Saturday 13 October 2018

10 MYTHS ABOUT VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

Photo L-R: Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa & Dr. Marc-Antoine Perouse de Montclos, Founder NigeriaWatch/Global Fellow, Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO)


On the 12th of October, 2018, CDD hosted Dr. Marc-Antoine Perouse de Montclos's presentation of the findings of research titled: '10 myths about violence in Nigeria'. The public presentation of the findings was in Abuja and I was the discussant at the event. Marc-Antoine is the Founder of Nigeria Watch; Senior Researcher, Institute de recherche pour de developpment (IRD), Paris & Global Fellow, Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO). Marc-Antoine is the coordinator of the research project, housed by Research in Africa (IFRA), Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan (UI). There are at least 11 other contributors to the project, who are mostly postgraduate students of UI.

The methodology used entails a database which indexes/codes fatal incidents on a daily basis since June 1, 2006. The uniqueness of the study lies in the fact that it is the first attempt at an objective assessment of the many myths about violence in Nigeria from a scientific point of view. It is a collective effort, starting with a 10-day Masterclass organised by IFRA-Nigeria in December 2017. Further details about the methodology can be retrieved from http://www.nigeriawatch.org/

The findings are as follows:

1) Nigeria is more and more dangerous.
*No. Fatal violence has declined since 2015.

2) Economic recession leads to grater violence.
*No. Recession often leads to social apathy while development can trigger social tensions.

3) Oil production is a major cause of fatal violence.
*Not necessarily. Oil distribution (downstream sector) is more fatal than the production (upstream).

4) Nigeria is most dangerous for foreigners.
*No. More Nigerians are killed than foreigners. More Africa foreigners are killed than whites or those from Western nations. The killed foreign blacks are not noticed because they blend into the population.

5) Lagos is the most criminal city in Nigeria.
*No.The research is based on the figure - 10 million inhabitants (2006 census). The Middle-Belt Plateau and Nasarawa are more volatile than Lagos. the north-east is volatile, no thanks to insurgency.

6) Abuja is safe.
*No. There are many more fatal road accidents in Abuja than in any other city in Nigeria!

7) There are more crime incidents at Christmas.
*No. There are no cycles in fatal crime incidents.

8) Sharia Law helps in fighting crime.
*No. There is no discernible effect of Sharia Law on fatal crime incidents.

9) Religious violence is a major issue.
*No. Most incidents of violence labelled 'religious' are indeed not religious. They are usually violence as a result of politics, economic issues, farmer-herder clashes, communal clashes, etc.

10) Ritual killings are on the rise during elections.
*No. This perception may be due to the fact that the electorate do not trust politicians and therefore label them ritualists without scientific evidence.

The following is my critique of some of the findings of the research:

1) The sources of data should be expanded beyond newspapers. A lot of in-depth research is going on in many reputable NGOs like CDD, SFCG, CLEEN Foundation, PSN, NNNGO, etc.

2) The ownership of each of the Media Houses whose data are used for the research could taint the authenticity of the figures sourced since he who pays the piper dictates the tune. It may be useful to use 'averages' for each fatal incident of violence.

3) I do not agree hook line and sinker with the 'fact' that Nigeria is 'less' dangerous. It depends on which type of fatal casualties we are considering - farmer-herder crises, road accidents, insurgency, etc.

4) I still believe Abuja is relatively safe in-spite of the fact that there are more fatal accidents in the city. At least because of perimeter fencing and the fact that the seat of the Federal Government is in Abuja citizens can sleep with both eyes closed in the city, unlike in other states. As regards fatal road accidents, make sure your kids and wards go to good driving schools before entrusting cars to them. Be careful which public transport you patronise, etc.

5) Sometimes, there could be more crime at Christmas time if individual criminally minded individuals wish to 'catch up with the Jonses'.

6) The findings could be translated into Pidgin and some major Nigerian languages to take the discourse on this long held myths to the grassroots.

The research findings point to the fact that we should not swallow everything we are told hook line and sinker without subjecting same to scientific investigation. Kudos to the research team for reminding us about the importance of critical thinking backed by scientific analysis.

