By Ahmad Umar
Gombe (Nigeria)–Gombe state government, northeast of the country has launched the Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, HeforShe Campaign and Peace Architecture in the State.
It is aimed at minimizing the hardships, difficulties and atrocities women go through during conflicts and disasters.
Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo represented by his Special Adviser, Dudu Manuga, said at the occasion that the Action Plan would create the much-needed opportunity for women protection and participation not only in governance but in all facets of our human endeavor
“Gombe state shall continue to align our administration policy thrust with world best practice by ensuring that women are not only protected against insecurity but have access to effective participation in peace negotiation, humanitarian planning, post-conflict peace building and governance.
Also speaking the Deputy Programme Manager Women Peace Security UN-Women, Peter Mancha, said that globally, over 1.1 million men have joined the HeForShe movement which begins online with a simple affirmation that gender equality is not only a women’s issues, but also a human right issue that requires everyone’s participation and commitment to achieve.
“HeForShe is a solidarity movement which aims to engage at 1 billion men and boys on the topic of gender equality. HeForShe is also a critical part of our efforts to promote gender equality in line with the sustainable Development Goals, which include a commitment to end discrimination and inequality, access to justice, and participation in political and economic life on the basis of gender by 2030.
“In Nigeria Gombe State inclusive, the picture appears even starker, as women comprise under 6 percent of the membership of the legislature. Among the 70 percent of the estimated people living below the poverty line in Nigeria, over 65 percent are women and even as we acknowledge the enormity of the present challenges we have many examples of bold and positive experiences and commitments by men to advance gender equality right here in Nigeria. It is these positive stories that the HeForShe movement seeks to build on”, he said.
Mancha said that one illustration was drawn from UN-Women’s own work, with funding support from European Union to promote women’s engagement in peace and security processes in Adamawa, Plateau and Gombe States, where government and traditional leaders have taken bold steps to increase the representation of women in decision-making.
He added that in Adamawa state for instance, 49 women have been appointed as advisors to the paramount Ruler of Bachama Kingdom in Numan local government Area, and District Head of Doho in Gombe State appointed 57 women as members of his Traditional Council and Advisors,
The Deputy Programme Manager said that Mai of Kaltungo Chiefdom, Sala Mohammad has engaged over 40 women as Advisers in his Traditional Council. Plateau State has also seen the appointment of 95 women as advisers to Traditional Councils and Community Leaders in some local government areas
