Mothers, wives and daughters for national reconciliation and peace

The Embassy of Ireland in Maputo is co-sponsoring an initiative called ‘Mothers, wives and daughters for national reconciliation and peace’ (‘Mães, esposas e filhas pela reconciliação nacional e paz plena’) that hopes to contribute to the peace process in Mozambique by building trust amongst the different segments of Mozambican society. The event took place on 11 July 2015.

The initiative is being led by a former Anglican Bishop, Dinis Sengulan and the board of Fundacao para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade (Community Development Foundation) of which Graca Machel is a member.

The initiative has two parts:

- The first is an event that will assemble approximately 150 Mozambican women to share their thoughts, feelings and to follow up with recommendations for the attainment of a long lasting peace that should be grounded in national reconciliation. The organisers are hoping to influence both the Government and the main Opposition party Renamo in ongoing talks and to encourage that President Filipe Nyusi and the Renamo Leader Afonso Dhlakama can meet with each so that they can unblock contentious and unresolved issues.

- The second part will be built on the results of the first exercise and will follow up on the commitments and pledges for action towards the promotion of peace that the guests to the event would have made. With this action it is hoped that the participants will replicate the initiative at all levels involving lower to middle level authorities across the country, including traditional leaders, religions and local politicians.