Source: AllAfrica
Date: March, 28th 2011
Location: Ehtiopia, Addis-Abeba
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) will hold an open session on "Women and Children in Armed Conflicts" on Monday, 28 March 2011 at the Headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The event, which has been institutionalized in 2010, will provide an opportunity to the survivors of sexual violence and representatives of grassroots rehabilitation projects to address the PSC. Speakers will also include relevant departments of the AU Commission, the Panel of the Wise and Mrs Margot Wallstrom, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General against sexual violence.

For the record, the 2010 briefing of the PSC on "Women and Children in Armed Conflicts", held in the framework of the Year of Peace and Security in Africa, provided a general overview of the scope of the issue. It coincided with the celebration of the 10th Year Anniversary of UN Resolution 1325, the thematic reflection of the Panel of the Wise on "Women and Children in Armed Conflicts" and the launch of the African Women Decade.

Journalists are invited to attend throughout, in the balcony, the open session with the exception of the interactive discussions and the adoption of the communiqué. A press conference is scheduled to take place at the end of the PSC meeting. The panel will include the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Lamamra Ramtane, the Chair of the PSC for March (Nigeria), the Panel of the Wise and Mrs Margot Wallstrom, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General against sexual violence