Stakeholders in Ebonyi State have urged the media and Civil Society Organisations to step into conflict mitigation through advocacy to enhance development.
They made the recommendation in Abakaliki Monday during USAID State2State quarterly conflict mitigation and prevention dialogue.
The stakeholders pointed out that women’s negligence in conflict resolution decision-making was affecting conflict mitigation, thereby hindering development at the grassroots.
Sam Onyia, USAID Nigeria State2State team lead, Ebonyi State, in a remark, emphasised the importance of involving women in security discussions to enhance conflict mitigation efforts in the state.
Represented by the State2State local government manager, Victoria Eze, Onyia said, “Greater inclusivity of women can bolster support for the peace process, strengthen advocacy for agreements, ensure the integration of gender perspectives in security, justice, and recovery, and foster wider social acceptance of peace deals within communities affected by conflict.
“Equal participation of women in the peace process is a crucial prerequisite for establishing lasting peace in our communities.
Adding women contributes unique perspectives to conflict prevention, focusing more on grassroots and community-level solutions. He said.
Nneka Egbuna State2State communication specialists, on her part, urged stakeholders in the conflict sector to put in their best efforts to reduce conflict in the state.
Boniface Chika, a participant in the dialogue meeting, noted that women are not allowed in some communities to handle land issues, but if they are allowed, they will talk to their husbands and brothers and even go to warring parties and talk to them in their private homes.
“Women will develop alternative means of bringing peace without coming to the war front. They have ways of addressing the parties to embrace peace and enhance development in their various places because when there is peace women achieve more.
Some other stakeholders, including Nweze, offer a Commissioner, Ebonyi independent electoral commission, Igwurube Ifeanyi from the Ministry of Border Peace and Conflict Resolution in their remarks, noted that all hands must be on deck to ensure that conflict is reduced in the state to foster development, especially at the grassroots.
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