Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture and Children Services, has called for the inclusion of women and youth in peace efforts across the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), highlighting their integral role in fostering sustainable peace during a recent forum.

• Kenya’s 2019 National Policy on Gender and Development has set a precedent for gender-inclusive dialogue.
• The forum emphasized that women and youth hold essential knowledge for conflict resolution.
• Cheptumo proposed creating a diverse regional roster of negotiators trained in gender-sensitive practices to bolster peacebuilding efforts.