On the 15th of December 2025, Nigeria's 3rd National Action Plan (NAP) on the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 was launched at the Banquet Hall, State House, FCT-Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with UN Women (Nigeria), German Cooperation, Norwegian Embassy and Strengthening Peace & Resilience in Nigeria (SPRING). I was there live! Why is the 3rd NAP necessary? So much water has passed under the bridge in Nigeria since the implementation of the 1st and 2nd NAPs. The following have intensified: terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, criminality, rape, etc.The 1st and 2nd NAPs were launched in 2013 and 2017 respectively on the heels of UNSCR 1325 (2000) because a major requirement of UNSCR 1325 is that State Parties should implement its provisions at Federal, State and Local Government (LG) levels. UNSCR 1325 acknowledges that armed conflict impacts women differently from men and demands protection for women...
Hon. Wosilat Ogbara (Chair, House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs): It's necessary and important to translate national programmes like the 3rd NAP to the grassroots. Any scheme that excludes wome is unsustainable. Can we continue to neglect half of our population - women? The answer is 'no'. Women and children bear a disproportionate burden of conflict. A plan without an implementation strategy is a broken promise. The House of Representatives Commitee on Women Affairs is committed to the NAPs. The National Assembly is likely to vote on the Reserved Seats Bill (HB 1349) this week. Lobbying for the passage of the Bill has intensified...Peace is not achieved by silence. Peace is built when justice prevails. Let the 3rd NAP become a living instrument. The task before us now is effective implementation. History will judge us by the lives we have changed...
Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo (Team Lead, SPRING): A lot of effort has been made by the UK government to support peace and stability in Nigeria. I commend the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the First Lady of Nigeria for the actualisation of the 3rd NAP. SPRING promotes the meaningful participation of women in peace processes and national development. We are committed to supporting the NAP's domestication and implementation. We are supporting at the Federal, State and Local Government levels.
Dr. Joseph Ochogwu (DG IPCR Represented by Ms. Susan Uwakwe - Gender Unit IPCR): The NAPs align with the President's Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA). We should always remember that women are at the centre of peacebuilding and conflict resolution. I bring you warm greetings from the DG, Dr Joseph Ochogwu...
Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi (Medical Doctor/Women's Health Activist/1st Nigerian to be elected President, Medical Women's International Association - MWIA): Violence against women in the private sphere is prevalent in Nigeria. We need to de-escalate this negative trend. We should remember that violence in the private sphere is a predictor of violence in the public sphere. In the analysis of at least 40 peace processes, the finding was that when women were involved in peace processes agreements are more likely to last more than 50 years! We all should be dedicated and accountable to WPS...
Ms. Bridget Taila (Nigeria Security & Civil Defense Corps - NSCDC): I bring you greetings from my Corps Commander. We need inclusive peace which would ultimately lead to safer communities.
Wata Saheed (Representative of UN Women/UNICEF): The challenges of incssant abduction and insurgency are addressed in the 3rd NAP. The ultimate test of our resolve to succeed in this endeavour would be in the successful implementation of the 3rd NAP at the Federal, State and Local Government levels. We need to localise the 3rd NAP in the 36 states and FCT. This would be another step towards Gender Equality and Women Empowerment...
Then came the Skit which emphasised the need to effectively involve women in peace processes, while protecting children and their mothers (indeed all women and girls) always. In the skit, there were actresses and actors representing the following: Minister of Women Affairs, a Major General, a Lawyer, a Chief and of course, women who came into their meeting to seek inclusion...
Mrs. Valita Bashir (DG Maryam Babangida Centre for Women Development - MBCWD): This is indeed a historic occasion for Nigerian women. As a Parastatal under the Ministry of Women Affairs, MBCWD would support all effort ensure resounding success for the 3rd NAP.
Peter Mancha (Representative UN Women/Presenter of the Overview of NAP): The NAP was adopted as the implementation arm of UNSCR (2000) in Party States. Conflict affects women disproportionately. Women have the potential to contribute to national security. The 1st NAP was in 2013 while the 2nd NAP was in 2017. There are 4 Pillars in WPS: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Relief/Recovery. Early Warning & Early Response (EWER) must be gender-sensitive. IDP camps do not need only bags of rice and other food items, the women in such places also need sanitary pads. The 1st and 2nd NAPs had some challenges: *lack of awareness *Limited political will *Weak coordination *Limited adoption of the multi-sectoral approach
We note that the priority areas of the 3rd NAP align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda and we are delighted that the Presidency has pledged full support for the programme. We have also got commitment from the Chief of Army Staff ((COAS) and the Leadership of the National Assembly (NASS). The 3 Consultants (experts) worked in the 6 geo-political zones. The multi-sectoral approach was developed.
Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim (Minister of Women Affairs): The Dean of Commissioners of Women Affairs in Nigeria is duly acknowledged. Women should be able to claim ownership of the 3rd NAP via their LGAs. Today, we are standing at the threshold of history: 30 years since the Beijing Conference; 30 years since the establishment of the Ministry of Women Affairs and 25 years of navigating UNSCR 1325. As we already know, the 1st NAP was in 2013 while the 2nd was in 2017. The 3rd NAP is closely aligned to national and international realities. The President is passionate about social inclusion, human security and gender sensitivity. The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) is transforming UNSCR 1325 into action. Inclusion normalises women being formidable players in all spheres, including spaces traditionally monopolised by men. We see women rising. Remember that this year we are celebrating 70 years of women in the Police Force (See for example: dayokusa.blogspot.com/nigeria-police-women-at-70.html)
In the Committee on NAP 3, we are engaging: retired officers in the Armed Forces, Conflict Transformation Experts, etc. Lest we forget, there have been some institutional gains: *Traditional leaders have included more women in decision-making *Kudos to the 10th National Assembly for sponsoring the Reserved Seats Bill (See for example: dayokusa.blogspot.com/public-hearing-of-rsb-hb-1349-reserved.html) *Many Bank CEOs in Nigeria are women, etc. May NAP 3 plant sincere justice for Nigerian women. I am confident that the work we do today would ensure we hand over to our children a banner without stain. NAP 3 is born a week shy of Christmas 2025 - It's our Christmas gift to Nigerian women.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu (First Lady Represented by Wife of Deputy Senate President - Hajiya Laila Barau-Jibrin): I bring you greetings from the First Lady. A lot of work in the line of the implementation of NAP 3 is already being done via the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), Chaired by the First Lady. I call on all State Governments to key into NAP 3. I hereby launch NAP 3...
My comment: There you have it, the 3rd NAP is successfully launched! I look forward to the painstaking implementation of the tenets of the programme at the National, State and Local Government levels...
