The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), has called on state governments to implement the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) to ensure sustainable post-conflict solutions and lasting peace.
Director General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, made this appeal in Kaduna during a two-day retreat for Yobe State House of Assembly members.
The retreat, organized in collaboration with UN Women and supported by the German government, was aimed at fostering collaboration between government arms and implementing actionable strategies to ensure gender inclusion in peace-building initiatives.
The Speaker of Yobe State House of Assembly, Chiroma Mashid, and the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Yajalo Badama, both emphasized the need for stronger partnerships between legislative and executive arms of government to accelerate progress on gender equality and peace-building.
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While Nigeria has adopted three National Action Plans under the Women, Peace, and Security framework, the retreat underscored the critical role of lawmakers in promoting gender equality and supporting the implementation of State Action Plans on Women, Peace, and Security.
Globally, women account for less than 6% of formal peace negotiators, according to the United Nations and their exclusion often means that women’s needs and interests are overlooked in post-conflict planning, weakening the prospects for comprehensive and inclusive solutions.
(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)
