Musa Na Allah Sokoto
The National Association of Women Journalists NAWOJ Sokoto state chapter says it has a passion to raise awareness, provoking policy, supporting training, and advocacy, and sharing lessons learned on the implementation agenda for women on peace and security.
The NAWOJ also said it intended to strengthen the knowledge base on women’s peace and security-related issues, and aimed to provide practitioners, advocates, and policy-makers with practical guidance.
The State NAWOJ Chairperson, Hajiya Rakiyya Muhammad in her welcome address said women are key in the provision of peace, Security, and socioeconomic development of any country.
Hajiya Rakiya was speaking at a one-day Symposium on the role of women in peace and security held in Sokoto, organized by women journalists in Sokoto.
She said the one-day symposium became necessary considering the predicaments, women nationwide found themselves as a result of wanton insecurity and kidnapping bedeviling Nigeria as a nation.
She further stated that women were always at the receiving end in the event of conflict and other social uprisings.
Professor Tukur Baba in a paper he presented, Nigerian women have only ten percent of candidates contesting state Assemblies nationwide, with little or non in other elective positions.
He said Rwanda is the only country in Africa that has a Large number of women in parliament as a result of their political Commitment and social equality.
The Prof. however calls on political leaders to engage more women in the political contest with a view to ensuring peace and security in their homes.
Prof. Baba of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto who was a guest speaker, noted that every individual has the responsibility of exhibiting the capacity of Women as Key in Peace, Nation Building.
He said doing so would strengthen the way towards mitigating challenges of insecurity, peace, and unity being faced.
He noted that women were critical factors and could be instrumental in driving the agenda for sustained peace and security for nation-building.
However, Baba regretted that women were relegated without being given the free space to encourage themselves educationally, adding that they suffered most in the chain and process of survival.
Baba who also holds the title of Danmasanin Mutum Biyu in Taraba state identified research, environment, training, inclusiveness, and resilience among fundamental drivers that were key to inspiring the confidence of women for peace and security.
He noted that women were fast exposed to negative issues such as rape, asexual relationship, and general GBV occasioned by injustices as fundamental issues to address.
“Women need to engage themselves in advocacy through associations like NAWOJ to be able to brace up to their role by identifying their competence and capacity against all sorts of violence, especially on the girl child.
“You also need to champion the principle of governance for accountability as well against corruption among other negative variables and components.
“Political leaders should also engage more women in the political arena with a view to ensuring fairness for peace and security in their homes”, he pointed out.
In her presentation, Dr. Asiyatu Abubakar Bagudu also of the UDUS described women as complementary partners to the development of the society stressing that peace and security were important and integral aspects that even the two major religions, Islam and Christianity preached which all have to embrace and key in especially women who were custodians of character and learning right from infancy.
Hajiya Fatima who represented the wife of the GOC 8 Division said women have been in forefront of leadership in many sectors including the military.
She said lots of women play a key role in peacekeeping situations around the globe, adding that women also engaged in solving conflicts in homes.
The Federation of Muslim women Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) blamed injustice in society; injustice in society made women victims of circumstance.
“Unless there is justice and equitable distribution of national wealth and other social inequalities are addressed, women will continue to suffer the consequence,” she said.
According to her, “we recognize the diverse roles women play across the spectrums and identify the need to equip them better to advance the nation’s peace and security as fundamental factors and drivers of development for nation building.”
She said: “it’s prime and necessary for women to brace up and get ready involved in peace and security drive for a safe and harmonious society where prosperity can be achieved.”
