The United Nations (UN), has called for full inclusion and participation of women in formal dialogue and mediation processes at various levels to stimulate discussions on approaches to address the gaps, barriers and harness the broad mediation capacities that women in Nigeria possess to respond to emerging threats.
This was the crux of the High-Level Convening on Women, Dialogue and Meditation in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Speaking, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS Comfort Lamptey, said that having women at the peace table strengthens accountability for implementation of policies.
“We know from evidence that having women at the peace table generates greater buy-in and strengthens accountability for implementation. Women’s participation also makes peace more durable because, with their input, agreements go beyond the realm of power to the realities of people. Studies indicate that peace processes that include women as mediators, witnesses, signatories, or negotiators are 35% more likely to last 15 years,” she said.
According to her “This convening is as such highly significant as it will enable us to review strategies for strengthening women’s meaningful participation in formal dialogue and mediation processes at all levels by addressing gaps and barriers to their participation, whilst at the same time, also providing an opportunity to showcase existing capacities of women mediators and women mediation networks in Nigeria”.
She added that Women’s participation makes peace more durable because, with their input, agreements go beyond the realm of power to the realities of people. ” In addition, women can provide cross-state experience sharing, especially those who have engaged in the farmer-herder conflict in the Middle Belt and can provide support to women in the South, where the conflict is shifting.”
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, said that the various violent conflicts in Nigeria have claimed many lives, caused properties worth millions of Naira to be destroyed and brought about untold hardship to the people as well as cause socio-economic backwardness in the country.
“No doubt, women and children, including girls are most negatively impacted by the effects of these violent conflicts. This is why we must continue to support their inclusion in peace building processes at all levels. You will all agree with me that women possess the required management, negotiation and reconciliation abilities, which is often seen in their day to day peace mediation in the home front and even within the communities”, the minister said.
The Minister, further enjoined all stakeholders to ensure that, Nigerian women are fully integrated into all aspects of decision-making.
“Without doubt, I am optimistic that, through dialogue and mediation with adequate involvement of women, we would address series of violent conflicts in Nigeria as well as restore peace and tranquility that has eluded most parts of the country for some decades now,” she said.
To this, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs as the custodian of the UNSCR-1325 in Nigeria, has been very proactive in its implementation which has led to of the development of the first and second National Action Plan in 2013 and 2017 respectively. Since then, we have made remarkable progress, with 14 States have domesticated it as their State Action Plan, while greater gender mainstreaming has been achieved in various Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, called for participation of women at the decision table to have full development.
“Besides our ongoing advocacy at all levels to enhance full participation of women all in all development efforts in this country. we have tried in most of our engagements to ensure that women are on the table, that the voices of women are heard, and that women are involved in the plan and design of development programmes. This have enhanced their role in decision making and also enhance their advocacy for peace and security,” he said.
According to him “We are extremely concerned because peace and security in Nigeria is not only for Nigerians but the whole of Africa. Nigeria is the most populous country in the continent and the largest economy, therefore peace and security and stability in Nigeria has the far reaching implications for the sub region and Africa at large.
“It goes with this saying that if Nigeria prospers Africa prospers, this is the largest market, now we are talking about Africa continental free trade agreement, if Nigeria is not fully engaged in that, were are going to have the market in Africa. This is the reality we have to put in place. Nigeria remains a strategic country not only for Nigerians but the Africa at large”.
Dr. Chris Kwaja, while presenting findings on the “Assessment of the utilization of dialogue and mediation on response to farmers herder conflict in Kaduna and Plateau States with a focus on the participation of women”, said despite the abundant skills women possess for mediation in the current conflicts between farmers and herders, they have not been fully harnessed.
According to him, practices that are linked to patriarchy, religion and culture were identifies as some of the major hindrances to women’s effective participation in dialogue and mediation that address the farmer herder conflicts across the state.
Stakeholders at the forum were of the view that since dialogue and mediation have been proven to be an effective tools for peace building, it should implemented in ways that guarantee sustainability.
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