SPECIAL PUBLICATION:KEYNOTE ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE HONOURABLE COMMISSIONER, MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIRS & SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, ALHAJI ALIYU TOLA BELLO, DURING THE VALIDATION, REVIEW, AND ADOPTION OF THE ADAMAWA STATE ACTION PLAN (SAP) ON UNSCR 1325, HELD AT CITY GREEN HOTEL YOLA, ON 26TH OCTOBER, 2017

Protocols….
The UN Security Council recognizes women’s inclusion to strengthen sustainable peace around the world. In October 2000, the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 was adopted in order to recognize the role of women in strengthening their participation in decision-making, ending sexual violence and impunity and also providing an accountability system.

Esteemed stakeholders, it will interest you to know that Nigerian women have paid a heavy price in the long and violent conflicts that have ravaged the country especially in the past two decades. Particularly in Adamawa, women have suffered great hardships as they are subjected to emotional, and physical violence such as abductions, rape, murder, and destruction of life and properties.

As if these abuses are not enough, women suffer unimaginable human rights abuses for which redress is unattainable. In addition, the worst affected by conflict are women and children who have lost: husbands, fathers and sons. Apart from these losses, the conflict has permanently injured others, thereby making them widows and orphans, who are without any form of support. Hence women are mostly affected by conflict, more needs to be done to empower them, to begin to play a significant and active roles in peace building, rehabilitation, and post-conflict reconstruction in our communities, especially in Adamawa State.

Esteemed stakeholders, there is a growing recognition that women must be viewed - not only as victims of conflict - but as powerful agents for peace and security in their communities. No doubt, women’s gender roles – as mothers, caregivers, sisters, wives, daughters - have placed them in positions where they act as first responders in providing humanitarian assistance, care and support to their families and members of the community.

I therefore enjoin all stakeholders represented here, to review and validate the Adamawa State Action Plan (SAP) on UNSCR 1325, that truly reflects the peculiarities of our people and address the collective experience of the people of our Adamawa. When validated, the document will provide a roadmap for the inclusion and participation of more women in all aspects of peace-building and post-conflict rehabilitation of Adamawa.

Finally, I thank the European Union for supporting the Government of Adamawa State, and for funding the Women Peace and Security Program, in which the Ministry works in partnership with UN Women, and other key stakeholders.

On this note, I welcome you all to this validation workshop and wish all stakeholders represented here today, a fruitful validation workshop. Thank you and God bless!