UN WOMEN to Implement Women Peace and Security Programme Phase 2 Holds Stakeholders Consultative Meeting with Benue Stakeholders
Advocates against gender disparity in Benue
Stakeholders during the Consultative Meeting withe UN Women tem
By Adoche Peacenita/Mtemdoo Gbagyo –
UN Resolution 1325 was the first formal and legal document from the Security Council that required parties in a conflict to prevent violations of women’s rights, to support women’s participation in peace negotiations and in post-conflict reconstruction, and to protect women and girls from wartime sexual violence. It was also the first United Nations Security Council resolution to specifically mention the impact of conflict on women.The resolution has since become an organizing framework for the women, peace, and security agenda, which focuses on advancing the components of Resolution 1325 in Benue State following the implementation of the Phase 1 from 2019 to 2021 with support from the Government of Norway.
To further strengthen and build on the gains of the previous project earlier implemented, the Embassy of Norway has further selected Benue among other states like Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau, to benefit in the second state of Implementation.
Against this backdrop, the UN women Stakeholders consultative meeting on Peace and security programme was held at the M.T Square hotels, Makurdi in Benue State, on the 25th of March 2022.
While welcoming participants to the meeting, Bukola Ademola Adelehin of UN Women said the aim of the Stakeholders meeting is geared towards building a more collaborative approach as well as deepening engagement on peaceful and gender-equal society by creating an enabling environment for the implementation of the commitment of UN Women through strengthening advocacy, policy and legal frameworks, so as to increase a meaningful participation of women to deliver the United Nations Security Counsil Resolutions (UNSCR)1325 Commitment for conflict prevention and sustainable peace across states, being the need for the second phase of the project.
The Director in charge of Women Affairs, Benue State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (BSMWASD) Mrs Dooshima Ageh who stood in for the Honourable Commissioner of MWASD, Mrs Tabitha Igirgi while welcoming the various Stakeholders to the meeting, called on the Benue women to stand tall and begin to participate actively in both political and economic processes so as to break the barrier of gender inequality against women. She added that, Parents should pay attention to their children especially “the girl child” by granting them rights to sound education and also raising them in good character and morals.
Mr Peter Mancha and Bukola Adelehin all of UN Women responding to questions from stakeholders during the meeting
Mr Peter Mancha, while giving the overview of the Women Peace and Security Programme, unequivocally opined; ‘notable milestones from Phase I include development of a State Action Plan (SAP) on Women Peace and Security #UNSCR1325 , establishment of Implementation and Monitoring Committee for the policy document; Formation of funtional Women Mediation Network and #HeForShe Network to engage in conflict prevention and peacebuilding processes at both state and LGA levels, as well as weekly broadcast on the WPS agenda on Radio Benue. He stated further that the Programme was implemented by the UN Women, in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria, and with funding support from the Government of Norway.
In a related development, Mr Mancha provided an overview of Phase 2 of the Women Peace and Security Programme in Nigeria, emphasizing that the Phase 2 of the project would seek to expand in scope and further consolidate on the achievements recorded during the the first phase. He called for honest endorsement of same by all stakeholders.
Corroborating Mr Mancha, Bukola Ademola Adelehin encourages all stakeholders and mediators to sensitize all individuals and groups on the Women Peace and Security (WPS) agenda specifically in Guma, Logo, Agatu, Gwer-west being the four benefiting LGAs, as well as other neighbouring Local Government Area’s in Benue State. She disclosed that Benue deserved a pat on the back for ranking 14th on the list of participating states with an action Plan.
Among the Stakeholders at the consultative meeting were: Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Benue State House of Assembly, Traditional Rulers, Local Area Council representatives, Women Mediation Networks from Guma and Gwer West, Christian Association of Nigeria, Muslim Community, Civil society organisations (CSOs), HeForShe Network, and the media.
Highlights of the meeting included statements of endorsement of the Women Peace and Security programme Phase 2 by the Stakeholders as they all pledged their commitment to the implementation of the Phase 2. The Director Women Affairs, Mrs Dooshima Ageh, on behalf of Honourable Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Tabitha Igirgi, and on behalf of the Government of Benue State, thanked members of the UN Women team and the government of Norway for finding Benue worthy to benefit in the second Phase of the WPS project.
We applaud the UN for all her commitment to a world of our dream.