See for example: www.nigeriawatch.org/media/html/NW10Myths.pdf

28th December, 2018

*10 conflicts to watch in 2019   https://www.crisisgroup.org/global/10-conflicts-watch-2019

Sunday 7 October 2018

PREVENTING ELECTION VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

The Peace & Security Network (PSN), a network of over 550 members across the geo-political zones in Nigeria, held a meeting (in collaboration with the Fund for Peace - FFP) under its 'Confab Series' on the 27th of September, 2018 in Abuja. I am a valuable member of PSN. The high point of the meeting was the presentation of a research report by the FFP on 'Preventing Election Violence (PEV) in Nigeria'. Patricia Taft of FFP presented the report.

The following are some of the highlights:

*Election Violence (EV) does not occur in a vacuum. It always has a political, economic and social context.
*A three-pronged approach was adopted for the research:
-Collation of historical data
-Quantitative analysis
-Qualitative analysis
*There are 3 main contextual issues in 100 years of political and election violence in Nigeria:
-Sectarian polarisation/Colonialism
-Crisis of legitimacy
-Cycles of economic distress & rising rates of inequality
*Hot spots (2009-2015). The findings are:
-Hot spots tend to change from one election cycle to the other.
-Local level contests, especially Governorship elections are more violent than national level elections.
-Types of violence over a 6 year period: Orchestrated vs Spontaneous violence. PIND Security Maps/Location of insecurity actors/Social Network Analysis were utilised.

There are 3 types of organisations in Nigeria during EV:

*Communicators e.g. 'Get your PVC'.
*EV Prevention e.g. Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa's Non-Violence in Elections Advocacy Group (NViEAG). See for example: dayokusa.blogspot.com/2018/07/non-violence-in-elections-advocacy.html
*Conveners e.g.Conveners have viable platforms that could bring actors together. Conveners have trusted 'safe spaces' e.g. PSN, PIND, Mercy Corps, Abdulsalami Abubakar Peace Committee, etc. See for example: dayokusa.blogspot.com/2018/06/nepad-strategies-for-non-violence-in-elections...

The following were the recommendations for PEV:

1) Start earlier and stick around longer. EW and ER matter!
2) Make better use of reliable data.
3) More focus should be on Gubernatorial and Local level elections than on Presidential elections.
4) More attention should be paid to Conveners.

Chris Kwaja then gave a Risk Assessment of EV, looking at the peace and security landscape towards the 2019 elections. The focus was on Adamawa, Ekiti, Kano, Kaduna, Lagos & the FCT. The following are the findings:

1) The narrative of insecurity is changing with the intensity of the Farmer-Herder crisis, the Niger Delta, insurgency, etc.
2) Disappointment associated with state-citizen relationship.
3) Increase in the level of civic consciousness vis-a-vis INEC. The Electoral body should constantly demonstrate capacity to conduct credible elections.
4) Intra-Party conflict now deeper than Inter-Party conflict!
5) Diminished north-south divide.
6) Growing significance of social media. To what end - positive or negative?
7) Growing prominence of Local Government elections. Many of the grievances at the local level transform to the national level! SIECs are far from independent.

The following are the recommendations:

1) Re-think creating Election Offenses Commission (EOS).
2) There should be early recruitment and training of INEC ad hoc staff.
3) Improve election security administration. There should be an inter-agency consultative forum on election issues convened by INEC.
4) Internal Party Democracy is important in Political Parties.
5) Hate speech is not equivalent to free speech. However, human rights should not be curtailed under the guise of eliminating hate speech

With this and similar discourse on methods of PEV towards the 2019 elections, we hope for peace...

Related Links

*The quest for credible LG elections in Nigeria      thecable.ng

FOOD SECURITY & NIGERIA'S CHANGING CLIMATE

On the 4th of October 2018, The Nextier Security Dialogue Series in collaboration with the Yar'Adua Foundation held a dialogue that examined the 'Depoliticisation of the conflict/relations between farmers and herders' while 'Re-thinking the economic models' that could improve relations. It was made abundantly clear at the outset that the dialogue was to seek solutions to the challenge at hand. Therefore 'emotional outbursts' were unwelcome. It was Patrick Okigbo who set the pace with the ground rules.

