TAKE ACTION FOR PEACE: SO SDG GOALS ARE ACHIEVED”

September 22, 2023September 22, 2023 PublisherPublisher 0 Comment

REITERATES

THE NETWORK OF WOMEN MEDIATORS IN NIGERIA  

IN THEIR URGENT PRESS RELEASE, TO MARK 2023 INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PEACE -September 21, 2023.

The Network of Women Mediators in Nigeria yesterday joined the global community and all those working for peace in the world to mark the 2023 International Day of Peace [IDP] as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981.

This year’s theme, “Action for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals”, underscores the fact conflict, war, poverty, insurrections, terrorism, kidnappings, and banditry are antithetical to the achievement of sustainable development goals. The network joins the United Nations in dedicating today a violence-free and ceasefire day. We enjoin all Nigerians to take concrete, focused actions for peace in our homes, our communities, local government areas, states, geopolitical zones, and the nation in general.

As a network, we are concerned that, “133 million Nigerians are multidimensional according to the 2022 National Bureau of Statistics national poverty index report which states that 

  • 65% of the poor (86 million people) live in the North, while 35% (nearly 47 million) live in the South. Poverty levels across States vary significantly, with the incidence of multidimensional poverty ranging from a low of 27% in Ondo to a high of 91% in Sokoto;
  • Over half of the population of Nigeria is multidimensionally poor and cooks with dung, wood, or charcoal, rather than clean energy. High deprivations also appeared nationally in sanitation, time to healthcare, food insecurity, and housing; 
  • In general, the incidence of monetary poverty is lower than the incidence of multidimensional poverty across most states. In Nigeria, 40.1% of people are poor according to the 2018/19 national monetary poverty line, and 63% are multidimensionally poor according to the National MPI 2022;
  • Multidimensional poverty is higher in rural areas, where 72% of people are poor, compared to 42% of people in urban areas, to mention but a few. 

The Network is concerned that across the length and breadth of Nigeria, her citizens and residents live in fear and horror of armed banditry, kidnapping, and Communal clashes. The farmers headers clashes remain major conflict triggers in the country, and this is worrisome, as it has caused unrestrained devastation’s, including hunger, strive across communities thereby endangering lives and properties.
The network also uses this opportunity to decry the increasing incidences of gender-based violence including rape, incest, wife battery, and cases of sex for marks now prevalent in our tertiary institutions, and say enough is enough.


The network again decries the evident surge in tensions across the country due to ineffective governance, ethnic and religious conflicts, insecurity due to Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and banditry activities as well as protests by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement.

Hence the rising proliferation of small and light weapons (SALW) across the country is a grave concern for the Network.


Therefore, while we call on Government at all levels in Nigeria to take concrete actions towards poverty reduction among the teeming populace especially in the rural areas, we also ask that all relevant stakeholders across sectors collaborate to end violence against women and girls in the country.


We use this medium again to call on the Nigeria Government through the national security adviser to update existing laws and policies in the country as well as strengthen their implementation.

We call on relevant stakeholders including civil society organizations to intentionally commit to taking thoughtful actions including sensitization’s on the proliferation of small and light weapons (SALW) and the dangers of armed violence.


We specifically enjoin the political actors and other decision-makers to commit to taking actions that expand the political space and reduce ethnic and religious polarization among citizens.


Finally, we urge the international community and well-meaning individuals to support ideals that potentially promote peace in the world.


God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Prof. Joy Ada Onyesoh, National Co-coordinator


Hajia Lantana Bako, National Co-coordinator

Rita Ogwa Kigbara, Secretary General ##

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