By: Sani Gazas, Damaturu
The women-Led Network of Civil Society organizations (CSOs) Yobe State, chapter has been launched on Friday in Damaturu.
The launch of Women-Led Civil Society Organizations was as part of 16 days of activism on ending Violence Against Women funded by people of Japan’ and supported by UN-WOMEN.
In a address, the Secretary of the Women-Led Civil Society Organizations, Maryam Aje said, the Women-Led Network of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) is an umbrella body of Women-Led organizations in Yobe State established in 2019 with technical support from UN Women Nigeria.
According to her to increase Women’s representation, work for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls, empowerment of women expand women participation in decision-making structures at all levels as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian soon and peace and security.
Aje stated that “currently the Network has 30 registered Women-Led organization working across the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Yobe State to strengthen and amplify the voice of women affected by the insurgency, and to accelerate their active participation in humanitarian response and recovery plan, leadership and decision processes across the state.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, as many of you are already aware, while crisis usually affects everyone differently, women and girls are significantly affected.
The ongoing conflict in North-east Nigeria and the upsurge in violent attacks witnessed over the past years in the crisis-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe bave deepened humanitarian needs, widespread displacements, disruption to economic activities, and increased protection concerns including sexual and gender-based violence.
According to her crisis has also left millions of people in need of immediate humanitarian assistance and longer-term support with women and children constituting 81% of the overall crisis- affected population. Noted that COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbates the situation and risks wreaking havoc on the most vulnerable population.
“Women are often the first responders to a crisis and play a crucial role in responding to the needs and of families and communities. Women’s leadership crucial in promoting transformative change, women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as well as building resilience and social cohesion in crisis settings as demonstrated in their capacity to mobilize change, identity solutions, and respond”.
“The critical role played by civil society especially Women’s organizations was recognized during the World Humanitarian Summit held in Turkey in 2016. During the summit, the world committed to ensuring that women and girls are involved in humanitarian action particularly at decision-making levels to achieve appropriate, effective, and sustainable response to crises and to pave way to self-reliance, recovery and resilience of conflict and crisis- affected populations. Similarly, UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1325 recognizes and emphasis, as a matter of international peace and security, the urgent need to address women’s participation in peace processes and peace building as well as the need to protect women and girls from violations of their rights during and after violent conflict. She added.
Hence, the establishment of Yobe State Women-led Civil Society Network to serve as a common platform for women-led organizations, driving advocacy and on gender-responsive humanitarian and recovery interventions and strengthened institutional partnership and engagement with the humanitarian community, including the UN, Donor, private, Government, International NGOs, and other civil society organizations such as the Yobe State Network of Civil Society organizations in the State”.
Some of the strategic goals she listed include, to foster strategic dialogue and engagement, with a view of addressing the root causes of gender inequalities and advance goals of gender equality and women’s empowerment in Yobe State”.
“To establish a platform that fosters the exchange of information on learning and funding opportunities. To serve as a forum to that enables women-led organizations to advocate, share information, develop common plans, and support humanitarian and development programs that promote timely, effective, efficient, and global gender-responsive from violations of their rights during and after violent conflict. Hence, the establishment of Yobe State Women-led Civil Society Network to serve as a common platform for women-led organizations, driving advocacy and on gender-responsive humanitarian and recovery interventions and strengthened institutional partnership and engagement with the humanitarian community, including the UN, Donor, private, Government, International NGOs, and other civil society organizations such as the Yobe State Network of Civil Society organizations in the State”.
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While outlining the objectives, the Secretary said ist o share information among members, to engage in collective advocacy for women representation, participation. leadership and decision-making at all levels.
“To contribute to humanitarian, development and peace nexus (HDP) plans in the short, medium, and long terms.To strengthen the partnership and improve on resource mobilization strategies.To raise issues and call to action for government and security counterparts, Government, UN, and other international humanitarian and development organizations”.
“To carry out capacity building among members. To document all information relevant to the members.To represent and amplify voices of women-led civil society organization in Yobe State and beyond towards ending all forms of violence against women and girls”.
“The Women-led Civils Society Network is an inclusive platform that welcomes all interested women-led organizations implementing humanitarian and development programs in Yobe State. The network is open to national and community-based organizations with appropriate /legal statutory bodies in any part of the federation that fit within the definition of civil society are eligible to be member of the network. There is no limit on the number of members and all organizations involved, however, consistency of representation for each representative nominated to participate i appreciated”.
In a remarks the representative of the Chief Judge of Yobe State represented by Justice Hadiza Lawan Musa assured to facilitate the signing of VAPP law in the state.
While the Yobe State Government representative, Hajiya Mairo Amshi, Commissioner Yobe State Ministry of Agriculture in her goodwill message appreciated the Women-Led CSOs for championing the course of Women in the state.
Other critical stakeholders at the occasion were the Officer in charge of the Northeast Operations of UN Women, Lilian Unaegbu, Commissioner Yobe State Ministry of Women Affairs, Executive Director of the Network of Yobe Civil Society Organizations, National Human Rights Commission, OCHA, UNFPA among others.
In her vote of thanks, the Chairperson Women-Led Network of CSOs, Hajiya Husna Ibrahim threw encomium to the Officer in charge of the Northeast Operations of UN Women, Lilian Unaegbu, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Hauwa Bah Abubakar for giving them the courage to better the lives of Women.
The occasion witnessed the cutting of cake as part of the launch of Women-Led CSOs 16 days of activism on ending violence against women in Yobe State.