In an effort to promote women’s active involvement in governance and decision-making processes, a one-day state-level consultative workshop on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Phase III was held in Plateau State.

Stakeholders from various sectors gathered at the Villa Grande Hotel and Resort in Jos on the 20th of July to identify strategies for improving women’s representation and participation in peace processes and governance.

The workshop, organized by UN Women in collaboration with the State Ministry for Women Affairs and Social Development, sought to review and analyze gaps in the previous second-generation Plateau State action plan for Women, Peace, and Security (WPS).

Mr. Zackaria Dambish, the Director of Administration at the Ministry of Women Affairs, emphasized the importance of addressing the shortcomings in the existing action plan, which should have been reviewed in 2020.

“Women’s activities in government and peace processes in the state must be recognized and amplified,” Zackaria urged the attendees, highlighting the urgency of devising effective strategies, especially given the recent change in government.

The workshop witnessed a diverse group of participants, including traditional rulers, government agencies, security forces, women mediators, media networks, civil society organizations, and academia.

Mrs. Justna Guful, a member of the Ministry of Women Affairs, outlined the workshop’s objectives, which centered around enhancing the five pillars of the Women, Peace, and Security initiative.

“Our objective is to review and analyze the existing gaps in the former action plan and addressing pertinent issues within the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). By doing so, we aim to make the WPS more effective and robust following the five pillars,” said Mrs. Guful.

During the event, Professor Chris Kwaja, Nigeria’s Consultant to UN-Women, delivered a thought-provoking speech that called for a paradigm shift in the narrative surrounding women’s roles in governance and decision-making.

“Women should no longer focus solely on supporting each other; instead, they should aim to engage men in supporting women and change the narrative that sees women as vulnerable groups in decision-making processes and policy creation” Professor Kwaja emphasized.

He advocated for greater female representation in key leadership positions such as the Federal Executive Council, national security council, and the Council of State, recognizing that governance plays a crucial role in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

Furthermore, Kwaja highlighted the disparity in appointing individuals who are not actively involved in women’s activities, especially at the grassroots level, to chair bills, policies, and positions that concern gender issues. He stressed the cost-effectiveness and necessity of prioritizing women in leadership and governance.

He said “Women should also do proper follow-ups on bills and policies, especially those put in charge of them. Also, humanitarian assessment should be done on the number of women killed or affected by conflict situations such as the one in Mangu.”

Representing UN-Women, Sese Isaiah introduced the UN Women Strategic 2015 program, aimed at strengthening women’s leadership in peace and security matters and fostering gender-sensitive legislation, political participation, and mediation skills among women. The focus of the workshop was to develop the 3rd generation state action plan in line with the program’s objectives.

As the workshop concluded, Mr. Sunda Dougbin, Director of Planning, Research, and Documentation at the Ministry of Women Affairs, assured participants that all deliberations would be acted upon promptly.

Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in constructive discussions and outlined key avenues to improve women’s participation in governance, and adopting work plans for Phase 3 of the state action plan. These strategies included:

1. Establishing Quotas: Identifying the percentage of women that must be included in governance positions to ensure equitable representation.
2. Enhancing Communication: Providing early warning gadgets and mechanisms, such as walkie-talkies and call-in emergency numbers, to ensure swift response to potential conflicts.
3. Empowering Traditional Rulers: Establishing legislative bylaws to encourage traditional rulers’ active support for gender-sensitive policies.
4. Engaging Boys in Gender Sensitization: Educating boys on respecting women’s rights and promoting gender equality from a young age.
5. Media Advocacy: Utilizing the media to put women-centric issues at the forefront of public discourse.
6. Economic Empowerment: Equipping women with skills and providing collateral-free loans to enhance their economic independence.
7. Community Sensitization: Raising awareness of early warning signs and promoting the importance of peace within communities.
8. Capacity Building: Identifying and nurturing women with leadership potential and providing them with opportunities to excel.
9. Inclusion and Gender-Sensitive Budgeting: Ensuring the inclusion of women living with disabilities and developing gender-sensitive budgeting for their needs.

The workshop concluded on a positive note, with all participants committed to implementing the outlined strategies to promote women’s active participation in governance, peacebuilding, and decision-making processes in Plateau State.