Communique issued at the end of a Round Table Discussion on the Role of Women in Peace building , governance and Leadership in kogi State organized by Office of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with support from MERCY CORPs on Monday 29th March 2021 at the Glass House Lokoja
Preamble
The Kogi state government in driving the Goal 5 of the SDGs through the office of the Special Adviser on SDGs and the Ministry of Women Affairs in efforts to empower Kogi women in peacebuilding and governance and leadership using the System Resilience building Approach to Women Leadership (SRAWL). Especially with the 100% leadership position held at local government level as Vice Chairpersons and leaders of councils in all the 21 LGAs of the state greater decision making role for women in peacebuilding and governance.
The SDGs office in collaboration with Women Peace Councils facilitated by the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) program in Yagba west, Dekina, Igala Mela and Lokoja local government areas.
OBSERVATION
• The kogi state government has raised the bar on inclusion of women at the local government level through the election of 21 Vice Chairperson and 21 House Leaders
• There are several interventions of the state towards empowering women at the grassroot
• The State House of Assembly has recently passed The Violence Against persons prohibition Bill which provides a legislative platform for promotion, protection and enforcement of the rights of vulnerable persons especially women and young girls
• There are still gaps in the number of women in state level governance especially in the elective positions where no woman is represented
• There are still issues around policies towards sustainable inclusion of women in governance
• There is no mechanism for gazetting passed Laws in the State thereby rendering those passed ineffective
• The Office of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has put in place laudable mechanisms aimed at ensuring women participation and inclusion at all levels in line with SDG 5
Recommendations
• There is need for government and its agencies to develop and enforce strategic policies and programmes aimed at opening the spaces for women and other vulnerable persons in governance
• Economic empowerment strategies must be consciously thought out and implemented to provide a mechanism for empowering women
• There is the urgent need to give assent to the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill (VAPP) by the Executive Governor
• The need to gazette all laws passed at the state level
• Need for the State government to provide trhe necessary resources needed by the SDG office to implement their laudable initiatives for women and young girls
Signed
Special advisers Docp House Committee Chairman