By EricJames Ochigbo

The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has trained 130 indigenous women from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with conflict prevention and peace-building skills to strengthen grassroots leadership and social cohesion.

The hands-on capacity-building workshop, which held in Abuja, was titled,  “Empowering FCT Indigenous Women as Agents of Peace.”

The Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, said that the initiative was a concrete step towards empowering women to prevent conflicts, manage disputes and promote peace at the community levels.

Sulaiman said that women are at the heart of nation-building as they are caregivers, educators, community leaders and peacemakers.

He said that the 130 women were drawn from indigenous ethnic groups of Gbagyi, Gbari, Amwamwa, Bassa, Egbira, Gade, Ganagana, Gwandara, and Koro and had long played central roles in family and community cohesion.

The D-G said that their role extends beyond the home as they influence governance, mediate conflicts and ensure social stability.

Sulaiman said that despite the crucial contributions, women were often excluded from many formal decision-making platforms.

“This workshop is designed to change that by equipping more than 130 indigenous women from all area councils within the FCT with modern mediation techniques, culturally grounded conflict resolution strategies and leadership skills.

“Our goal is to empower them to take active roles in sustaining peace and building sustainable communities.

“Building on this empowerment, it is important to recognise that the Federal Capital Territory’s rich ethnic and cultural diversity is a source of strength.

“Today, we recognise and strengthen that role, empowering women to act decisively in mitigating election-related disputes, promoting social harmony and influencing policy at the local level.

“In doing so, we harness the unique perspectives and leadership of women to build stronger, inclusive and peaceful communities.

“It is our hope that the skills learnt here will have tangible, measurable impacts, such as fewer election-related conflicts, increased women’s representation and stronger community-led initiatives for peace,” he said.

Sulaiman said that with the Abuja 2026 local government elections approaching, the knowledge and strategies shared at the workshop will directly help communities reduce tensions, strengthen social cohesion and create safer, more inclusive neighbourhoods.

The D-G said that the women were not just participants; but leaders, mediators and advocates for positive change, urging them to embrace the knowledge shared and apply it in the communities.

From the foregoing, it suffices to reiterate that this workshop is more than a training session.

Sulaiman said that the workshop was a strategic intervention that directly supports Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP-WPS).

He said it also supports Sustainable Development Goals 5, 11 and 16 and other ongoing efforts to increase female participation in governance and peace-building.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Francis Onyeukwu