Women under the Network of Peace and Security for Women in the ECOWAS Region (NOPSWECO) have sought inclusion into the peacebuilding processes especially when they and their children are the most affected during any conflict.
Speaking when the group took a peace walk to various motor parks in Kaduna metropolis, the National President of NOPSWECO, Dr Lydia Umar, said women and children must play a role in the process which necessitated why the group felt the need to demonstrate to the public that without peace, there can be no development.
She said the group will pay advocacy visits to key stakeholders on the need to ensure peace is achieved, adding that: “We decided to come to motor parks because it has the highest concentration of people from different ages and backgrounds who will equally carry the message far and wide.”
She urged the general public to resolve conflicts amicably to foster development.
The Executive Director, GirlUpAfrica, Omokide Iheoma said many parents have withdrawn their children from community schools for fear of kidnap, which she said has increased the number of out-of-school children.
She said the parents prefer to send their children to other locations as domestic helps which will interrupt their education in the long run. She urged Nigerians to get more involved in less violent extremism and give girls a safe haven to achieve their full potential.
