Participants at a seminar on strengthening women’s interfaith leadership have called for greater inclusion of women in peacebuilding, conflict mediation and democratic governance to promote lasting peace and protect human rights in Kaduna State.
The seminar, organised by the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) with support from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Abuja, brought together Christian and Muslim faith leaders, women peace advocates, traditional rulers, government officials, civil society organisations, youth leaders, media practitioners and development partners.
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The resolutions were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the one-day seminar held in Kaduna.
The participants said that Kaduna State’s religious and cultural diversity should be embraced as a source of unity rather than division, stressing that sustainable peace can only be achieved through dialogue, mutual respect and the active participation of women in peacebuilding efforts.
They urged religious leaders to discourage hate speech, derogatory labelling and inflammatory rhetoric while promoting reconciliation, tolerance and peaceful coexistence across communities.
The communiqué recommended the establishment of women’s interfaith peace councils across the state to coordinate advocacy, mediation, joint community initiatives and conflict prevention activities.
It also called for regular capacity-building programmes for women faith leaders in interfaith dialogue, conflict mediation, restorative justice, early warning systems and strategies for countering hate speech, stereotypes and religious extremism.
The participants further advocated economic empowerment programmes, including skills acquisition and cooperative schemes, to strengthen women’s participation in community decision-making and peace initiatives.
They encouraged women faith leaders to promote messages of peace through sermons and religious teachings while fostering a deeper understanding of sacred texts to advance harmony and peaceful coexistence.
The seminar also recommended specialised peacebuilding training for traditional rulers to strengthen their mediation roles and urged government at all levels to pursue inclusive policies in sports, tourism, infrastructure and other sectors capable of promoting social cohesion.
As part of the resolutions, the Interfaith Mediation Centre inaugurated Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Committees in the three senatorial districts of Kaduna State to coordinate the implementation of the agreed peacebuilding strategies.
The participants appealed to development partners to sustain support for women’s interfaith leadership initiatives and called on the Kaduna State Government to institutionalise policies that promote women’s participation in peacebuilding while providing adequate funding for related programmes.
They also urged security agencies to collaborate with women faith leaders on early warning and response mechanisms, called on civil society organisations to expand peace education and anti-stereotyping campaigns, and encouraged the media to promote narratives that advance peace, justice and inclusiveness.
The participants reaffirmed that lasting peace is achieved not merely through the absence of conflict but through dialogue, mutual respect and a shared commitment to peaceful coexistence.
