional norm at the local community level. The Special Adviser also reminded participants of the key role that women play in peace processes and atrocity prevention and called on the need to support and strengthen women’s leadership and meaningful participation. The Special Adviser emphasized that GAAMAC creates the link between actors on these different levels and that its Global Meetings enable important exchanges between different stakeholders in atrocity prevention.
The Special Adviser will be a panellist at the next Global Meeting, GAAMAC IV: “Strengthening national efforts to address hate speech, discrimination and prevent incitement”. She will also talk about the implementation of the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.
GAAMAC Africa Working Group Focal Persons are:
- Justice Jamila Mohammed, Chair and Focal Point for East Africa
- Bakari Sidiki Diaby, Vice-chair and Focal Point for Francophone West Africa
- Wale Adeboye, Secretary and Focal Point for Anglophone West Africa
- Aatsa Atogho, Central Africa Focal Point
- Zahra’ Langhi, Northern Africa Focal Point
- Sambwa Simbyakula-Chilembo, Southern Africa Focal Point
