• info@wilpfnigeria.org
  • 8:00 am-6:00pm Mondays to Fridays
  • Call: 08034141189
Any questions ?

Phone 202 303 405

INAUGURATION OF (WOMEN PEACE AND SECURITY) WPS AS WORKING GROUP TO COMMEMORATE THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR WEST AFRICA AND THE SAHEL (UNOWAS) INAUGURATION OF (WOMEN PEACE AND SECURITY) WPS AS WORKING GROUP TO COMMEMORATE THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM ON 6TH DEC. 2016 @ NSRP OFFICE, ABUJA

 

INTRODUCTION

The inauguration of the WPS as working group for UNOWAS was held on the 6th of December 2016 at the NSRP office Abuja. The meeting started with the introduction of members by their names and organizations being represented. Welcome remark was done by Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi manager for women and girls NSRP where she specially introduced Mrs Esther Eghobamien Mshelia, the Director, Women and Gender Affairs in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ms Telou Kemealo Memadouname Agathe, Gender Advisor, Focal Point Best Practices and Coordinator of Working Group on Women, Peace and Security in West Africa and Dr Lydia Umar one of drafter of the National Action Plan (NAP) on WPS and the Nigeria Coordinator of the Working Group of Peace And Security (WGPS) and every Women Peace and Security Network (WPSN) present.

She reminded everyone that 6th of December marked the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre within the 16 days of Activism, with the theme of this year’s commemoration “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World.”  She mentioned that UNOWAS has indicated interest in to inaugurate NSRP – WPSN as a working group for women, peace and security in West Africa (WGPS-WA) as part of the commemoration of the 16 days of activism as the initiative will provide a great opportunity for Federal WPS sustainability as the program matures. She stated that NSRP States WPS networks will be holding events and notable amongst them is the Kaduna state WPSN which will be collaborating with the State Ministry of Women’s Affairs to launch the Kaduna State Action Plan (KADSAP) on Friday 9th of December 2016.

RATIONALE

  1. Raising awareness about gender based violence as a human right issue at the local, national, regional and international level.
  2. Strengthening local work around violence against women
  3. Establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women.
  4. Providing a forum in which organisers can develop and share new and effective strategies.
  5. Creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women.

 

Opening remark was presented by Mrs Esther Eghobamien Mshelia, the Director, Women and Gender Affairs in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.  She declared that the Ministry of Women Affair have a strong commitment in moving the UNSCR 1325 in Nigeria; Nigeria is one of the 58 countries with a NAP, but it outlived its validity in August 2016 and prior to its expiration, process for reviewing the NAP has been initiated in making it more relevant to our current realities in the country. She continued that the existence of plan does not translate into action but significant mobilizing and interaction is required for the implementation. She mentioned that a lot of implementation is going on in different sectors, but there is a problem with attributing or returning to UNSCR1325. She identified gaps in the review of the NAP which includes; Policies and Mobilization which does not translate to results, Articulation of the old NAP in the absence of insurgency, conflict managements will all be redressed in the new NAP. Also geographic distinctions in priorities of women and peace in Nigeria like cattle grazing, land ownership, adoption and kidnapping which forms priorities in different parts of the country are taken into consideration through zonal consultations and will be effected in the new NAP.

 

 

Presentation of UNOWAS and the Working Group on Women Peace and Security in West Africa (WGWPS) by Telou Kemealo Memadouname Agathe

Telou Kemealo Memadouname Agathe presented UNOWAS to the working group on women, peace and security with the vision statement: The WGWPS is an inclusive platform that seeks at building a world of peace and security where women are agents of conflicts prevention and peace building in the region.

And mission statement:

  • Promote, coordinate and support all initiatives for peace and security in West Africa
  • Promote commitment/involvement of women in peace negotiation and processes
  • Promote the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and subsequent, and gender equity in the sub-region.