Then came the fascinating 'Mentimeter (MM) Survey', which is a free audience response system that allows the use of mobile phones or tablets to vote on any question specified. This improves the meeting between a presenter and an audience. Amara Nwankpa, Director, Public Policy Initiative, Yar'Adua Foundation conducted the survey with questions like: 'What is the major cause of tension between farmers and herders?'. The overwhelming response to this question (by the audience) was 'conflict'. Another question: Private Ranches or Government Ranches? The majority voted for Private Ranches since herding is a private business! Here is the link for the use of the MM - https://www.scoop.it/t/into-the-driver.../mentimeter-a-free-audience-response-system   www.menti.com (code for the event: 91 17 21).

The answers from the audience, as projected on the screen, set the pace for the rest of the meeting. Prof. Oshita Oshita, Technical Committee on Farmer-Herder Conflict presented a paper on the work of his committee, where various options like private ranches and government-owned ranches were discussed. Dr. Chris Kwaja, Senior Lecturer/Researcher, Centre for Peace & Security Studies, Modibbo Adamawa University of Technology, Yola prefers the term: Farmer-Herder 'relations' to 'conflict'. The discussants - Olubukola Ademola-Adelehin (Senior Programme & Policy Analyst, SFCG/EVC), Dr. Saleh Momale (Pastoral Resolve - PARE) and Edward Ujege (President General, Mdzough U Tiv) were on the same page as regards solution to the problem viz; government should put in place measures for assuaging the devastating effects of climate change while ensuring that healthy farmer-herder relations are sustained.

I, Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa, in my capacity as a Conflict Transformation Expert and Member, Forum on Farmer-Herder Relations (FFARN) of Search for Common Ground (SFCG) commented that modalities for mitigating the Farmer-Herder crisis, which has claimed so many lives should be made a major campaign issue for anyone who wishes to become President of Nigeria come 2019. I also said we need to interrogate who exactly the 'new herders' are, who now kill and maim with careless abandon. Are they really the same ones who have lived in peace with sedentary farmers for decades? See for example - dayokusa.blogspot.com/2017/11/forum-on-farmer-herder-relations-in.html

Another commentator was Khalli Mohammed Bello, President, Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers' Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) who alluded to the fact that herders are willing to settle down if they are in settlements where they can feed their cattle and water is also readily available. Oliver Hout (EU Delegation to Nigeria & ECOWAS) did a comparative analysis of how the farmer-herder crisis was solved elsewhere. He said the EU was ready to support Nigeria in the quest for an amicable solution to the problem, but the Federal Government of Nigeria should also do her bit.

The consensus at the parley was that the Farmer-Herder issue is a conflict over diminishing natural  resources - land and water which has been infiltrated and complicated by politics, ethnicity, religion, etc. These 'external factors have rendered the conflict intractable with negative consequences for the sanctity of human life while 'conflict merchants', who do not want the conflict to end are smiling to the bank! We need to go back to the good old days when farmers and herders lived together harmoniously. The quest for this desired state of tranquility continues with the promise by the organisers for follow up meetings...

