By Friday Idachaba
Okene (Kogi) – ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), an international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has called for immediate implementation of the domesticated National Action Plan on Peace and Security of Women and Children across States in Nigeria.
Mr David Habba, Manager Humanitarian and Resilience Unit of ActionAid Nigeria, made the call at the opening of a three-day mid-year review of the Action Plan document and training of 28 stakeholders on Wednesday in Okene, Central Senatorial District of Kogi.
According to Habba, the three-day training is expected to equip the Action Plan Committee members with the capacity to fast track the implementation of the action plan.
He described the timing of the training as apt in view of the prevalence and spate of insecurity and crimes against women and children whom he said were the most vulnerable in security situation across the country.
The Humanitarian and Resilience Manager said that the domestication of the National Action Plan by the states was in consonance with United Nations Resolution 1325 which addressed issues of peace and security of women and girls.
He said that the programme of domestication of the action plan was initiated and implemented in the state under the System and Structural Strengthening Approach Against Radicalisation to Violent Extremism (SARVE II) project in 2018 supported by Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).
Also speaking, Ms Halima Sadiq, Executive Director, Participation Initiative For Behavioural Change and Development (PIBCID), ActionAid rights partners in Kogi, said the second edition of the action plan was developed in 2017, after the expiration of the first one in 2016.
“Second edition of the action plan was developed by 2017 and that gave birth to the domestication of the state action plan which we now have in the state as Kogi Action Plan For Peace and Security Of Women And Children,” she added.
Sadiq said ActionAid in partnership with PIBCID supported the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to come up with a framework, adding that women played vital role in peace and security and also helped in preventing violence extremism.
Mr Joseph Ekele, acting Permanent secretary of the Women Affairs Ministry, said the implementation of the action plan would guarantee the needed protection for women and children in the Society.
Ekele commended ActionAid Nigeria for being so helpful to the Ministry with resources and capacity building, adding that the ministry had been engaged in advocacy campaign on violence against women and children and vulnerable persons.
(NAN)
