By Ahmad Umar
Women Peace Mentors, an NGO, has commenced the establishment of peace clubs in four selected government girls secondary schools in four local government areas in Gombe state, North East of the country.
The local government areas,are Balanga, Kaltungo, Kwami and Yamaltu Deba.
Lead Mentor, Naomi Maiguwa disclosed this at a one day sensitisation meeting with Peace Club members on peace, Gender and Human Right issues held at Government Girls Secondary Schools, Kuri, in Yamaltu Deba.
The Programme is supported by UN-Women in implementing EU-funded program in partnership with UNICEF, Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs and Search for Common Ground.
Maiguwa  said that the meeting brought together all members of the clubs in the four schools to enlighten them on issues bordering on peace, gender and human rights. “This is intended to equip them to be able to build their self-esteem as girls and boys, identify conflict early warning signs and guard against all forms of human right abuses in their schools to be facilitated by the resources persons.
“The overall purpose of the women peace mentors is to ensure that key individual women leaders in target local government areas and communities provide strategic direction, overall guidance, mentoring and capacity building for women and young girls to be actively engaged in the mechanism of State Peace and Security architecture, and to form the basis of a networked cadre of women peace advocates, at all levels.
“Specifically the women mentors closely consult and collaborate with UN Women and voluntarily commit to mentor a significant number of women and youth in target areas through the conduct of regular meetings, development of action plans, for community-based Peace building and Conflict Resolution processes, identifying women and girls in target areas and equip them to be effectively engaged in both formal and informal conflict prevention.
They are also tasked with exploring and enhancing specific activities and areas of cooperation of promoting women’s engagement in peace and security with UN Women and its key partners, serve as a platform for women dialogue, consensus-building, sharing of lessons and good practice for increased engagement of women and girls in peace and security in target communities, and local government areas. she emphasised.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/05/12/news/nigeria-women-inclusion-campaign-on-peace-process-commences-in-gombe-northeast-soicits-involment-of-women-by-traditional-council/
