UNSCR 1325: Edo State Commences Development of Action Plan for the Inclusion of Women in Peacebuilding

In a bid to getting women involve in peacebuilding and security issues in Edo State, a 3- day workshop geared towards the development of the state action plan has been held in Benin. Participants at the workshop are members of the Technical Steering Committee on United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. They are drawn from government ministries, civil society organizations, paramilitary, the media, and religious leaders.

The 3- day workshop was under the auspices of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), with support from the Norwegian government.

Welcoming the Technical Steering Committee members, the Edo State Coordinator of WANEP- Agatha Osieke, Esq, said it was time for Edo women to engage themselves in peacebuilding process, saying women has a way of stabilizing the society. She said that is what UNSCR 1325 stands for.

In a remark, Mrs Ebuwa Odeh who representated the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning said the State governor- Mr Godwin Obaseki is in support of the development of Edo SAP, saying he has always be in the forefront in promoting the wellbeing of women and girls in the State.

On her part, representative of the Commissioner for Social Development and Gender Issues- Mrs Eseosa Onebamoi said developing a SAP for Edo State will help complement the effort of the ministry in promoting the wellbeing of Edo women and girls.

Speaking, WANEP’s Head of Programs- Patience Ikpeh Obaulo, said the objectives of the workshop were to develop Edo State Action Plan in line with UNSCR 1325 and the Nigeria Action Plan (NAP), and to ascertain the cost of the state action plan and promote systematic coordination and accountability in implementation of the state action plan.

Patience Ikpeh Obaulo said the reason for involving women in peacebuilding issues include but not limited to the following: “women are generally peaceful and able to build relationships due to their social and biological role as mother’s; women are more vulnerable during conflict and post conflict situations; women’s centrality to communal life; etc”.

She said the UNSCR 1325 builds on the following: “international convention and policy documents including- the UN Convention relating to the status of refugees and the Convention on elimination of discriminations against women”.

Speaking on Inclusivity and Peace Building: Development of Edo State Action Plan on UNSCR 1325, a Peacebuilding Consultant and Executive Director of Global Peace Development, Ebruke Onajite Esike said “peacebuilding is any activity that contributes to the construction of durable peace structures regardless of which phase of the conflict is and where it occured in”. He also added that peacebuilding can be arrived at before, during, and after violence.

Ebruke Onajite Esike said the reason for developing Edo State SAP on UNSCR 1325 include: “to break the culture of silence; to mitigate human rights violations meted on women and girls; ensuring equality and visibility of women and girls; eliminating exclusion of women and girls of women and girls from governance and peace building platforms at the community, local, State and National levels; to enable a ructuresfor rehabilitation, and post conflict reconstruction”, he said.

The peacebuilding consultant said Edo SAP is to be built around UNSCR 1325 which include: prevention, management, and resolution; participation of Women in decision making; protection of rights and needs of women/prosecution; rehabilitation, reintegration, and post-conflict reconstruction; and promotion of peace and security.

As part of the program the draft SAP on UNSCR 1325 was develop by members of the Technical Steering Committee.

As part of the program the draft SAP on UNSCR 1325 was develop by members of the Technical Steering Committee .

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