By Eunice Orike
The Ministry of Women Affairs has firmed up strategies with the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), the United Nation (UN) Women and other stakeholders have advocated in mainstreaming female gender in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
Speaking at the Women, Peace and Security Sector Reference Group 4th annual Forum, with the theme “Operationalization of Gender and Security Policies: Roles of Security Agencies in Emerging Peace and Security Challenges”, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, said that the theme was apt because of the prevailing insecurity in the country and the current global push for global advocacy for gender inclusivity.
He said the forum serves as a platform for advocacy in the realization of the gender responsive security sector, especially as it relates to the protection of women, children and the vulnerable in the country.
He said that it is also expected to serve as a platform to give all key holders in the security sector the opportunity to review progress in implementing the women’s peace and security agenda in Nigeria.
The Police boss, added that the forum also has the potential to harness the strategic roles women play in achieving peace and security.
Kayode reiterated the commitment of the Police, stressing that it will continue to implementation gender sensitive policies.
In his remark, the former Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor (Rtd), stressed that the multi dimensional and complex nature of the modern day security environment demands an approach in accommodating inclusivity.
“This is so because inclusiveness shows the great prospect for resolving issues towards a more peaceful and human world.” he said.
According to him, though progress has been made in addressing security challenges in Nigeria, but we are yet to attain the desired results, explaining that in these charts, all the the elements of the defense and security forces had an engagement in the architecture and framework to deal with the challenge, and in doing so women and other partners are been impacted.
Irabor, said records shows that women who partake in peace process usually focus more on reconciliation, education, transitional justice and economic development.
He stressed that women are very special as they are gifted with multi tasking abilities which enables them to solve problems.
However, he commended the women’s significant roles in peace, emphazing on the need to involve them more in resolving conflicts and security issues in the country.
The Minister of women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohaneye expressed delight on the renewed hope agenda of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to give women a space in the country.
“For the president knows that when a woman is empowered, about 20 people are automatically empowered.” she said.
She said a woman’s position bring in alot of peace in the nation, and that there cannot be any peace talk without a woman.
The Minister further hinted that women will be going into keke napep, real farming and raring of cattles.
“The government is providing them with machineries to make it easy for them and they will now start making money, when women are making money, they automatically get involved with all the things, we try to empower them and give them a voice and when have a voice come and see things happening because everything that a woman is in charge it is always different from what men do.
“So I am begging the police, the army to help me secure and protect my women when they start their keke napep across the nation, just secure and give them security for me, tell the tax force people to keep off from women and no woman will pay any tax force money because a woman cannot ride keke before 6am and we will not want to allow them do it too after 6 pm so there should not be reason to collect the little they will use to feed their homes.” she said.
She also revealed that her ministry has equally collaborated with the defence Attorney General, Governor’s Forum and got approval for a mobile court.
“So there won’t be an issue that a woman is raped, a child was abused or a female genital mutilation after we have sensitized them not to be doing that.” she said.
She thanked all the Female Police Officers, Chief of Staffs, Service Chiefs for their support in approving the 35% affirmative to women.
“When they were employing the school certificate holders I went to the IG for our 35 percent affirmative and he obliged without any stress and that is how it will be everywhere because we have written a formal letter even to the private sectors, so when ever you hear they are employing and they are hiding it, just let me know so I would immediately go and request for our 35 percent affirmative.” she said.