WANEP Trains Stakeholders On Reporting Early Warning Conflict Signals
The Oasis Reporters
June 29, 2018
By Moses Gbande
The West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP) has commenced training for 60 stakeholders in Jos, to build their capacity on reporting early warning conflict signals.
The Non Governmental organization, says the training was designed for 20 Mediators, 20 Conflict Monitors and 20 Analysts to enhance their capacity towards the implementation of Plateau State Action Plan(PSAP) for its peace architecture.
The Regional Program Officer of WANEP, Mrs Kefia-Onam Birch, said that the architecture was part of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 which hinges on gender parity at all levels of decision making.
She said the spate of conflicts in northern Nigeria have been traced to lack of gender-sensitive local structures to monitor, respond and or mitigate emerging communal and religious conflicts.
According to her, “The training is aimed at building the capacity of participants to monitor indicators of extremism and radicalization”.
Adding that, “ We are partnering with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) to build the capacities of rural women and strengthen existing local structures.
“This is to ensure a more gender inclusive peace architecture, early warning monitoring and reporting mechanism to forestall conflict and also facilitate effective dispute resolution,“ she said.
The WANEP official said that the training would provide analytical frameworks for understanding the nature, causes, dynamics and actors of conflict; skills for monitoring, analyzing, and reporting the conflicts.
In her remarks, Mrs Annah Izam, the commissioner for women affairs and social development said the training was part of modalities to ensure effective implementation of PSAP for its Peace architecture and engage all critical stakeholders for its success.
The commissioner represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Hassana Ayika said women were worst hit by conflicts since the sectarian crisis in 2001 thus should be engaged in security and peace building processes.
She said Plateau State launched its PSAP in April to be adopted as a document for advocacy and sensitization activities on the need of peace in the State.
Our Correspondent reports that the PSAP was stepped down to Local Action Plans in four Local Government Areas of Jos North, Mangu, Wase and Riyom to ensure grassroots engagement by rural women.
The two day training by WANEP and ICPR was funded by European union and supported by UN women.
