On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the 1325 United Nations Resolution in Dakar, two important associations, Kabonketor and Usoforal, become aware of the need to bring together and unify the various women's associations of Casamance in order to impose the voice of women in the process of seeking peace. This awareness will be at the origin of the creation, in September 2010, of the Platform of Women for Peace in Casamance.
The Platform quickly becomes an essential organization, strong of its 170 member associations and its establishment across the three regions of Casamance: Ziguinchor, Sédhiou and Kolda.
The purpose of the Platform is to bring together the energies, skills and expertise of each of its member associations in order to propose concrete and relevant solutions to put an end to the Senegal crisis in Casamance.
The objective of the PFPC is to gather their energy and expertise in order to reach consensual and sustainable solutions to the Senegalese crisis in Casamance. It works for human rights and to monitor and report on violence against civilians.
The PFPC is developing a targeted lobbying strategy towards the Senegalese government and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC), based on the key role women play in conflict prevention, management and resolution.
As the former MFDC leader, Father Augustin Diamacoune Senghor, said, women "are the Red Cross and the firefighters of the community. "
Their status as bearers, donors and protectors of life give them the legitimacy of intervening between combatants ain order to demand the cessation of hostilities. In the customary tradition, this is almost a sacred commandment. Thus the PFPC translates the desire of women in Casamance to play their role and interact with the combatants to cancel their oaths and restore peace.
Plateforme works with the support of AJWS, CRS, USAID, World Education and FAS