UN Women advocates for increase of women in peace building.

From Francis Nansak,Lafia

Again the UN women- United Nations,Entity for Gender Equality and women empowerment has advocated for increase in women on peace building and security.

This time aroundwomen from Benue and Taraba states ,joined their Nasarawa state counterparts in a 4 days workshop for women leaders,organised by UN women for peace and security,which took place in Lafia ,the Nasarawa state capital on Monday.

Declaring open the workshop, the commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Nasarawa state,Hajiya Halima Jabiru,said the necessity for peace,mutual coexistence and harmony can not be over emphasized.

She said that this is based on the recognition that without peace ,there can not be meaningful and purposeful development in the states and the country at large.

Hajiya Halima Jabiru, pointed out that over the years and particularly with the returned of democratic governance in 1999 ,various forms of strife and disturbances have erupted across the country,not excluding the North Central region.

She said ” The exercise of freedom that were hitherto unavailable during the the long period of military rule ,the biting effects of climate change and migration in pursuit of economic survival,fear of domination and marginalisation among diverse groups,have all played a point in the evolution of these crisis and disturbances.

” As women and as the conscience of the society ,we are endowed with the innate capacity for peace building,mediation and conflict resolution” She added.

Also contributing,participants from Benue and Taraba states bears their minds on the importance of the workshop in separate interviews.

Mrs Dooshima Adeh,the Director,Ministry of Women Affairs ,Benue state,said the United Nations discovered that when women participate in peace building ,the agreement last for about 15years ,hence the need to train women leaders.

According to her,the workshop will bring about a change in public perception on women ,which religates women to the background,with the belief that women can not mediate in processes of peace building.

” So the workshop is apt and timely,as it help in building our capacity for peace mediation in our society.

” And as concerning farmers and herders conflicts,we have been trained on Early Warning and Response,which is a strategy on alerting the authorities on any crisis” She added.

On her part,the Taraba state, Director, Women Affairs Ministry ,Mrs Elizabeth Joshua ,said her expectation from the workshop is that her capacity will be further enhanced by adding more knowledge on her to improved on how best to go about her assignments,in accordance with the UN prescription.

Mrs Joshua, however promised that with the knowledge that she will acquire ,she will mobilised women in Taraba state and educate them on the need for peace building in their various communities.

Earlier, the programme Analyst,peace and security,Mrs Olubukola Ademola-Adelehin,posited that the aim of the joint workshop on Dailogue and peace building Advocacy for women leaders and organizations from Benue,Taraba and Nasarawa states is to advocate for increased in women participation on conflict resolution.

According to her the workshop became imperative as it will developed the capacity of the various women leaders in the north Central zone for finding lasting solution to conflicts involving farmers and herders in the states.

She thanked the participants and their state governments for creating the time to be part of the workshop,stressing that UN women are concern,as conflicts affects women and girls differently from the way it affects men.