UN organises stakeholders meeting to review peace architecture

iyebiye olawuyi

February 8, 2017 5:54 PM

The meeting was to ensure that stakeholders were involved in the process toward ensuring lasting peace in the state.

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The UN on Wednesday organised a high level stakeholders meeting in Jos to review the Plateau peace architecture.

Mrs Njeri Karuru, the UN Women Programme Manager on Peace and Security, said the meeting was necessary to ensure that stakeholders were involved in the process toward ensuring lasting peace in the state.

She said the meeting was also aimed at charting way for women’s engagement in peace building process and its sustenance.

She added that women were usually relegated to the background in peace building processes despite their contributions to economic growth.

She explained that if women were engaged in conflict resolution, they would monitorearly warning signs of crisis for appropriate action.

Mrs Rufina Gurumyen, the Plateau Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, said socio cultural and religious differences since 2001 tampered with peaceful coexistence in the state.

She said that despite the vulnerability of women and children, they were often not included in formal peace building processes due to religious, patriarchal, cultural and socio economic factors.

She added that stakeholders at the meeting would review the situation and issues raised would all be addressed.

Gov. Simon Lalong said the UN meeting was in line with its mandate to restore peace and security in the state, a yardstick toward fast tracking development.

The governor, represented by Mr Samson Dewan, his Special Assistant on Institutions and Litigation, said the Plateau Peace Building Agency was established to shore up efforts toward stable structure for peace in the state.

He then stressed the need for concerted efforts by stakeholders to ensure peace on the Plateau.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants for the two-day meeting were drawn from the traditional, religious, government, media and non- governmental organisations.

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