Bridget Osakwe is the national network coordinator, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP). In this brief interview with ENE OSANG, she stressed inclusion of women in formal peace processes at all levels, and called for more efforts from government to tackle insecurity.
How would you describe the current security situation in the country considering the promises made by government to check it?
Government needs to improve security measures obviously bearing in mind that violent extremism is still rife in the North-east; armed conflict, banditry, kidnappings and cult clashes in some states of the federation – these impact greatly on human, health and food security. To a large extent, conflict in Nigeria is a direct response to poor socio-economic structures on ground. High rate of youth unemployment, for example, is one of the factors responsible for armed conflicts as this group of young people is an easy target to perpetrate vicious activities.
What do you think can be done differently to improve on security in Nigeria?
Government needs to improve on security operations considering the prevalence of violence in the country. Though it is government’s responsibility to ensure peace and security, all hands also need to be on deck to safeguard our communities from armed conflicts. The civil society and the media have roles to play in ensuring peace – women’s contributions are important in the area of conflict prevention through apt early warnings to appropriate security agencies. Effective dialogue and negotiations among conflicting parties are areas that can be assessed for improved security in the country.
How would you assess the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in Nigeria, particularly from the National Action Plan (NAP) perspective?
The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development must be commended for their efforts in developing the first NAP and also reviewing it. The ministry constituted the National Steering Committee and also a National Advisory committee to coordinate and monitor implementation of the NAP with members drawn from the 36 states of the federation. Presently, eleven states have adopted the UNSCR 1325 including some going to the extent of adopting Local Action Plans on the resolution; Gombe and Plateau states specifically. Also, at state levels, policies related to the resolution such as the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill has been adopted including adoption of Violence Against Persons Act enacted in 2015. However, a lot still has to be done, such as raising awareness on women, peace and security resolutions as many are still not aware of it and the positive impacts it portends for everyone’s stability and wellbeing.
Tell us about the WANEP advocacy on women, peace and security?
WANEP’s Women in Peacebuilding programme was initiated in 2001 with the broad goal to elevate women from their state of obscurity to the fore to enable them play key roles alongside men in building peace. This was based on the realisation that ‘gender and peacebuilding’ did not adequately respond to the existing gap between men and women and that men and women cannot attain equal opportunities espoused in the gender equality definition if women are absent from the scene altogether. In the course of regional and national consultations with women’s groups across West Africa, WANEP realised that aside from the fact that women are excluded by design or default from peace processes by male establishment, women also suffer from lack of awareness and skills in peace making and also lack the confidence, exposure and opportunity to get involved.
Working through an ideology known as women’s peace activism, WIPNET makes a link between what women face in times of war and in every day society and believes that the systematic and engendered forms of violence women face at war time such as rape, torture, forced prostitution and forced marriage are expressions of a deeper disregard or discrimination against women in the larger society. Thus, WIPNET has been striving to address issues on women’s peace and security by promoting social justice and challenging patriarchal systems that are preserved and reinforced by wars and violence.
WANEP has then been advocating for the inclusion of women in formal peace processes at all levels. We have been saying women need not continue to be victims, but change agents in building peace in their communities and in the nation. Armed conflict affect men and women disproportionately, women mostly suffer consequences of violence, they are majorly displaced with their children, most become widows, sex slaves; as we have seen in the case of the kidnapped Chibok school girls, and not only this, they assume roles as head of families which most are not traditionally used to including losing their means of livelihood. Women have significant roles to play in peacebuilding; their concerns can be addressed effectively with their full and meaningful participation in decision making, leadership, conflict prevention, peace keeping and governance. To ensure meaningful participation and representation of women in peace processes and governance, WANEP has been building their skills to be able to assume these roles which are expected to guarantee sustainable peace.
What roles can women play at decision levels of security deliberations; should this really be their affairs?
Security should concern everybody and it should be the affair of women because they mostly suffer the consequences of insecurity. Women can play the role of effective mediators and negotiators, they have these skills naturally to proffer peace in conflict situations, they do these on daily basis in their families and their communities through their ability to wade into disputes and ensure harmonisation of conflicting parties. Furthermore, women can easily explore the soothing connection they have with men as mothers, sisters, daughters and wives to put an end to violence.
It’s been argued that women have not impacted enough moral values on children; hence they are blamed for the current insecurity situation. What would be your take on this notion?
The impartation of moral values into children should be a collective effort and not just women’s alone. However, women can always instruct their children on good morals and the consequences of nefarious deeds. Nonetheless, we must not forget the root causes of most insecurity situations such as poverty, unemployment, lack of education, poor socio-economic facilities, and poor governance and so on.
Do you think there can be gender equality on security issues in Nigeria?
Yes, with concerted effort of everyone; men, women, young and old including change in the mindset of restricted roles for women that they cannot contribute meaningfully to peace processes.
You held trainings for journalists recently on effective implementation of 1325; how do you think the media can support in bringing this to reality?
One of the pillars of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 is promotion. The media can contribute to its implementation by raising awareness consistently on the women, peace and security resolutions. After all, people cannot implement what they do not know about. The primary assignment of the media is to disseminate information; they should contribute profoundly by making sure everyone knows about this resolution at every nook and cranny of the country. Not only this, they should inform the public on adopting ownership of the resolution including at the grassroots and how their voices will shape global policy formulation and implementation.
What would be your call and advice to government and all other stakeholders on women, peace and security?
Government should strengthen political will to implement women, peace and security resolutions. They should create specific budgetary allocation for the course including improved coordination for implementation among relevant stakeholders.
