Recognise Women’s role as peace builders and agents of change- Tallen.

CHIDIMMA UCHEGBU-Abuja.

The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs Dame Pauline K. Tallen OFR, KSG , recognises women’s role as peace builders and agents of change . Minister made this statement in Abuja at the Media briefing/ Inauguration of the 3RD NAP National Technical Working Committee in Commemoration of the 22ND Anniversary of the UNSCR 1325 On Women Peace And Security Agenda calling on UN Member States, Civil society, and the international community to ensure women’s increased participation in conflict prevention and peace building processes ,at all levels.

Tallen said that the UNSCR 1325 is the first amongst Nine (9) other Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security Agenda. It recognizes that armed conflict impacts women differently from men and demands protection of women and girls during armed conflict and post conflict situations.

According to her, it provides an opportunity to highlight our successes, challenges and lessons learnt, as well as our present activities towards accelerating progress in achieving the full objectives of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda.

As the custodian of the UNSCR-1325 in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has been very proactive in its implementation which has led to the development of the first and second National Action Plan in 2013 and 2017 respectively. Since then, we have made remarkable progress. I will like to appreciate all our partners who have supported the development and implementation of Nigeria’s 1st and 2nd NAP including those eager to see to the development of 3rd and new WPS plan especially, UN Women, UNICEF, UNDP and other UN agencies; European Union, Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, Government of Norway and Germany, WANEP, Search For Common Ground, ActionAid, Mercy Corps and others, the various Women Groups and Networks, Traditional Institutions and the Media, the Nigeria Military, the Police, and other Security Agencies.

Also, she said that the task of developing this 3rd NAP is quite an enormous one and much partnership and collaboration is needed for its actualization. Although, Nigeria has experienced some setbacks in developing the 3rd generation NAP, we are confident that it will capture emerging peace and security issues from femininity, humanitarian and human rights perspectives amongst others and would be a great instrument to address various fragment of insecurity situations experienced in almost every nook and cranny of our society.

At this juncture, she called on all Development Partners, Multilateral Agencies, INGOs and Members of the Mass Media to support the process. It would be recalled that the 2nd NAP also led to strengthening of women’s voices and structures evidenced by the frequency with which gender concerns are integrated in public policy texts and discussions; the vibrant activists landscape of women – focused civil society organizations has also emerged to monitor implementation. We also witnessed greater gender mainstreaming in various Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and has also contributed to present days Reforms witnessed in the Security Sector within the country.

One major milestone in the implementation was the domestication of the NAP by 15 States: Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Delta, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Rivers and Yobe with corresponding LAPs. Katsina State which would make the 16th State has finalized the development of its Action Plan which will be launched before the end of this year, she stated.

While applauding these States for their efforts in domesticating the NAP, I also wish to use this platform to appeal to them to take further steps in making budgetary provisions for the implementation, while those that are yet to start the process should consider it as a matter of urgency as women’s adequate participation in conflict resolution and peace processes remains the panacea to the heightened insecurity situation around the world and within this country.
In recognition of the need to have relevant structures that would facilitate the implementation of this Agenda, the following steps, networks and platforms were established:

Establishment of the Annual Security Sector Forum on Women, in the Security Sector to consolidate on the current civil-military relationships crucial to the realization of the peace and security of this country chaired by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and co-chaired by the Defence Headquarters;

Development and launch of a Gender Policy for the Armed Forces of Nigeria in April 2021 and that of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in June, 2021. The Gender Policies for other Paramilitary agencies are underway.
Establishment of the Women, Peace and Security National Advisory Committee involving States as members with the intention of driving the implementation to the local levels;
National Advisory Council Meets quarterly to collate feedbacks and updates; assess level of implementation for reporting to UN, SDG, ECOWAS and AU;
Formation and induction of Women Peace Ambassadors and Lead Mentor Groups in 36 States of the federation;
Women Mediation Networks, Women Peace Mentors, Media Networks and HeforShe Networks of Male Gender Champions amongst others.

“Greater inclusion of women in the traditional cabinets in most of the States where the National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 was domesticated thereby breaking the conventional discriminatory culture against women in peacebuilding processes;

Generated what we have today as Nigerian Women’s Ten Points Agenda on Resolving Security Issues in Nigeria;

Launched of HeforShe campaign in 12 States of the federation through persistent advocacy that in turn increased number of men and boys as champions for women and girls rights;

We have Launched a website for Nigeria on Women, Peace and Security (www.wpsnigeria.net). The website serves as a collective repository and community of practice on the WPS agenda etc.
Sge concluded by congratulating the 3rd National Action Plan’s National Technical Working Committee whom she was optimistic that their expertise would expedite the process and bring about the development of a national document that would be of global standard.

It is therefore my honour to formally inaugurate the WPS-3rd NAP National Technical Working Committee with a total number of 25 members. The time frame of this Committee including launching the document should be March, 2023 as a lasting legacy of this administration. Congratulations and thank you all for your attention.

Finally, she thanked all for standing in solidarity with the Ministry always.