By Joy Baba-Yesufu
A group of peacebuilding experts from across Africa have emphasized the role of women in fostering peace, advocating for human rights, and promoting equitable resource governance.
They shared insights on conflict resolution, community engagement, and the rehabilitation of youth affected by violence at a webinar organized by Global Rights Nigeria as part of activities to mark 2025 international women’s Day.
Permanent Commissioner, Kaduna state Peace commission Rebecca Sako John, spoke on Strengthening Women’s Role in Peace Mediation.
She highlighted the increasing awareness of women’s rights and their role in conflict prevention across Kaduna, the North-West, and Abuja.
According to her “We work with the Kaduna State Peace Commission to sensitize communities on identifying early indicators of violence and reporting them promptly. If you see something and don’t report it, it means you are not invested in your community’s safety,” she said.
She noted the growing number of women mediators who are actively addressing domestic violence, family disputes, and issues like drug abuse and gang influence in their communities.
“We train women in mediation skills so they can return to their communities and address conflicts effectively. We also engage with traditional and religious leaders to create more opportunities for women in leadership and ensure their participation in security discussions,” she added.
Mercy Chepng’enoh, protection and advocacy officer, at Protection International spoke extensively on Empowering Youth for Peace and Human Rights Advocacy.
She Emphasize the importance of building capacity of human rights defenders while ensuring that advocacy efforts remain peaceful and in line with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
“Our focus is not just on international human rights laws but also on applying local legal frameworks to strengthen our work,” she stated.
She pointed out that young people are often manipulated into perpetrating violence, but through training, many have been transformed into peace ambassadors.
“We train youth to resist political manipulation and instead champion peaceful coexistence in their communities,” she added.
