An NGO, Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women (LANW), has sensitized women of Kidandan community in Giwa Local Council Area of Kaduna state on peace building.
The sensitisation, which was under the ‘Empowering women to build resilient communities’ project, was implemented by LAWN and supported by Global Peace Development in collaboration with Global Community Engagement and Resilient Fund (GCERF).
Speaking to newsmen at the Kidandan village Head’s palace, Mrs. Hannatu Ahuwan, the Acting Executive Director for LAWN explained that the project was initiated to encourage women’s participation in ensuring peaceful communities.
She explained that Kidandan community was selected due to its past experiences with insecurity and conflict, where community members had to relocate and couldn’t access their farms or schools.
She however noted that the situation in the community is now calm, where the project aims to build on the progress.
Ahuwan emphasized the importance of women’s involvement in peace building processes, stating that it would benefit women, families, and the community as a whole.
“The project aims to build women’s capacity for peace building, negotiation, and leadership,” she stressed.
This, she said would also help build the skills of the women for leadership, thereby enabling them to participate in leadership structures of the community, especially in peace building.
Also, Samuel Joshua, Project Officer for the CBLA Empowering Women for Building Resilient Communities Project, explained that a resilient community is one that can withstand and recover from challenges.
Joshua highlighted the importance of peace and inclusion in building community resilience, noting that women’s participation is crucial in peace building efforts.
According to him, peace and inclusion provide the stability needed for people to build their lives, run businesses, and send children to school.
“When people live in safety and without fear of conflict, they can contribute more meaningfully to development,” he disclosed.
Joshua emphasized that women’s experiences and perspectives are essential for understanding and addressing the root causes of conflict.
He noted that community leaders, women, youth, and people with disabilities are expected to work together to ensure peace and resilience in the community.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Abubakar Umar-Ruka, Village Head of Kidandan, stated his commitment to work together with the project implementers to ensure its success.
Umar-Ruka believes that by empowering women, they can build a more peaceful and prosperous community for everyone.
The Village Head expressed optimism that the project would have a positive impact on the community, and pledged to support the project’s activities.
Olusola Akintonde