STRENGTHEN PEACE & SECURITY IN ENUGU STATE
CONSULTATIVE DIALOGUE WITH STAKEHOLDERS ON BUILDING ALLIANCES TO STRENGTHEN PEACE & SECURITY IN ENUGU STATE
To ensure that women’s priorities are central to peace and security decisions, WILPF Nigeria identified that one way to achieve this is by addressing the social, cultural practices / barriers that limit women’s participation in peace processes and also increase the power imbalances between men and women in the society. It was on this backdrop that WILPF Nigeria held a one day consultative dialogue with stakeholders in Enugu State on the 2nd of December 2021. The objective of the meeting was;
• Increase understanding of masculinities and femininities and how the use of power by men over women influence the lives of individuals, families communities etc.
• To help in identifying and shifting some cultural practices, norms and values within the society that causes harm and lead to violence against women and girls.
• To strengthen the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in the promotion of gender justice and an equal society.
Kick starting the meeting, Jane Siesi gave an overview on the men engage project and what the project stands to achieve in the short and long run. She further handled a values clarification section which was to introduce the participants to the subject matter on masculinity and how it widens the power gap between men and women in the society. Further to the values clarification, the facilitator took the participants on what masculinity is about, militarism, how militarized masculinitiesare produced and what militarized masculinity is which .Additionally, she spoke on what feminist peace while linkingmasculinity and how it affects feminist peace and security in a country. She also stressed on the need to engage with men and boys as drivers in building feminist peace and security.
