By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Resillience Programme Coordinator with ActionAid, Team Lead of the SARVE 11 Project for ActionAid Nigeria, Mr. Anicetus Atakpu on Tuesday in Lokoja advocated for the inclusion of women in the discussion of peace and security at the grassroots level.
Atakpu made the remarks at a one-day Advocacy Engagement with Local Government Vice Chairpersons On The Development of Local Government Action Plan on Peace And Security of Women And Children in Kogi State.
Atakpu who attributed the non participation of women in the discussion of peace and insecurity in the society in the time past to cultural, religious, psychological, partriachical and educational factors noted that women and children are the most vulnerable to violent extremism.
“Until women are brought to the negotiating table to engage in peace and Security, achieving peace and Security in our communities would be challenging”. He noted
He called for the domestication of the UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace, Security as adopted in 2000 at the various Local Government Areas in the State which according to him, the declaration links gender equality and the maintenance of international peace and Security.
The Director of Women, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Babatunde Josephine Motunrayo, in an overview of SAP Document (journey so far in Kogi State), urged the women to be commitment and look at the peculiarities of these areas in designing a plan towards peace building in their Communities as it affect women and children.
The Executive Director of Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development, (PIBCID), Halima Oiza Sadiq, in her remarks described the Participants as critical stakeholders at the Local Government level and urged them to see the engagement as a partnership towards ensuring peace and Security.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the Vice Chairpersons Forum of Kogi State and Chairpersons Forum of Kogi State and Vice Chairperson of Omala LGA, Hon. Faruna Eleojo, described the engagement as capacity building stressing that the role of women in peace and Security is paramount in view of the rising wave of insecurity in the country.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Fatima Kabiru Buba, the Special Adviser on SDG Hon. Nasiru Ohiani, and the Kogi State Chairman of KONGRONET, Idris Ozovehe, lauded the engagement, describing women as the stronghold of peace and Security in the society.
The programme was organised by ActionAid in Conjunction with Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development, (PIBCID) with funding from Global Community Engagement and Resilience Funds.
