Women underscored in peace building participation

pink-female-face-for-happy-women-s-day_1017-12425

International Women’s Day, 2018

International Women’s Day, 2018 was celebrated on the 8th of March

The Director-General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Prof. Oshita Oshita, on Wednesday underscored the role of women in peace building in the society.

Oshita said this at the conference on “All-Nigeria Women Leaders on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution: Peace in Nigeria, a Collective Responsibility”, organised by the Centre for Gender Studies International (CGSI) in Abuja.

He called for proper streamlining of gender roles in peace and security for progress in the country.

The director-general, who was represented by the Head of Gender, Peace Resolution and Security, Mrs Grace Audu, said there was need to assign the role of coordinating body to arrive at systematic and envisaged outcomes in order to bridge existing gaps in peace processes.

He said importance of women in peace building led the UN into adopting a framework to enable them attain the leadership and decision making levels of peace talks.

“The effects of conflicts on Nigerians particularly women and children cannot be overemphasised.

“Psychological and emotional effects like traumatic stress disorder due to sudden death of family members notably, the husbands have left many of the women as widows,” Oshita said.

He said the UN in the year 2000 adopted a political framework, the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSC 1325), to bring women to the leadership and decision making levels in peace processes.

Related News

Oshita also acknowledged that women are more and differently impacted by conflict from men and therefore mandated member countries to integrate gender perspectives in all aspects of peace building.

READ: Atiku welcomes release of Dapchi school girls

The director-general said though Nigeria began the process of domesticating the UN resolutions by developing a National Action Plan (NAP), including the National Gender Policy (NGP) and the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), but it seems that the goal of the UNSCR 1325 was still far-fetched.

He therefore tasked stakeholders at the conference to engage with issues inhibiting the adequate promotion of peace in Nigeria that needed answers, urging them to come up with action points for next steps to be taken.

The representative of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Theresa Maduekwe, stressed that for peace to reign in Nigeria, citizens must embrace African values of respect for one another, and communal living where everyone is their brother’s keeper.

The Executive Secretary of the CGSI and former Commissioner of Women Affairs in Imo, Mrs Nma Onyechere, called for the protection of women interest in security matters by leaders in the country.

She stressed the urgent need for involving women particularly those at the grassroots in peace processes, noting that they are most affected by conflicts and crises.

Load more