Stakeholders Commit To Advancing Nigeria’s Gender-Inclusive Security Reforms

The fifth annual forum of the Women, Peace, and Security Sector Reference Group, organised by UN Women Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, is underway in Abuja.

The event aims to strengthen the role of women in Nigeria’s security sector, with a focus on dismantling systemic barriers that hinder women’s participation in decision-making positions.

Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, emphasised the need for greater gender inclusion in the security sector. She celebrated the progress made in mainstreaming gender through the National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace, and Security, which has been implemented in 16 states and 22 local governments.

However, she highlighted that women still face challenges in security institutions despite their significant contributions to national security.

The Minister stressed the urgency of bridging the gap between policy commitments and their effective implementation, advocating for equal opportunities for women in recruitment, leadership, and operational roles.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim identified five key priorities for gender integration: embedding gender policies in security planning and budgeting, increasing women’s representation in leadership, improving gender-sensitive recruitment and promotion pathways, establishing institutional accountability mechanisms, and enhancing frameworks to protect women and girls from violence.

UN Women’s Beatrice Eyong spoke about the organisations support in reviewing key legislation, such as the Armed Forces Act and the Nigerian Police Act, with a gender lens.

She urged security institutions to actively support the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the third NAP on Women, Peace, and Security, emphasising the importance of the 10th National Assembly prioritising gender-sensitive legal reforms.

The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annette Gunther, represented by Christoph Schuett, reaffirmed Germany’s support in promoting women’s roles in security and strengthening partnerships for peace.

Similarly, Bashir Adeniyi, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, highlighted the need for sustained collaboration to address security challenges, while Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, reiterated the importance of gender-responsive policies in security institutions.

The forum, supported by German Cooperation and the Government of Norway, focuses on enhancing the implementation of Nigeria’s third NAP on Women, Peace, and Security and underscores the role of the security sector in creating an inclusive and effective peace-building environment.