Related Links

*Billions of extra trees may give us 20 years to tackle climate change   https://www.newscientist.com/article/2208704-billions-of-extra-trees-may-give-us-20-years-to-tackle-climate-change/
*Gender lens essential to addressing linked climate change and security   https://t.co/j8XcLV5DN?amp=1
*Climate-conscious venture capitalists are back: Can they both make money and protect the planet?   theeconomist.com   https://t.co/mDWQd7EN4z?amp=1
*Climate change could make rare Tsunami events more common   bit.ly/3mrlep3
*Heightened alert of famine in 4 countries (Nigeria, Burkina Fasso, Sudan, Yemen), UN Food Agencies warn   wfp.org
*We are nowhere near keeping warming below 1.5 degrees centigrade despite climate plans    newscientist.com
*How the financial sector can implement climate action in Africa     internationalpolicydigest.org
*Beyond profit: Review of host community provisions in Nigeria's PIB 2020     https;//lnkd.in/ev6f86e
*Australia's oldest man, Alfred Date (8 Nov 1905 - 2 May 2016) knitted tiny sweaters for injuredpenguins      https://lnkd.in/diSQXeq
*Climate, conflict & demography in Africa      https://bit.ly/climateinafrica
*The EU & climate security: Towards ecological diplomacy     carnegieeurope.eu 
*The climate is breaking down: Arc Bjarke Ingels re-designs the planet to cut greenhouse emissions, clean up pollution &   adapt to climate change   time.com
*There's more dust in the universe than astronomers expected   @NASAWebb    go.nasa.gov/2KOwVcj
*Swedish teenage climate activist, Thunberg, turns 18    reut.rs/3b5SAHC
*Solving the challenge of food security key to pace-building in the Sahel  https://copese.org/book/solving-the-challenge-food-security.../
*Fast forward the race to zero-emission tracking   pscp.tv
*Japan promises to be climate neutral by 2050   economist.com   https://t.co/JY7kuYmycN/amp=1
*Supplier engagement for climate action: Columbia Sportswear Case Study   https://apparelimpact.org/columbia-sportswear-case-study/
*Why 'biodegradable' isn't what you think   https://bit.ly/3cWJ7I5
*Funding a more sustainable environment/world   https://lnkd.in/dagpAHa
*The fragile earth: Writing from The New Yorker on Climate Change - Book by Remick, David, Finder & Henry   https://bit.ly/3jzuDKg
*Tropical rain-forests may begin pumping out carbon dioxide by 2050    newscientist.com
*African cities must prepare for climate migration    issafrica.org
*Implanting beef cattle embryos into dairy cows makes them more lucrative   newscientist.com
*How should the media talk about climate change?   newyorker.com
*Games to address climate change challenges   https://lnkd.in/g7xw4YG
*Why 'Monocultures' (in agriculture) are not as bad as you think   newscientist.com
*Nonoclay: The liquid turning desert to farmland   https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/the-spray-that-turns-deserts-into-farmland.html
*Between 'Blade Runner' & Utopia: Where we're headed 50 years after the first Earth Day   edition.cnn.com/2020/04/21/opinions/earth-day-pollution-fossil-fuels-sutter/index.html
*Earth Day: Women's empowerment is key to reducing climate change   earthday.org/womens-empowerment-key-to-reducing-climate-change/
*7 pillars of agribusiness development in Africa   unido.org/resources/publications/creating-shared-prosperity/agribusiness-and-rural-entrepreneurship/agribusiness-africa.../
*Australia: Study finds 14 million metric tons of microplastics on the seafloor   edition.ccn.com
*How did we get here? A history of climate negotiations   libsyn.com
*'Zombie fires' & other strange events are happening in the Arctic   bit.ly/3nmw94U  #ClimateChange  #WeirdWeather
*Climate Change doesn't have to stoke conflict   foreignaffairs.com
*Hydroponics: Are indoor vertical farms the future of agriculture?   ted.com/talks/stuart_oda_are_indoor_vertical_farms_future_agriculture/
*From Farmcrowdy to ThriveAgric, here are 6 agriculture investment platforms for you - Farmcrowdy/ThriveAgric/EZ Farming/FarmKart/FarmFunded/ChubiAgro    technext.ng/2020/03/04/from-farmcrowdy-to-thrive-agric-here-are-6-agric-investment-platforms/
*Climate change has already made parts of the world too hot for humans   newscientist,com/article/2242855-climate-change-makes-heat-too-hot-for-humans/
*Melting Antarctic ice will raise sea level by 2.5m - even if Paris climate goals are met - Study   https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sept/23/melting-antarctic-ice-will-raise-sea-level.../
*Afforestation & Reforestation   https://carbonremoval.economist.com/afforestation-reforestation/
*Killer heat and humidity combination not experienced before is becoming more common   edition.cnn.com/2020/05/08/weather/killer-heat-climate-change-study/
