GNWP, WANEP Hosts Workshop on Women Voice for Peace
… moves to enhance implementation of UN Resolution on Women for Peace,
The Global Network of Women peace builders (GNWP) in collaboration with West Africa Network for peace building (WANEP) hosts a 2 day media workshop in Abuja on how to amplify women voice for peace building and national development.
With support from the Government of Canada Peace and stabilization operations program, the media workshop was tagged amplifying women’s voice for peace and implementing the UN Security Council 1325.
The workshop examined how to address critical challenges facing women representation in key areas such as conflict prevention and resolution, policy making, governance, peace building and national development.
Senator Iroegbu, a Defence and Security Media Expert, who was among the facilitators pointed out that Nigeria has one of vibrant, fearless and courageous media landscape in Africa that could champion the cause of advancing the roles of women in conflict prevention.
He therefore urged media practitioners to be in the forefront of advocacy in addressing and tackling challenges confronting vulnerable women, especially in conflict.
Toun Okewale Sonaiya, CEO of W FM, Nigeria’s first radio station for women and families, said media has no gender. She lamented that with huge population of women in the country, they have fewer representations in the media circle and their voices are hardly heard.
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Sonaiya, advised the media to change the narrative by being more positive about women in their reporting.
She also urge men to support their wives, “Some women do not want to make names for themselves, but there are women who are really hardworking and who wants to make a difference and also a name for themselves, and what is expected of their husband is sincere and true support.”
Agnieszka Fal-Dutra Santos, Program Coordinator of Global Network of Women Peace builders discussed the background, challenges, implementation, pillars and reviews of Women, Peace, Security implementation in Nigeria, with a brief summary of the United Nation Security Council Resolution 1325.
Mrs. Santos urged participants and media to identify their role as major influencers in changing the narrative around women.
WANEP National Network Coordinator, Bridget Osakwe charged the media to take it as a responsibility to amplify the women’s voice for peace and also the implementation of the United Nation Security Council resolutions.
Participants who engaged in analysis interactive sessions were also able to make comments and addition on how the problems facing women representation and UNSCR 1325 implementation can be tackled by committing to a role which each one will take on as personal and professional responsibility in amplifying women’s voice.
The participants were drawn from reputable media organisations including print, electronic, online and social media.
