A non-governmental organisation, Gender Awareness Trust (GAT), has called for stronger coordination among stakeholders to deepen women’s participation in peace building across Kaduna State.

GAT Executive Director, Lydia Umar, made the call on Thursday in Kaduna, at a strategic planning meeting on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), under the Strengthening Inclusive Peace Project (SIPP) in Kaduna.

The project is supported by the Strengthening Peace and Resilience In Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme, an initiative of the UK government.

Ms Umar said the SPRiNG project was in its third year in Kaduna, adding that GAT joined the initiative during its second year and implemented several activities across Kaduna State.

She said the current phase was designed to strengthen existing structures and achievements rather than introduce another standalone intervention.

She said the approach was necessary because many development projects lose momentum after partners withdraw, leaving communities without sustainable structures.

Ms Umar said SPRiNG prioritised sustainability by establishing Male Allies, trained to promote positive masculinity and support women’s inclusion in peacebuilding

She said the strategic meeting was also aimed at strengthening the Kaduna State Action Plan Implementation Committee on WPS.

According to her, Governor Uba Sani launched the state’s Women, Peace and Security Policy last year, creating an opportunity for stakeholders to move from policy development to implementation.

Ms Umar said a previous review found that the policy was a good document but remained largely unimplemented, stressing the need to ensure effective ownership and implementation.

She said the meeting would strengthen coordination among the 25-member implementation committee and facilitate participatory planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Ms Umar said stakeholders would also develop mechanisms for tracking implementation and providing oversight of WPS activities across Kaduna State.

She stressed that budgeting was critical to successful implementation, noting that policies could not achieve their objectives without adequate financial resources.

The executive director said the project would prioritise prevention and participation while identifying opportunities to integrate WPS priorities into state and local government programmes.

She urged committee members to ensure that the priorities were reflected in government plans, adding that their roles and responsibilities would also be reviewed.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Rabi Salisu, represented by her Senior Special Assistant, Maryam Muazu, said women should be regarded as agents of peace.

Ms Salisu said women were not merely victims of conflict but important actors in conflict prevention, mediation, reconciliation and sustainable peace.

She stressed that effective peacebuilding required coordinated efforts among government agencies, traditional and religious leaders, women, youth, civil society organisations, security agencies and development partners.

The commissioner said stronger coordination would improve information sharing, early warning responses, mediation and referral mechanisms, particularly at community level.

She urged stakeholders to ensure that peacebuilding interventions addressed the needs of rural women, young women, women living with disabilities, widows and other vulnerable groups.

Ms Salisu assured participants of the ministry’s continued support for initiatives promoting women’s leadership, social inclusion, social cohesion and peaceful communities.

SPRiNG representative in Kaduna, Emmanuel Barau, said United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on WPS remained active in Kaduna.

Mr Barau said SPRiNG was working to operationalise the policy by cascading it to different sectors and localities, with the possibility of developing local action plans.

He said SPRiNG operated across Plateau, Benue, Kaduna and Katsina states, focusing on resilience, justice, peace, security, climate change, agriculture and natural resource management.

Mr Barau said the programme also linked WPS with Youth, Peace and Security, guided by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250.

A traditional institution representative, Tijjani Baba, said women’s involvement had proven valuable in restoring communities affected by conflict.

He recalled an encounter with district heads from several states, where a colleague explained how he rebuilt and reintegrated residents who deserted a conflict-affected community.

Mr Baba said the experience changed the perception of some traditional leaders who previously underestimated their contribution to peace and security.

He urged stakeholders to continue engaging women as advisers and partners, saying their participation could strengthen community intelligence, reconciliation and sustainable peace.

(NAN)