In response to the incessant kidnappings, robberies, killings, prevalent in Nigeria, the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) Nigeria, has called on key stakeholders in the development sector to include more peacebuilding activities as part of their core activities in 2023.
National Coordinator of WANEP Nigeria, Chief Mrs. Bridget Osakwe made the call while fielding questions from newsmen in Lagos.
Mrs. Osakwe said the high rate of insecurity in most parts of Nigeria was alarming, adding that, only concerted efforts by key stakeholders could help make the nation safe again. She said one of such activities was the domestication of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR 1325) in all states of the federation.
She lamented that out of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, only 17 states had domesticated the UNSCR 1325 and validated their State Action Plan (SAP):
“The UNSCR 1325 promotes the inclusion of women in decision making as regards women, peace, and security (WPS).
“In 2018, to promote the inclusion of women in peacebuilding processes at community level, WANEP- Nigeria with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) began the project: ‘Enhancing Participation of Women in Peace and Human Security in Nigeria’.
“The project aimed to strengthen women’s social networking capacities towards effective participation in formal peace processes in three states in the Niger Delta (Edo, Delta, and Rivers States) and to promote women’s participation in countering violent extremism to advance the implementation of Nigeria National Action Plan (NAP) on UNSCR 1325 at the local level in three States in North East, Nigeria – Bauchi, Borno and Gombe States”, Osakwe explained.
The WANEP boss further called on journalists to promote gender balance in their reportage and not relent in reporting domestic violence meted on women, to avoid the women being killed or incapacitated.
WANEP was established to provide an organised platform for collaborative peacebuilding in Nigeria by indigenous nongovernmental organisations working in the area of conflict, peace and security.
Its operational framework is designed along the vision of the regional network operating in 15 countries of West Africa with its headquarters in Accra, Ghana.
