Children’s Day: Stakeholders Advocate Peace Education As “She 4 Peace Project” Initiative Unveiled In Ibadan (PHOTOS)
An empowerment and peace initiative tagged “She 4 Peace Project” has been unveiled in Ibadan
She 4 Peace Project, the initiative of Kazeem Olubunmi Isholagbenla Foundation and WANEP Nigeria, Oyo state chapter, was birthed with the aim of capturing the girl child from the younger age and building their capacities on women, peace and security matters in the society.
At the unveiling ceremony with the theme “Raising a generation of women, peace and security Advocates in Nigeria” held at the conference hall, Ibadan Development Centre, Ikolaba Ibadan, selected secondary school girls in Ibadan were mentored on self reliance, peace education and were exposed to the implications of silence during abuse.
The project coordinator, Mr Kolawole Hamzat Gbenla said the initiative became necessary considering the need for peace in all spheres of life, using the younger generation as champions and advocates in the promotion of peaceful coexistence.
Mr Gbenla said “This has been the United Nations Security Council agenda to equip women, especially those that are in the conflict zones and today, there are lots of conflicts everywhere. In our own environment, we have sexual and gender base violence, rape, ritual, bartering and series of domestic violence”
He explained that “We want to start teaching our young women, what they need to know about their rights, how they can defend their rights, knowing that they need to speak out when there are issues, so they won’t be cut unawares”
“The project will move round schools in Nigeria, but we’re kick starting in Ibadan, Oyo state in the southwest zone of the country” He said
Mr Gbenla called for concerted efforts between state and non state actors towards ensuring peace, women development, empowerment of the girl child and reduction of all forms of violence against children in the society.
Earlier in an address, a director in the Oyo state ministry of women affairs and social inclusion, Barrister Tayo Ayoade who identified the need to for every stakeholder to support peace Building in the society, expressed the ministries readiness to partner with the organizers of the project to make the society a better place to be for all.
Other stakeholders who spoke at the ceremony harped on the need for peace education for the girls and the introduction of peace Building as a curriculum at all levels of education in Nigeria.
Present on the occassion were representatives of the Nigeria Security And Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, SPSP, NGOs, CSOs and other peace advocates
