A, group, One Percent International Advocacy has tasked President , Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the inclusion of women’s voices in the negotiation table, peace building, foreign relation and interventions for sustainable peace in African countries.
The group made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a One Day symposium to commemorate United Nations International Day of Peace with the theme ” The Role of Women As Mediators In Peace Building and In Reconciliation” .
The International Day of Peace was created to promote peace while ceasing violence and conflicts worldwide.
Speaking at the event an inclusive governance advocate and gender activist, Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack said there was a need for the President to review his strategy on foreign interventions and negotiations in other countries by including women in the delegation as mediators.
She said the conversation was meant to embolden the voice of the women in bringing about lasting peace to those countries that have witnessed coup d’etat and military incursion.
Adaora said that the women and children have always been the casualties of any conflict, war and community clashes in any part of the country and at the same time left out at the negotiations table for peace.
She urged President Tinubu who is also the Chairman of Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) not to underrate the potential and power of negotiations of the women in bringing lasting peace to the Africa as a whole.
She said, ” The key conversation today for us is to look at and review how we can embolden the voice of the women not just women but also women with disabilities. Because the effect of war, terrorism, banditry and community clashes are people who will come out with disabilities.
We see what happen in Jos, Zamfara, Gombe, Taraba, and Imo. These are the communities that are being displaced and the population of the displaced persons are mostly women and children”.
Also speaking, a media consultant for International Society on Media and Public Health, Moji Makamjuola berated the exclusion of women in the delegation being sent by the ECOWAS to discuss peace and conflict resolution in the affected country.
She said ” How can you leave 50 percent of the society behind especially when you are talking about conflict resolution and reconciliation. Women are naturally endowed at the family and professional level. The Nigerian women have proven that they are strategic instrument of peace building.
It is important to and we must ensure that women are at the table of negotiation for sustainable peace because every women has inbuilt ability to bring about peace”.
On her own part the President Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), Ebere Ifendu called for political will on the part of the leaders and allow the women to use their expertise in achieving peace.
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