Recently, civil society actors, community stakeholders, women, men and youth group in Nigeria advocated active involvement of women in peace building and conflict resolution.
The advocacy was high point of a three day training workshop on conflict prevention, violence extremism, crisis management and peace building, held in Uyo.
The training workshop, which is an initiative of Research & Action for Peace Network (REcAP) Project, funded by the European Union, and implemented by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in eighteen (18) countries of West Africa and the Lake Chad Basin (WA & LCB), is aimed at building the capacity of participants to effectively wade into conflict and ensure peaceful resolution.
The participants at the training workshop noted with dismay that very often, when government at all levels design programs and policies for post conflict transition, they seldom consult women because they do not know much about women’s role during conflict.
However, the participants in their contributions to discussion at the event, align with West Africa Network For Peacebuilding (WANEP) that women are generally peaceful and able to build relationships due to the social and biological roles as nurturers, thus, the need to carry them along peace building and conflict resolution.
Again, the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 stipulates that bringing a gender lens to conflict analysis can make a significant to conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peace building.
The UNSCR 1325 whichh was adopted in October 31, 2000, specifically lay emphasis on the importance of equal participation and full involvement of women in all efforts to maintain and promote peace and security.
Also, Goal 5 of Sustainable Development Goal has aimed to achieve gender equality especially in terms of empowering women and girls who mostly the victims of conflicts and violence extremism.
In her presentation, WANEP Head of Program, Mrs Patience Ikpeh-Obaolu, noted that women are often more vulnerable during conflict, they are better equipped than men to prevent conflict occurrence, thus, have a greater to play in the prevention and resolution.
According to her, “women centrality to communal life (preservers of culture and central caretakers make their inclusion in peace building and conflict resolution essential”.
In her own presentation, the National Coordinator of WANEP, Dr Bridget Osakwe, emphasized on early warning in peace building as a major key factor in conflict prevention, therefore, the need for “mitigation and preparedness”.
One year at National Assembly, Patrick Umoh emerges lawmaker with highest number of bills
While stressing that conflict prevention and resolution should not be left in the hands of security agencies alone, she called for active “participation of communities” and as well “appreciate and understand the risk, respect the warning and be prepared to react, and that women play a timely and appropriate role responding to warning”.
She also particularly called on policy makers to go beyond mere policy making but ensure the implementation of peace building research result for a peaceful society.
The three days training workshop featured goodwill messages from the Akwa Ibom State coordinator of WANEP, Ambassador Peace Edem, and Executive Director of COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peace Building, Mr Saviour Akpan, as well as presentation of certificate to participants.
