UN Women, NNWM Collaborate To Boost Women’s Role In Nigerian Peace Building

Abuja, Nigeria – The United Nations (UN) Women and the National Network of Women Mediators (NNWM) have joined forces to strengthen the role of women in peacebuilding and conflict resolution in Nigeria.

This collaboration focuses on integrating state-level women’s mediation networks into national and regional structures, fostering greater synergy and collaboration to enhance women’s leadership in peace processes.

The partnership was highlighted at the Second Annual Forum of Women Mediators in Nigeria, themed “Women Leading Peace Building: Amplifying the Role of Nigerian Women Mediators.”

The forum, a key initiative under the Programme on Women Peace and Security in Nigeria (Phase II), supported by the Government of Norway and the Enhancing Gender-Responsive Security Operations and Community Dialogue Project in Nigeria (Phase II), funded by the Government of Germany, aims to build a more peaceful and gender-equal society.

Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, emphasized the program’s goal of creating an enabling environment for the implementation of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) commitments.

This includes strengthening policy frameworks, capacity building, and increasing meaningful women’s participation in conflict prevention and sustainable peace, in line with UNSCR 1325.

The Minister stressed the importance of supporting women’s mediation capacities and empowering women in conflict-affected communities to assert their rights.

UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, outlined the forum’s specific objectives: to enhance the leadership capacity of women mediators; increase their participation in mediation and the implementation of Nigeria’s 3rd National Action Plan (NAP) on WPS; strengthen collaboration among women mediators, government agencies, and other stakeholders; and foster cross-learning and experience sharing among different networks.

Eyong reiterated UN Women’s commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, emphasizing the crucial role of women mediators in advancing the WPS agenda.

She stressed the importance of continued collaboration among networks to expand opportunities for women’s leadership in peace processes.

The collaborative efforts aim to create a more just, peaceful, and inclusive society in Nigeria.