WANEP advocates need for women’s voices in peace, security


The need for women’s voices to be included in peace and security issues, if there must be lasting peace in Nigeria has been reiterated.

Formost peacebuilding advocates the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) Nigeria,  in collaboration with Global Network for Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) made the call yesterday in Abuja  at a Media Roundtable on UNSCR 1325 and Women in Peace and Security (WPS).

The meeting focused on the need for Media Stratagies and Commitments to the localization and implementation of UNSCR 1325, to enable Nigeria effectively implement its National Action Plan (NAP).

National Network Coordinator for WANEP Bridget Osakwe, said women and girls are worse hit by conflict situations, regretting that they have not been carried along at decision making levels of peace and security issues even when they have salient roles and contributions to make.

She said “Women and girls are worst hit by conflict situations but they also have the capacity to contribute to peace and so their perspective should come to play.

“The time has come to amplify women’s voices in peace and security, we can see what is going on in Zamfara, while men and women are experiencing thesame thing the women have stood up in protest leading other men to call for peace in the state. This is an example of the possitive role women can play in peace and security,” she said.

The Coordinator therefore called on all men accros the country to support in amplifying the voices of women at decision making levels of peace and security deliberations.

“Today, we are calling on men and boys to be allies to women in building peace in every community in Nigeria

“Women have lots of role in this, they can mobilise themselves to push for peace, they can contribute to dialogue and we have seen even in international setting women playing diplomatic shuttle like taking peace messages from house to house and telling the people what they can do, mobilising at the grassroots and this culminate to peace tables,” she stressed.

“Women can talk to women, men and children. Women are good in mediation and have been very good in it and can also negociate from grassroot to federal level if given the chance,” she added.

Earlier, WANEP Media Consultant Senator Iroegbu, noted the multitasking strenght of women, urging stakeholders to take advantage of what they can bring to the table of security deliberations rather than take them forgranted saying many women both past and present have shown capability in handling serious issues affecting the masses.

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