*Billions of people could live in areas too hot for humans by 2070   edition.cnn.com/2020/05/05/world/global-warming-climate-niche-temperaturs-intl-hnk/index.html
*Newly discovered species found deep in the ocean contains micro-plastic   newscientist.com/article/mg24532750-200-newly...
*Asian rivers are turning black. And our colourful closets are to blame   cnn.com
*Feeding 398million people in Africa's largest economy by 2050   pwc.com/ng/en/publications/feeding-africas-large-population-by-2050/
*Making conservation profitable for small scale farmers   wrld.log/pOdj50Beik9  #ClimateActionWBG
*Covid-19 & food in Africa: Food is power   africasacountry.com/2020/04/food-is-power/
*The Central Sahel: Scene of new climate wars?   https://bit.ly/africab154
*Heat-trapping gases broke records in 2018 - Climate report   www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/12/climate-crisis-heat-trapping-gases-broke-records-2018-report
*Canary Island engulfed by Saharan sandstorm   bbc.com/news/world-europe-51608779.../ 
*Cities are using wall of moss to tackle air pollution from traffic   newscientist.com/article/2213755-cities-are-using-walls-of-moss-to-tackle-air-pollution-from-traffic/
*Adding mew winglets to its planes will enable Virgin Australia reduce CO2 emissions by 515 tonnes per aircraft per year. That's equivalent to planting 7,725 trees   virg.in/w9g
*The UN and climate related security risk   https://t.co/xfdC6hfaF6
*First all-ages Global Climate Strike in Abuja   https://act.350.org/event/globalclimatestrike/18043/
*Why ignoring Africa's climate change problem could have devastating effects   https://time.com/5669059/africa-climate-justice/
*The past, present & future of climate change: Replacing the fossil-fuel technology which is reshaping the climate remains a massive task   https://t.co/90qqBDWzIB
*Turkish scientist gets 15-month sentence for publishing environmental study   https://www.sciencemap.org/news/2019/09/turkish-scientist-gets-15-month-sentence-publishing-environmental-study
*Trendy, long-burning stoves pose a great threat to their owners   newscientist.com/article/2119595-wood-burners-london-air-pollution.../
*Global warming is changing the sex ratio of many animals, including humans   newscientist.com/article/mg24532700-800-why-climate-change-is-creating-more-female-sea-turtles-and-crocodiles/
*Natural disasters and human rights   https://rightforeducatin.org/2020/02/natural-disasters-and-human-rights
*Why carrying your own fork and spoon helps solve the plastic crisis   https://www.natonalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/carrying-your-own-fork-and-spoon.../
*A floating device created to clean up plastic from the ocean is finally doing its job   dition.cnn.com/2019/10/02/tech/ocean-cleanup-catching-plastic-scn-trnd/
*Nigeria must lead in climate change   https://t.co/OZQ2IUnVtQ
*Climate crisis: 11,000 scientists warn of untold suffering   https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/05/climate-crisis-11000-scientists-warn-of-untold-suffering/
*Gaming in the US emits as much carbon dioxide as all of Sri Lanka   newscientist.com/article/2223136-gaming
*The North Pole is moving, and if it flips, life on earth is in trouble   newscientist.com/article/mg24232360-700-the-north-pole-is-moving.../
*Italy to become 1st country to make learning about climate change compulsory for students in schools   edition.cnn.com/2019/11/06/europe.cnn.com/2019/11/06/europe/italy-climate-change-school-intl-scli-scn/
*Aviation Chief criticises Greta Thunberg & 'flight shaming movement'   newscientist.com/article/2227664-aviation-chief-crticises-greta-thunberg.../
*The implications of climate change for conflict dynamics   https://lnkd.in/dcHFqJC
*6 must-reads on climate change   knopfdoubleday.com/2020/01/07/must-reads-on-climate-change/
*Water wars: Early warning tool uses climate data to predict conflict hot spots   theguardian.com
*Oceans are warming at the same rate as if 5 Hiroshima bombs were dropped in every second!   edition.cnn.com/2020/01/13/world/climate-change-ocean-heat.intl/
*We have 10 years to save Earth's biodiversity, UN warns   edition.cnn.com/2020/01/14/world/un-biodiversity-draft-plan-intl-hnk-scli-scl/
*Planting a trillion trees can really help us fight climate change   newscientist.com/article/mg24532640-800-planting-trillion-trees-fight-climate-change/
*6 must-reads on climate change   knopfdoubleday.com/2020/01/07/must-reads-on-climate-change/
*Victoria Falls: World's largest waterfallis running out of water and might disappear   indiatimes.com/trending/environment/worlds-largest-victoria-falls-running-out-of-water-devastating-drought.../
