Women’s Situation Rooms The first Women’s Situation Room (WSR) was first evidenced in the 2011 elections in Libera and has become institutionalised in several African countries. (WSR) are outcomes of women’s concerns and interests in ensuring smooth election processes, often as part of conflict resolution practices, particularly in countries where elections are potential triggers to the eruption of violence. WSRs are used to mobilise various stakeholders to adopt pro-peace advocacy, coordinate election processes and monitor and report incidences of election malpractices and violence against women. They have served as an early warning system for potential outbreaks of violence. These secretariats are operated by eminent women from the national and regional level, civil society organisations and actors and work with legal, media and political analysts as the situation warrants. Most countries’ women situation rooms train and deploy female observers to monitor electoral constituencies. Yvette Chesson-Wureh hailed the WSR for averting violence in Liberia’s 2017 elections as politicians resorted to court processes rather than violent demonstrations that tend to characterise elections protests.229 A talking bus initiative of the Situation Room that travelled to 9 hotspots inspired conversations around the rule of law and the need to abide by the Supreme Court’s decision for a run off.230 In Uganda the WSR established for the 2016 elections uniquely resulted in the Military setting up a new help desk in the WSR. ACCORD notes that WSRs have facilitated the timely reporting of violence, resolution of electoral related complaints including gender violence, the quick identification of triggers of violence and strategies to counter this, improved electoral security and safety especially in electoral hotspots.231 229 United Nations Peace Keeping ‘The story of UNMIL [Book]: Women’s Situation Room prepares ground for calm elections. Available at https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/story-of-unmil-book-womens-situation-roomprepares-ground-calm-elections 230 Women’s Situation Room ‘Statement by the Women’s Situation Room-Liberia on the Presidential Run-off Election, 2017' December 29, 2017. Available at https://angiebrooksintlcentre.org/statement-by-the-womenssituation-room-liberia-on-the-presidential-run-off-elections-2017/ 231 Limo I ‘The Women’s Situation Room in Africa: An Initiative for Peaceful and Inclusive Elections’ 79