Women-led and frontline organisations need a stronger and more structured role in regional protection and security discussions, according to the Association for the Promotion of Women’s Rights and Peace Building (AP-WORP).
To examine the role of frontline organisations in regional protection efforts, AP-WORP held separate bilateral consultations with 10 organisations between 28 August and 4 September 2026. Its team visited the organisations to discuss community-level protection concerns, early warning, information-sharing, confidentiality and the participation of women-led organisations in regional decision-making.
The consultations formed part of AP-WORP’s UAF Rapid Response Project and examined protection concerns affecting women and girls, referral systems, accountability, coordination and the participation of civil society in regional protection and security processes.
AP-WORP Executive Director Munteh Florence Chea says frontline women’s organisations should be recognised as protection actors and sources of early warning rather than being limited to the role of implementing partners.
“They are often closest to survivors and communities and can identify emerging risks, patterns of violence, barriers to reporting and gaps in protection much earlier than formal systems may,” she said.
.png)
The proposed role, however, would not involve civil society interfering in operational security matters.
Instead, AP-WORP is advocating for structured channels through which women-led organisations and other frontline actors could communicate patterns, trends and protection concerns to relevant institutions while maintaining confidentiality.
Executive Director says this requires trusted information-sharing mechanisms, clear confidentiality protocols and regular engagement between civil society, protection actors, justice institutions and security authorities.
“Security and confidentiality should not be viewed as competing interests,” she said.
“With the right protocols, both can be protected.” she added
The consultations also considered the wider contribution of local organisations to regional protection planning.
.png)
AP-WORP believes that organisations working directly with communities often have information about emerging protection concerns that could help authorities understand risks before they escalated.
At the same time, the organisation is stressing that information-sharing has to be responsible. Survivor identities and sensitive case information can not be exposed simply to improve coordination.
The approach is linked to the broader Women, Peace and Security framework, including the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which recognised women’s participation in peace and security processes.
For AP-WORP Executive Director, meaningful participation required more than inviting women’s organisations to meetings. It requires mechanisms through which their observations can inform decisions and through which they can safely raise concerns and follow up on agreed actions.
.png)
The issue is expected to feature in the planned high-level protection and accountability engagement on September 28, which would bring together regional authorities, justice and security actors, government services, civil society, women leaders and international protection partners.
AP-WORP is proposing a structured mechanism for regular dialogue and accountability through which women-led organisations and other frontline actors can raise emerging protection concerns and track agreed actions.
The consultations therefore placed local knowledge at the centre of efforts to strengthen the regional protection system, while maintaining safeguards for survivors, communities and sensitive security information.
By Asheri Loveline for Hilltopvoices Web
Tel: +237 694 71 85 77
0 Comments