*Microsoft says it will cut emissions to be carbon negative by year 2030   newscientist.com/article/2230504-microsoft-to-cut-emissions-to-be-carbon-negative-by-year-2030/
*Net zero goals are galvanising action on climate change at last   newscientist.com/article/mg24532682-900-net-zero-goals-are-galvanising-action-on-climate-change-at-last/
*The ozone layer is healing and re-directing wind flows around the globe   newscientist.com/article/2238542-the-ozone-layer-healing-redirecting-wind-flows-around-globe/
*My generation is fighting to keep Africa green   https://africasacountry.com/2020/03/my-generation.../
*Warming oceans are causing marine life to shift towards the poles   newscientist.com/article/2238538-warming-oceans-causing.../
*Between 'Blade Runner'& Utopia: Where we are headed 50 years after the 1st Earth Day   edition.cnn.com/2020/04/21/opinions/earth-day-pollution-fossil-fuels-sutter/index.html
*Earth Day: Women's empowerment is key to reducing climate change   earthday.org/womens-empowerment-key-to-reducing-climate-change/
*Can higher carbon dioxide levels boost plant life enough to dent global warming?   newscientist.com/article/mg24632820-700-can-higher-carbon-dioxide-levels-boost-plant-life/
*Algae now growing on melting Antarctic snow due to climate change   newscientist.com/article/2243918-algae-now-growing-on-melting-antarctic-snow-due-to-climate-change/
*How CoV shows us we can beat global warming   newscientist.com/article.mg24632842-700-climate-chief-how-cov-shows-us-we-can-beat-global-warming/
*We need action, not hope, on fighting climate change - Greta Thunberg   https://lnkd.in/gdrCVBj
*We can 'change' climate change   https://lnkd.in/dUWzY46
*Covid-19 & climate change make international cooperation more important than ever   bit.ly/2YHXqA
*What happens if you cut down all the city's trees?   t.ted.com/jRot5m
*Prince William: We need an 'Earth-shot' to save our planet from irreversible climate change   http://t.ted.com/wpYHpM5
*The end of the oil era: How will the energy transition transform geopolitics?   bbc.co.uk
*Exploring sustainable development in hot and arid climates   https://www.timeshighereducation.com/hub/qatar-university/p/exploring-sustainable-development-in-hot-arid-climates/
*Carbon Mineralisation: Accelerating reactions that permanently store removed CO2 as rocks   https://carbonremoval.economist.com/carbon-mineralisation/ 
*Food crimes: Why the WFP does not deserve the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize   https;//africasacountry.com/2020/10/food-crimes.../
*The world is woefully unprepared for climate-driven natural disasters   worldpoliticsreview.com
*'My plan for Climate Change' - Bill Gates   https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-plan-climate-change/
*'Sleeping giant': Arctic methane deposits starting to release - Scientists   https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/october/27/sleeping-giant...//2020/10...
*AI reveals that there are 1.8 billion trees in the Sahara Desert    weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/ai-billion-trees-sahara-desert-technology.../
*Agribusiness trends & opportunities in Nigeria: Demographics during food demand     https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/agribusiness-trends-opportunities/
*Climate change is the defining crisis of our time which particularly impacts refugees and IDPs    unhcr.org
*How the US can lead the world on climate change innovation    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/heres-how-to...bill-gates/
*Planting trees can be the tool to fight climate change, if we do it right    bit.ly/39MspVK
*Global heating is compounding threats for people already living with conflict and insecurity    bit.ly/39OffL
*Plants are soaking up far less extra CO2 than we thought they would    newscientist.com
*Universities essential to climate action    universityworldnews.com
*Mitigating the impact of extreme climate change events    universityworldnews.com
*Ancient humans might have hibernated to survive brutal glacial winters    newscientist.com
*US: 2020 state of the student: Covid-19& food insecurity    https://www.chegg.org/coid-19-food-insecurity-2020/
*Hindsight 2020: 20 stories that shaped food & agriculture    worldbank.org    wrld.bg/LCsE50CJsio
*World Bank Group announcements to support countries to take climate action    https://wrld.bg/qgFo50CIVIE   #ClimateActionWBG
*'When the flood came, it destroyed everything I had' https://lnkd.in/dGFEXg5   #oil #climate #environment #humanrights #oil&gas
*Record heat breaks Middle East as temperatures top 125 degrees Fahrenheit     washingtonpost.com

