Kenya has called on IGAD to take bold and practical steps to place women and youth at the centre of regional peacebuilding efforts, saying lasting peace in the Horn of Africa depends on inclusive, community-based approaches.

Speaking at the IGAD Regional Forum for Eminent Personalities and Leaders for Peace held in Nairobi, Gender and Culture Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo urged the regional bloc to rethink its strategies and focus on grassroots inclusion.

“In our IGAD region, conflict has fractured families, displaced communities, and eroded hope. Yet throughout our history, women and young people have consistently emerged as agents of preventive diplomacy,” said Cheptumo.

She emphasised that women and youth remain key players in peace and conflict prevention across the region, despite being overlooked in formal peace processes. Cheptumo proposed the creation of a regional framework to establish a trained network of mediators—including women, youth, elders, and men—who can operate across local and national levels.

“Picture with me modular, gender-sensitive training in negotiation, psychosocial support, and trauma-aware facilitation, delivered from capital to village. This is how we build a network of preventive diplomacy practitioners,” she said.

The CS also highlighted Kenya’s own milestones in advancing gender inclusion through legal and policy reforms, such as the constitutional two-thirds gender rule and the 2019 National Policy on Gender and Development.

She also cited legal safeguards such as the Sexual Offences Act and the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act as part of the country’s broader framework to protect rights and promote equality.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei, who also addressed the forum, said the Horn of Africa is facing a complex web of peace and security threats that cannot be addressed by traditional diplomacy alone.

“Our region is grappling with profound peace and security challenges and Kenya is honoured to host this important forum,” he said.

He pointed out that the crises in the region are often deeply connected—from persistent conflicts and terrorism to worsening humanitarian conditions caused by climate change.

Sing’Oei noted that the Council of Eminent Personalities, a body within IGAD, is uniquely placed to support mediation and promote dialogue where formal structures have struggled.

“The role of Eminent Personalities is critical. They are trusted interlocutors, uniquely positioned to mediate, build confidence, and encourage dialogue,” he said.

He added that the Council can also help address root causes of conflict—such as exclusion, inequality, and marginalisation—that often escape formal negotiations.

To make this work effective, Sing’Oei called for IGAD to establish a clear and structured framework to guide the Council’s mandate and operations.

“IGAD’s vision of economic integration and resilience to climate change cannot materialise in an environment of insecurity,” he added, reaffirming Kenya’s support for IGAD’s peacebuilding role and the deployment of the Council of Eminent Personalities.