Global Rights Nigeria Holds National Level Dialogue on the Roles of Women in Fueling/Countering Violent Extremism in the North-East
Global Rights Nigeria convenes a national level
dialogue to discuss the role of women in countering violent extremism in the
North-East of Nigeria.
The two day national level dialogue held from the 8th
– 9th of May, 2018 in Abuja.
According to Country Director Global Rights - Ms
Abiodun Baiyewu, in her welcome address, she stated that
“Violent extremism is not a strange phenomenon in our
country. We have had spates of religious and ethnic extremists which we had
somehow contained. However for the past 10 years, our country has grappled with
the aftermath of the worst case of violent extremism. A violence which shook
the very fabric of our national life. It resulted in the deaths of hundreds of
thousands of persons, and the displacement of almost 2 million persons.
While the physical violence has been somewhat
contained, we still have a very long way to go – the war is not over. The impacted communities have also been
radically transformed in their socio-economic structures and constitution has
been altered. What has not changed is our national approach to rebuilding and
rehabilitating communities impacted by conflict.
The change in the gender dynamics in the North East
region and the role gender plays in fostering radicalism are often taken for
granted in developing programs to counter terrorism. In spite of overwhelming
evidence in support of the notion that women in the region have been the most
deeply impacted group. We fail to acknowledge the evidence that they have
influenced, supported or participated in terrorist activities. More troubling
is the fact that the population in the North-East has skewed to consist
predominantly of women, and women headed households, and women have been
participants in local vigilante activities, and yet, a gender-blind approach to
countering terrorism persists.
While the challenges women have suffered or are
suffering as a result of the conflict have been to some extent documented,
there have been very little attempt at understanding the conflict from their
perspective, and how to fortify their resilience against future attempts at
deepening their vulnerability, radicalizing them, or the households for whom
their have become heads, or children for whom they are primary caregivers. Worse still, there is a near total absence of
women from dialogue tables and their equitable participation in governance in
the region.
That is what this dialogue is about. It is an
acknowledgment that the crisis in the North-East is a NATIONAL crisis. It is a
learning moment for all stakeholders committed to countering violent extremism.
It is a platform to amplify the voices of the people about who we daily make
decisions – often without consulting.
Today, our country bleeds from multiple conflicts. We
have a lot to contain and rebuild. Our collective task looks daunting. Our
struggles, are seemingly insurmountable.
Looking at our challenges, I sometimes tend almost
towards despair asking myself as you will have at some point in the past 7
years: Where do we start from.
Today, let us do this: let’s start from here. Let’s
listen, lets query, that’s introspect, lets decide we can learn.
If we learn, we can strategize. If we strategize with
the knowledge today will equip us with, we will win this war.”
Here is a list of guests and organizations who were in
attendance:
- · NERI
- · Hon. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Adamawa state
- · Ms. Aisha Yesufu of the Bring Back Our Girls group #BBOG
- · Sen. Aisha Alhassan, Hon. Minister of Women Affairs
- · Hajja Hamsatu Allamin
- · Ms. Asmau Joda
- · Mr Bob Arnot, Country Lead ROLAC
- · District Heads and Women Community Leaders from Baz, Gulak and Shuwa
- · District Heads and Women Community Leaders from Gubio, Nganzi, Dala Shuwari
- · Ms. Leslie Agams, Crisis Center Abuja Coordinator
- · Maj. Gen. N.E Angbazo, Chief of Civil Military Affairs, Nigeria Army represented by Maj. H. Longpoe
Group discussions, group disseminations, summary and
way forward was actualized at the 2 days national dialogue.
To still be
part of the conversation or make your contributions, visit Global Rights
website and social media pages.
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