#TrackNigeria: An Expert on Women, Peace and Security issues, Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi, has called for full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325), advocating for reduction in violence against women during conflicts.
Nwadinobi made the call in an interview in Lagos on Wednesday against the backdrop of a recent workshop organised by the Women’s Right Advancement Alternative (WRAPA) to review the effectiveness of UNSCR 1325.
“In 2000, Oct. 31, the UN Security Council came up with a resolution that seeks to eliminate, or at least, reduce violence against women whenever there are violent conflicts.
“We are talking about sexual violence, abductions, like we saw in the case of the Chibok girls, the Dapchi girls and so many others.
“The resolution also looks at how we can increase the participation of women and girls in peace building,’’ Nwadinobi said.
She said that the idea of concentrating many aspects of conflicts resolution on the males as beneficiaries was counterproductive.
“We have the Boko Haram conflict in Nigeria; we have farmers/herders crisis, we have banditry, and so on.
“When violent conflicts happen, one of the first things government does is to set up, either an investigative panel or a peace commission, or they look for mediations.
“Sadly, women who are recognised in our communities as principal peace builders and who resolve conflicts and are mediators in those informal settings do not appear in the formal mediation and negotiation table.
“The UNSCR 1325 of 2000 says there is need to have more women in peace building, and Nigeria is one of the countries that signed to the resolution,’’ she said.
Nwadinobi said that Nigeria had done well to have domesticated the resolution in 11 states of the federation and in three local government areas.
“Women can bring peace to Nigeria and our national action plan looks at how women can meaningfully participate in peace building.
“Domestication of this resolution is beginning of implementation, and Nigeria has done extremely well, having domesticated the plan at the state level in 11 states.
“The states are Borno, Yobe, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Gombe, Kogi and Adamawa.
“We also have local action plans in three local government areas, Wase in Plateau, Fagge in Kano and Oshimili in Delta,’’ the expert said.
Nwadinobi said Nigeria had taken the lead in domesticating the action plan, adding that the rest of Africa was learning from Nigeria.
The Security Council adopted resolution (S/RES/1325) on women and peace and security on Oct. 31, 2000.
The resolution affirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction.
It stresses the importance of equal participation and full involvement of women in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.
Resolution 1325 urges all actors to increase the participation of women and incorporate gender perspectives in all United Nations peace and security efforts.
It also calls on all parties to conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict.
The resolution provides a number of important operational mandates, with implications for member states and the entities of the United Nations system. (NAN)
