By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The Plateau State Peace Building Agency (PPBA) has held training for its staff and volunteers, urging them to be gender and conflict sensitive in their operations.
The Agency said the training became necessary as conventional approaches to peace building no longer work.
Speaking at the opening of of the training, Director General of the Agency, Mr. Joseph Lengmang said,
“We are living in very dangerous times in this country.
According to him, “We don’t have to sugar coat it. We are tittering on the brink because of the growing security challenges that we face.
“We need to begin to rethink our strategies and this is what this workshop is all about.
“We need to shift from the conventional ways and begin to explore new ideas on how to solve these problems”, he explained.
“And that means talking to people, educating them, working closely with them to deliver on the promise of peace and security,” he maintained.
Also Speaking, while presenting a paper at the workshop, Mrs. Nenpo Adelabu, said, there is no better time to mainstream gender and conflict sensitivity in conflict prevention and resolution as now that Nigeria seems to be “submerged in vicious circles of conflict and insecurity”.
“Conflict management initiatives have largely been male dominated and confrontational. But as caregivers, women are first educators in family and society. They are Central in transmitting values of peace and love to their children and community,” she said.
According her, “Women’s knowledge, experiences and skills are therefore valuable in promoting peace.
Adelabu added that, “As victims and actors in peace building and conflict resolution, the exclusion of women in both informal and formal processes undermines the peace building process,” she added.