*Manual for Climate Change Adaptation - Nigeria Erosion & Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP)     guardian.com
*Advancing research in climate change: World Bank grants $60m to help Africa    worldbank.org
*Wanted: A sound global environmental policy   econ.st/3mnOVa4
*Climate change: Recognising the impact on West Africa    https://cddelibrary.org/.../climcte-change-impact-on-west-africa/
*4 ways the US can re-assert leadership on climate change    https://www.gatesnotes.com/energy/4-ways-us-reassert-leadership-climate-change/
*Biden orders US to re-join Paris Climate Accord - WHO    https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-politics/biden-orders-us-back-to-paris-accord/
*Biodiversity report urges nations to consider nature as economic asset    newscientist.com
*Make peace with nature: Restoring the ocean's ability to nurture humanity & regulate the climate is a defining challenge - UN Chief @ Ocean Decade launch    news.un.org
*IOM & UNHCR call on states to strengthen the protection and assistance for people displaced on the front-lines of climate emergency    bit.ly/3oGBVOA
*The 6-sector solution to climate change    unep.org
*Blueprint for a climate breakthrough    https://fortune.com/packages/blueprint-for-climate-change/
*How to avoid a climate disaster by Bill Gates    gatesnot.es/377JOBa
*Aircraft controls are a climate menace. Can we rid the sky of them?     newscientist.com
*Covid-19 paused climate emissions - but they are rising again     bbc.co.uk
*Climate action    un.org
*Ocean benefits increasingly undermined by human activity    new.un.org
*How can businesses survive climate change?    youtube.com
*Victory against Shell: Judge forces polluter to cut its CO2 emissions    actionaid.org





