From Ali Galadima, Bauchi
The action plan for women peace and security, a document drafted to protect the rights of women and girls in Bauchi state has been validated by stakeholders for implementation by the state government and other policy makers.
This was disclosed by Dr. Hassan Misari a consultant with a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) known as International Alert in an interview with newsmen at the end of a two day workshop on women, peace and security organized by the NGO in partnership with the Bauchi state ministry of women affairs and child development and funded by Norwegian government through UN women.
He explained that participants drawn from relevant ministries, departments, agencies, civil society organizations, the media and security agencies have gone through the document and validated it for implementation in the state.
According to him, the action plan is in line with the United Nations security council resolutions 1325 aimed at providing enabling environment where the rights of women, girls and people living with disability would be protected and perpetrators of violence against them would be prosecuted.
Hassan stated further that the women peace and security agenda recognizes that peace is inextricably linked with equality between women and men and affirms full participation of women at all levels of decision making as well as all efforts focused on peace and security.
“This is the final stage of a preliminary document that was developed by the Bauchi state indigenes. We are not the ones that developed it. It is a product of consultation around the state specifically concerning issues of women peace and security in the state.
“There was a consultative meeting, there was a drafting workshop and then the ideas and contributions from different participants were developed into a document. And it is the document that we have come to validate.
“By validating this document, it means people of Bauchi state have agreed to that document as a workable document in addressing issues of women peace and security in the state”. He said.
