Folalumi Alaran in Abuja
The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Nigeria) has launched the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) Action Lab and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Localisation Monitoring and Assessment Framework to strengthen evidence-based monitoring and accountability in the implementation of the WPS agenda in Nigeria.
The initiative is designed to provide a coordinated approach to documenting and measuring progress, identifying implementation gaps and emerging risks, highlighting good practices and strengthening accountability at different levels.
Speaking at the launch, WANEP-Nigeria’s National Network Coordinator, Dr. Bridget Osakwe, said the initiative represented an important step towards strengthening the understanding, monitoring and implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Nigeria.
Osakwe said Nigeria had made important commitments to advancing WPS through national and state-level policies and action plans, institutional initiatives, civil society interventions and the contributions of women and communities involved in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
She, however, stressed the need for stronger systems to document what was being done, understand what was changing, identify gaps and ensure that evidence was used to inform action.
She said the UNSCR 1325 Action Lab was developed as a practical platform for tracking, monitoring, learning and accountability on WPS implementation and localisation across the country.
According to her, the Action Lab would look beyond the existence of formal plans and commitments to also recognise policies, institutions, programmes, services, community initiatives and other actions contributing to the advancement of WPS.
“The WPS Localisation Monitoring and Assessment Framework provides the methodology that will guide this process,” Osakwe said, adding that it would provide stakeholders with a shared approach to generating and using evidence while creating opportunities for learning, collaboration and accountability.
She said the initiative was expected to bring together government, civil society, women and youth networks, communities, development partners, researchers and other stakeholders around a common commitment to better evidence and more effective action on Women, Peace and Security.
Also speaking, the Head of Programmes, WANEP-Nigeria, Patience Ikpeh Obaulo, said the Action Lab would provide a coordinated approach to documenting and measuring progress, identifying implementation gaps and emerging risks, highlighting good practices and strengthening accountability across all levels.
Obaulo outlined the next steps for the initiative to include publicising the Action Lab on WANEP-Nigeria’s website and disseminating it to WPS stakeholders to support monitoring and reporting.
She said the evidence generated would also provide a basis for the drafting of a shadow report for Nigeria and provide tangible data that could be used to hold duty bearers accountable.
Other planned activities include awareness creation and training on understanding and utilisation of the Action Lab, documentation of WPS realities in learning reports, and the mobilisation of funds and partnerships to operationalise the initiative.
Osakwe thanked stakeholders who contributed to the development and validation of the framework, saying their expertise, reflections and feedback had helped shape the Action Lab into a more practical and responsive tool.
She urged stakeholders to remain engaged not only in providing evidence but also in using the findings to strengthen policies, programmes, coordination, accountability and action at national and subnational levels.