 

KEY ACTIVITIES OF THE WORKING GROUP

  • Operation: periodic meetings every: three months, extraordinary meetings when needed, thematic exchanges via Video Teleconference (VTC): every two months.
  • Outreach activities of actors and target groups (students, media women etc.).
  • Solidarity Demonstration
  • Lobbying for women’s involvement in peace mediation and negotiation
  • Collection, sharing and dissemination of information and data on gender, women, peace and security through social networks and media, as well as the database womencount4peace.org
  • Publication and diffusion of an annual updated directory of institutions working in the area of peace and stability in West Africa
  • Adoption of a joint programme; funds needed for its implementation.
  • Nomination of the country representatives.
  • Support for the setting up of women’s situation rooms.
  • Follow up on the developments regarding the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and subsequent resolutions on WPS in West Africa.

She mentioned the challenges and constraints of the WGWPS which are:

  • Women in the region still continue to play a marginal role in mediation process; women mediation trained remain under-utilized as a resource to support regional peace processes.
  • Insufficient allocation of resources by member countries to operationalize NAP on UNSCRs on WPS adopted.
  • Women’s networks have been consistently under-resourced, and their activities have not benefited from strong donor support to enhance impact of work.
  • Lack of synergy between women’s networks in the region: Mano River Union Women’s Peace Network (MARWOPNET), Network of Peace and Security for Women in ECOWAS region (NOPSWECO), and more recently the Sahel Women’s Platform.

 

After the presentation of UNOWAS by Telou Kemealo Memadouname Agathe, the UNOWAS Working Group on Women Peace and Security was inaugurated, and the thematic group was established which are:

 

THEMATIC GROUP INTERVENTION AREA WORKING GROUP
Advocacy and Promotion of Resolutions Support of the promotion of UNSCR 1325 and subsequent following/ thematic group advocacy and promotion of resolutions Led by:

FOMWAN

DNF

Strong Enough Girl

GAT
Communication strategy The development of communication strategies and resource mobilization for members of the WGWPS-WA Led by:

MPVTI

DNF
Capacity building Capacity building of members of the working group Led by:

IANSA
Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of Resolutions 1325 and following of the UNSC The development of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for the implementation of the 1325 and subsequent resolutions of the UN Security Council. Led by:

ASPANTI
Research, documentation, dissemination and capitalization The research promotion, documentation and capitalization of experiences, good practices and lessons learned on gender, peace and security in West Africa. Led by:

WILPF

ASPANTI
Coordination Coordination of all working groups NSRP

 

 dd ss

 

 

CONCLUSION

The discussion section formed the grouping of the working group into thematic areas and drafting of work plan for 2017 from the 2016 template in which the work plan was to be sent to the working group after drafting. The area of priorities from the group discussion was to focus on IDP camps while carrying out their various activities. The thematic groups were advised to meet to priorities their activities before the next general meeting

 

APPENDIX

Sign in List/Organizations represented are:

Ministry of Youth Development

ASPANTI (Association of Student Peace Ambassadors in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions)

FMWASD (Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development)

GAT (Gender Awareness Trust)/UNOWAS Representative in Nigeria

IANSA (International Action on Small Arms)

NSRP (Nigeria Stability Reconciliation Programme)

WILPF (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)

FOMWAN

MWAN (Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria)

OXFAM

DNF (Dorothy Njemani Foundation)

Global Rights

Strong Enough Girls Empowerment Initiative

FIDA (Federation of Women Lawyers)

UNOWAS (United Nations Office of West Africa and Sahel)

MPVTI

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGENDA

  • Arrival and registration of participants
  • Introduction of participants
  • Welcome Remark (Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi)
  • Remarks by Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (Esther Eghobamien Mshelia)
  • Presentation of UNOWAS and The Working Group On Women Peace And Security In West Africa By Telou Kemealo Memadouname Agathe
  • Group photo
  • Establishment of Thematic Groups
  • Discussion and validation of a 2017 work plan
  • Vote of thanks/closing (Uchenna Nwokedi)