support for the integration of gender concerns, particularly given the high level of violence against women that had occurred during the insurgency. A Women’s Peace Torch based on a five-day solidarity journey to Juba was flagged off from female women leaders from Kenya on October 27, 2006 which was received by Uganda’s Minister of State for Gender, ensuing in a march in Kampala68and a handing over of the torch by the UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador to the Speaker of Parliament.69 The Uganda Women Parliamentary Association and the Civil Society Women’s Peace Coalition embarked on a peace caravan to Juba under the theme "Women of Uganda Want Peace and Peace Needs Women",70 targeting war affected populations including IDPs. The torch travelled through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Angola, Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, Mali, Liberia, Ethiopia and South Africa over two years71 and was eventually handed to the Chief Mediator and representatives of the negotiating parties in December 2006. Three of the leading national women’s NGOs in Uganda formed a coalition with numerous networks of peacebuilders at the grassroots level and especially from the war affected areas.72At gatherings of 750 people at a time, the Juba Peace talks agenda items being debated in formal talks in Juba would be discussed in real time with the grassroots women. The lead NGOs would then pass emerging resolutions to negotiators and also funded some women representatives to lobby and observe the peace talks in Juba as well.73 The Uganda Women’s Peace Coalition meeting with the Ugandan President in May 2007 yielded results when the first female was included on Uganda’s official negotiation team.74 68 Sudan Tribune ‘Ugandan women to take peace torch to Juba’. Thursday 9 November 2006 Available at https://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?iframe&page=imprimable&id_article=18573 69 Reliefweb ‘UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador Phoebe Asiyo pushes for women's participation in the Northern Uganda peace talks, 01 November 2006. Available at https://reliefweb.int/report/uganda/unifem-goodwillambassador-phoebe-asiyo-pushes-womens-participation-northern-uganda 70 Press statement by UNIFEM and UWONET: Northern Uganda women speak out on Juba talks. 2006-10-19 71 Stephanie Nieuwoudt ‘The Long March for Peace’, Institute for War and Peace Reporting 1 Dec 06. Available at https://iwpr.net/global-voices/long-march-peace. 72 Musoke H ‘Transitional justice and gender in Uganda: Making peace, failing women during the peace negotiation process’ Journal Home, Vol 9, No 2 (2009). 73 Ibid 74 Anna Svenson Towards Sustainable Peace in Uganda?- a study of peacebuilding in northern Uganda and the involvement of the civil society during the LRA/ government of Uganda peace process of 2006-2007’ 2007 Vaxjo University. 32