From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
A group, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Nigeria, said it has trained over 1,500 community women with peace-building skills to wade into conflict and ensure peaceful resolution in project areas.
The National Network Coordinator (NNC) of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, Dr. Bridget Osakwe, disclosed this at a two-day review meeting on localization of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and Women, Peace and Security in Edo State, held in Benin.
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She said WANEP’s major achievements have been the drafting of Local and State Action Plans on UNSCR 1325 in Balanga and Kwami Lags in Gombe State; Katagum and Toro in Bauchi State; Maiduguri Municipal Area in Bornu State and Edo State Action Plan on UNSCR 1325.
Giving an overview of the objectives of the meeting, WANEP’s Head of Programm, Mrs Patience Ikpeh-Obaulo, said the meeting aimed to build the understanding of the UNSCR 1325 and Nigerian NAP 1325 among local government authorities, local women activists and leaders, youth activists and leaders, civil society, and marginalized groups in the State.
She said the meeting also aimed to discuss the draft Edo SAP on UNSCR 1325 and identify concrete actions to implement it.
Delivering a keynote lecture on “Understanding Gender and Peacebuilding”, the Executive Director of Women, Youths and Children Advancement Programme- Barr. Agatha Osieke, said peace-building is the process or actions taken to create a sustaining peaceful society by addressing the “root causes” of conflict and promoting positive relationship.
She said for a peace-building exercise to be successful, it must be based on the philosophy of inclusivity, which include gender equity, gender equality, and social justice.
Quoting Johan Galtung, she said that approaches to peace include peacekeeping, peacemaking, and peacebuilding.
Also speaking, the Edo State Coordinator of WANEP Nigeria, Comrade Kingsley Kefe said the meeting was happening at a critical moment, when there is so much insecurity in the state adding that the resultant effects are more on women.
Also speaking, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika applauded WANEP for coming up with the meeting. He said Edo State is long overdue to have her State Action Plan 1325.
He said the Police would continue to promote gender equality and social justice in the discharge of its duties in the State.
The Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, (FIDA) Nigeria, Edo State branch, Princess Francisca Elema, said Edo FIDA would not relent in ensuring that the Edo State Action Plan is domesticated.
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