By Angela Atabo
The Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) Programme,has commended Nigeria on the launch of
third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP III) and pledged support for its implementation.
Dr Ukoha Ukiwo, Team Lead of the Tetra Tech,SPRiNG Programme, made this known at the launch of the NAP III on the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution(UNSCR )1325,in Abuja spearheaded by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
According to Ukiwo,the SPRiNG Programme is an initiative of the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO),designed to support efforts to build a more stable Nigeria where citizens benefit from reduced violence and increased resilience to the impacts of climate change.
He said the SPRING programme was highly honoured to be part of the inauguration of Nigeria’s third NAP on Women, Peace and Security and congratulated the nation and the Women Affairs Ministry for the milestone achievement.
Ukiwo said, “SPRING is committed to partnerships to strengthen implementation of NAP especially as it relates to reforms in peace, justice, and security institutions aimed at strengthening women’s inclusion, institutional accountability, and community-centred security.
“SPRIING is also working to complement government-led efforts to curtail vulnerability of young women and young men to radicalisation, SGBV, and institutionalising women’s meaningful inclusion and participation in peace and security governance and decision-making.”
The team lead said to ensure that Women, Peace and Security(WPS) commitment in the third NAP were met, SPRING was supporting the implementation of relevant policies and legislation, including State and Local Action Plans on WPS.
“As Nigeria launches and adopts its third NAP today, SPRING calls for more concerted effort to advance gender-responsive and disability-inclusive peace, justice and security architecture.
“This should be where security sector institutions systematically embed inclusion, accountability, prevention, and resilience into policy and practice,”he said.
Ukiwo stressed that institutionalising women’s participation across these sectors and ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities remained essential to effective service delivery, public trust, and leaving no one behind.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the SPRiNG programmme to effective partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and other stakeholders to accelerating the implementation of the NAP III alongside state and local development plans.
He also promised that the programme would ensure inclusive, evidence-driven, and locally responsive Women, Peace and Security action in Nigeria.
Ukiwo congratulated the Government of Nigeria on the important milestone and commend the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs for its leadership in delivering a consultative, inclusive, and forward-looking NAP III and acknowledge UN Women and other partners for their support.
Ukiwo explained that the SPRiNG Programme interventions were aimed at achieving enhanced capacity, improved public confidence and increased patronage of peace, security and justice institutions.
He added that it included achieving results in actors in grievance management, conflict resolution and violence prevention, including sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)
Ukiwo further noted that it aimed to enhance government, security and communities tackling issues that promote violence especially drug/substance peddling and abuse, weapons proliferation, spread of divisive narratives and hate speech, and social exclusion.
He said it also aid government, security and communities to systematically address the main issues affecting meaningful participation of women in peace efforts, politics and community governance, and their access to economic opportunities.
“Through our partnership with Nigerian institutions, we are supporting initiatives that strengthen peacebuilding mechanisms, promote non-kinetic security responses, advance women’s economic empowerment and participation in peace, justice, and security governance,” Ukiwo added.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development,Imaan Ibrahim-Sulaiman,commended the Tetra Tech’s SPRiNG Programme for their support to the development of NAP III.
Ibrahim-Sulaiman explained that the launch of the NAP III was a reaffirmation of a national promise, one shaped by 30 years of the Beijing platform for action of 1995, 30 years of the Women Affairs Ministry in Nigeria and 25 years since the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000.
She said, “These milestones converge here as a vivid reminders that peace is strongest, most enduring and most just when women are present, when women are heard and when women are empowered to lead the process.
“Nigeria’s third national action plan of women, peace and security stands on a deliberate and progressive continuum.”
Ibrahim-Sulaiman said that the launch of the NAP III approved by President Bola Tinubu aligned the national efforts with contemporary global realities and firmly anchors them with the renewed hope agenda.
This,she said, placed women, children, families and vulnerable groups at the centre of national stability, inclusive governance and sustainable peace.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
