WOMEN SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN PEACE BUILDING
By Fidelia Mogekwu

July 22, 2004 - (Daily Champion) The need to involve women in peace building process took the centre stage at a two-day media workshop organised by West Africa Network for Peace Building in Nigeria (WANEP).

The workshop, which was aimed at exploring opportunities, examining strategies and defining roles of women in peace building at all levels held in Lagos between July 8 and 9, 2004.

Speaking at the event, Ms Elizabeth Joseph, said the objectives of the workshop were: To train a critical mass of women groups as monitors in conflict early analysis, design strategies that will increase the participation of media women in peace building process in Nigeria, and enhance the capacity of women to engage in research, and documentation of conflict prevention in Nigeria, among others.

Defining conflict, Ms Joseph said "it is a clash of interest, disagreement or squabbles," adding that the way people perceive it, goes a long way in handling it.

Ms Joseph noted that men and women are victims of violence during conflicts, adding that women are the worst hit because they are marginalised, assaulted, raped and sexually exploited.

However, she stated that an analysis of women's social status in peacetime in West Africa, shows that women were not living in peace, long before violence broke out as they have been exposed to different forms of domestic violence.

She attributed reasons for conflicts to unequal distribution of resources and value system, which are atimes contradictory.

Speaking also, Mrs Naomi Akpan- Ita of Impact for Change, an NGO, averred that the cultural system did not allow women to play major roles during conflict, adding that this excluded them from the conflict resolution process.

However, she said that for women to be able to participate in peace building process they have to be armed with the necessary skills concerning conflicts.

Proffering views on skills for women in peace building, the participants agreed that if women must influence policy makers, they should be well enlightened.

They also resolved that women could help nip such conflicts in the bud, before it escalated into full-blown crisis.

The participants agreed that women were slightly impaired to handle conflict because of cultural conflict.

They unanimously agreed that this was a major handicap as they are expected to mind the affairs of the home, and at the same time, be seen and not heard as the case maybe in some cultures.

They also agreed that peace building was about addressing the issues that create conflict and not handling conflict itself.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200407220725.html