The Alliances for Africa (AfA) has inaugurated the Imo State Implementation Group on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), to localize Nigeria’s National Action Plan (NAP) on WPS and ensure women’s inclusion in peacebuilding efforts at the state level.
Held on July 28, 2025 in Owerri, the inaugural meeting brought together traditional rulers, civil society organizations, state ministries, legal advocates, media and grassroots women leaders to support the process of developing a robust State Action Plan that aligns with national security priorities and the realities of local communities.
Blessing Duru, AfA’s Director of Programs, noted that Imo State’s inclusion in national-level efforts on WPS is a step in the right direction. “NAP is a key agenda of the current federal administration. It’s important that Imo State joins the call. With so much resources invested both in the military and police to curb insecurity across the country. It is time we begin to recognize security as one of our greatest threats and one that requires women’s inclusion in its resolution,” she said.
Duru emphasized that women are agents of change often in positions to detect early warning signs of violence within their families and communities. “One woman in a village could be the early alert to her community’s traditional rulers and stakeholders, if her son wants to perpetuate violence. This is why this committee matters; it’s not just about policy but prevention.”
Ifeoma Obinwa, AfA’s Project Officer, said the implementation group is already showing signs of success through community engagement, stakeholder training, and sensitization. “From traditional rulers to government agencies and women in rural areas, we are intentionally building a team that understands the project’s objectives and is working together to craft a comprehensive state action plan,” she said.
Despite the adoption of the NAP at the federal level in 2013 and its subsequent updates, women remain largely excluded from peace and security dialogues, especially in states like Imo where conflicts and insecurity have deepened in recent years. Obinwa stressed that inclusion is crucial: Women bear the brunt of violence displacement, hunger, sexual violence yet are often left out of decision-making. Their perspectives must shape peace negotiations if we want lasting results.
Udochukwu Chukwu, a member of the committee and representative of Citizens Platform, underscored the significance of this initiative. “This inauguration signals a new era where women are no longer observers but decision-makers in security and peacebuilding in Imo State. It’s long overdue,” he said. “Women and girls have been disproportionately impacted by the ongoing conflicts in the state. If we are serious about solutions, we must center those who are most affected.”
Legal practitioner Ihunanya Okoroji lamented the structural gender inequalities embedded in Imo’s governance. “We have a House of Assembly without a single female lawmaker. Yet, men chair committees on women’s affairs. How can they advocate for needs they don’t understand?” she asked.
She further argued that laws and cultural norms across communities still exclude women from leadership roles, perpetuating marginalization. “This action plan could become our legal instrument to challenge these injustices. Women’s reproductive health, maternal safety, forced evictions, and gender-based violence must be at the heart of the strategy. If fully implemented, it could change the legal and social landscape for women in Imo State.”
The group is expected to develop a localized State Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security that will serve as a framework for addressing insecurity in Imo through a gender-inclusive lens. The plan will also serve as a benchmark for holding the government accountable, particularly in a state grappling with rising violence, displacement, and communal unrest.
For many in attendance, the inauguration was not just symbolic. It was a long-overdue acknowledgment that women must be empowered as frontline responders, mediators, peacebuilders, and decision-makers in any meaningful approach to peace and security in Imo State.
