From WPS to WPCD: Reimagining Women's Leadership in African Cyber Diplomacy

This working paper proposes Women, Peace and Cyber Diplomacy (WPCD) as an original conceptual framework for advancing women's inclusion in cyber governance, international cyber negotiations, and digital peacebuilding with a focus on Africa. Drawing on the evidence base and architecture of the United Nations Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, anchored in UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), the paper argues that women's inclusion in cyber diplomacy is not merely a gender equity aspiration but a strategic imperative for achieving comprehensive and sustainable outcomes in the digital domain. The paper introduces five pillars of WPCD - Representation, Digital Peacebuilding, Protection from Technology-Facilitated Harm, Capacity Building, and Inclusive Cyber Governance and situates the framework within Africa's digital transformation pathway. It concludes with targeted policy recommendations for African governments, regional organisations, universities, civil society, and international partners.