Photo: Northwest Women Affairs commissioners during their meeting in Kaduna
The Commissioners of Women Affairs from the seven states in Nigeria’s northwest zone have called for gender inclusion in the region’s peace and security policy frameworks.
During a roundtable meeting in Kaduna organized by the Northwest Governors’ Coordination Desk and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the commissioners emphasized the theme, “Harnessing Women’s Voices for Lasting Peace.”
The commissioners highlighted the disproportionate impact of insecurity on women and their active participation in peacebuilding efforts.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, signed by the Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Kaduna State, Hajia Rabi Salisu Ibrahim, they demanded the inclusion of Women Affairs Commissioners in security councils. They asserted that involving women in security and peace processes would ensure effective representation of women’s voices.
“We are committed to collaborating across various sectors to promote sustainable development and empowerment as a resilience mechanism to strengthen peace and security,” the communiqué stated.
The commissioners called for the full implementation of existing legal frameworks related to gender, as well as the establishment of new legal frameworks to protect women, children, and other vulnerable groups where needed.
They stressed the importance of integrating gender considerations across all policies and processes related to peace, security, and development, ensuring that women’s perspectives are included in all planning and decision-making processes.
The commissioners pledged their support to the Northwest Governors’ Coordination Desk in designing, developing, and implementing a regional strategic framework on peace, security, and development.
Earlier, the coordinator of the Northwest Governors’ Coordination Desk, Jibril Hamza, highlighted that women are not only victims of conflict but also agents of change, uniquely positioned to bridge divides, rebuild communities, and drive sustainable development.
He stated, “Today, we gather with the shared vision of amplifying women’s voices and leveraging their participation to address the pressing challenges of insecurity, social cohesion, and development in the Northwest region.”
The meeting was attended by the Women Affairs Commissioners from Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