 

 


 
      



Saturday 6 October 2018

INEC's ROLE IN ENHANCING WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS

Between the 26th and 27th of September, 2018, the coalition of women politicians, scholars and activists was born at the conference convened by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on its role in enhancing women's participation in the electoral process. The conference was supported by the EU. Some papers were presented:

*INEC's role in women's participation in the electoral process.
*Theoretical and practical perspectives of women's role in the electoral process.
*Enhancing opportunities for women and PWDs in Political Parties.
*The role of civil society and the media in enhancing women's participation in politics.
*Emerging trends in women's participation in politics.
*Comparative analysis of women's participation with other countries.
*Strengthening synergy among politicians, scholars and activists on enhancing women's participation in the electoral process: A programme of action.
*Prospects and challenges of young female entrants and PWDs in the electoral process.

Some of the participants are:

*Sen. Suleiman Nazif - Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC
*Hon Aishatu Jibril Dukku - Chair, House Committee on Electoral & Political Party Affairs
*Ms. Comfort Lamtey - UN Women Country Representative for Nigeria & ECOWAS
*Monica Frassoni - ECES President
*Shalva Kiphidza - Country Director, IFES
*Prof. Bola Udegbe - Director, International Programmes & Professor of Psychology, UI
*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Consultant/Conflict Transformation Expert, Abuja
*Prof. Antonia Okoosi-Simbine - National Commissioner, INEC
*Prof. Yinka Omoregbe - Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Edo State
*Dr. Amina Salihu - Snr. Programme Officer, McArthur Foundation
*Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola - National Commissioner, INEC
*Barr. Ebere Ifendu - President, Women In Politics Forum (WIPF)
*Ms. Julie Sanda - Senior Research Fellow, Nigeria Defense College (NDC), Abuja
*Patience Dickson - Advocacy for Women with Disability
*Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim - Senior Fellow, Centre for Democracy & Development (CDD)
*Dr. Abiola Akiyode - Executive Director, WARDC
*Barr. May Agbamuche Mbu - National Commissioner, INEC
*Dr. Irene Pogoson - Department of Political Science, UI
*Aye Georgina Dakpokpo - National Chairman, Young Democratic Party (YDP)
*Cynthia Mbamalu - YIAGA
*Dr. Asmau Maikudi - REC, INEC, Zamfara State
*Prof. Remi Sonaiya - Professor of French & Applied Linguistics/Former Presidential Candidate, KOWA Party
*Ms. Ekaette Umoh - President, JONAPWD
*Abiodun Essiet - Young female politician

Some of the observations & recommendations are:

1) A coalition of politicians, scholars and activists with the aim of enhancing women's participation in politics should be formed.
2) More policy makers should be invited to subsequent meetings.
3) The 4 Ps that keep women down are: Politics, Patriarchy, Power & Poverty.
4) There should be gender-sensitive election reporting. Female politicians should be adequately reported in both the traditional and social media. Note the 'Code of Conduct for the Media in Elections' - Sec 1: Equitable access to the media; Sec 21.5: No hate speech & adherence to professionalism.
5) There should be safe spaces for women in politics, some form of quota system because the playing field is not level and is skewed against women.
6) Vulnerable sub-populations like women, PWDs, the aged, etc should be included in the electoral process. Impairment is not equivalent to disability. Disability is a societal construct. See UN Convention (Art 29) on the rights of  PWDs. Only 2% of PWDs have formal education.
7) Young women in politics should be encouraged. The role mentoring plays is key.
8) More male champions are needed: 'He for She'.
9) Gender stereotypes should be eliminated from curricula.
10) INEC's Gender Desk should continually monitor the civic space for women's participaton in politics.

The proposed action plan entails the definite steps to be taken to actualise the above aims of the new coalition...

Related Links

*Credible elections: INEC's proposed reforms & attendant challenges     https://tribuneonlineng.com/credible-elections-inecs-proposed-reforms-challenges/
*INEC spends N444.5b on 3 national elections with 35% turn-out    https://www.thisdaylive.com/.../inec-spends-n444b-3-elections.../
*'Consider underage married girls (below 18 years) as voters', NASS tells INEC    https://punchng.com/consider-underage-married-girls-as-voters-nass-tells-inec/
*Leveraging technology for the efficiency of Nigeria's electoral system    opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2021/01/11/leveraging-technology-nigerias-electoral-system/
*Elections & instability in Africa    https://issafrica.org/iss-today/elections-and-nstability-africa/
*INEC & creation of new polling booths by Jibrin Ibrahim    newsdiaryonline.com
*Wanted: Credible election system for Nigeria    thenationng.net
*20 proposals to resolve electoral conflicts & strengthen democracy by Ken Cloke    https://lnkd.in/dj-DQJM
*Personal data & the influence industry in Nigeria's elections: Data-driven campaigning by formal& informal actors    https://cutt.ly/ilZlbTD    https://cddwestafrica.org/personal-data-data-driven-campaigns/
*Judgments & jurisprudence: Presiding over Presidential petitions in Africa    cddwestafrica.org
*Insecurity & Covid-19: Threats to electoral democracy in Africa     cddwestafrica.org
*Preventing bloody ballots     nextierspd.com
*The salience of de-politicising EMBs in electoral democracies    yiaga.org