UNSCR 1325: WANEP, GNWP inaugurate localization steering committee in Kwami LGA
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
National Coordinator, West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP), Bridget Osakwe, has inaugurated members of the localization committee for Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Performing the function, shortly after the end of 2-day localization workshop on Nigeria’s National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, organised by West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP), in partnership with the Global Network of Women Peace builders (GNWP), with support from Global Affairs Canada, Peace and Stabilization Operations Program.
Osakwe urged them to employ practicable steps and methods such that without external support the initiative would be successful, she further encouraged the committee to take ownership by ensuring workable action plan.
”The Steering Committee was expected to prepare an implementable Action Plan, which would raise the capacity of women to participate in decision-making processes,” she said.
According to her, This was done under women in peace building programme of WANEP; representing 1 of the 5 thematic areas that include women in peace building.
Osakwe noted that there are high expectations that the communities would involve more women in peace and security, adding that there are certain percentage of men whom are already sympathetic to the issues affecting women.
She said, “We are here in Gombe for the localization workshop for Kwami Local Government Area. This is a specific space for women to create critical space and raise the capacity of women to participate in issues of these processes and to also work with male allies. A times, we do need to work with men, there are male feminists who feel the same way women feel when marginalized and discriminated in issues of leadership and when we identify such men that are critical to our advancement we work with them they are called male allies.
“There are men who are not allies but critical stakeholders by virtue of the positions that they hold like the local government chairman, Since we want to have a local action plan whether he is a male ally or not he has to be here so that we have his buy in from the beginning of the project.
“We are expecting a crop of people who are better informed about why women should be involved in peace and security. We are expecting that people will have better open minds towards women’s participation in leadership and then we are expecting that women and men that are here will be prepared to have an action plan not just an action plan but implementable action plan and are ready to follow up with the plan.”
While emphasizing on the choice of Kwami LGA, the National Coordinator stressed that WANEP has a standard of building on existing foundation for the sake of performance and improved results.
“What we do in WANEP is when we come into a community, we don’t want to start new structures we ask what is available strengthen what is available instead of building different structures that are not strong. When we came in we asked for what is available they said the UN women had worked in Kaltungo and Yalmatu Deba and when they were working they had a mirror of Balanga. If they had a mirror that means Balanga has a faint idea of what is going on so the need to strengthen and build this action plan in Balanga that already has idea. So we took Balanga on another project, We also brought Kwami to enlighten them towards mirroring them gradually,” Osakwe said
She bemoaned the negative impact of covid-19 on women, revealing that Peace is all encompassing adding that more women suddenly became confined with their abusers.
Osakwe added, “Peace is the totality of our wellbeing including health, when emergencies are affected peace is disturbed, health issues and diseases including Covid-19 is an emergency situation that affect peace. It is classified as emergency under the humanitarian response aspect of peace building. So when we say we are raising the capacity of women is for them to be totally prepared of what happens to them whether in health, education. Covid-19 has changed our lifestyles, the way we do things our situation. So the need to build the capacity of both men and women to respond adequately to covid-19. Women were now confined with their abusers, as more men stayed at home.”
On her part, Mavic Cabrera –Balleza, Chief Officer Officer of Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), who delivered an address virtually said the localization would yield support for women, adding that women would be empowered to make decision on matters directly affecting them.
“Is essential to promote systematic coordination and embrace cross sectoral cooperation among National and local government authority, civil society, local leaders, United Nations in implementing the women peace and security resolutions in Kwami and Balanga Local Government Areas. This is a flagship programme of GNWP, for us at the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders and our worthy partners West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP),as well as the local authorities we have worked with around the world. The localization programme is a bottom up approach for policy making and policy implementation. The localization strategy enables us to promote recognition, valuing and support for local population as they make their own decision on matters that affect their lives particularly peace and security,” Balleza said.
Also speaking, Patience Ikpeh- Obaulo, Head of Programmes West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP), lamented the socially constructed roles which society has placed on both men and women, adding that the society sees men as leaders and women as followers.
Obaulo said, “This gives men a leverage over women, this leads to discrimination and inequality within the society. The whole essence is to ensure women are given a level playing ground to be able to access opportunities that are available in the society today.
“If women are relegated to the background they will be unavailable to ascertain their potentials in life the whole essence of this workshop which is hinged on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 which looks at promoting the involvement of women in peace and security issues for us to realize the relevant roles that women are playing within communities, no longer seeing women as victims of conflict but now seeing them as effective and active actors within the communities that can build peace. “Alot of communities that we have intervened like in the Niger Delta; Rivers, Delta States women are already acting as mobilizers, mobilizing other women for their inclusion within structures. We see that already these women have a voice and place because already these structures have began to realize that women are playing key roles within the society.”
According to her, WANEP is working with the relevant stakeholders especially the traditional institution, in ensuring that women are considered in resolving issues, saying there initiatives mapped out towards the empowerment of women.
“You can see that in this training workshop we have traditional structure which is closest to the people they are the ones who interact more with the people.
We believe that if we can enlighten traditional rulers for them to begin to see the essence of having women in their councils they can be able to bring these women in and the patriarchal structure can be eroded because when women are heard and their concerns are also heard their needs are brought to the table and we will have a more holistic approach to resolving issues.
“We have Programmes in place for women by next week we are holding a 3-day National conference for young women across Nigeria. The programme will build their skills in leadership, peace building and advocacy. Young women across the 6 geopolitical zone in Nigeria will be in attendance. Aside that, for the women who are part of localization workshop we have what is called economic empowerment program we will be doing that by inaugurating cooperative societies within communities to see how we can empower these women economically and have them acquire soft loans they can use to start small scale businesses. We realized that if women are not empowered they will be unable to speak or sort themselves within groups in the society we have that as plan to empower these women economically,” she added.
Local Government Chairmen of Balanga and Kwami, district head of Gelengu, representative of the district head of Doho, women groups, members of the civil society, media, security agencies, State Emergency Management Agency, Ministry of Women Affairs and representative of internally displaced persons in Kwami were among those present for the workshop.
