The Women for Positive Peacebuilding Initiative (WOPPI) has commenced its Support to Women Mediators Initiative in Jebbu Miango, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, with a community engagement aimed at strengthening local responses to conflict and violence.
The engagement brought together women mediators and traditional leaders to promote collaboration and strengthen community-based mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution.
The traditional ruler of Jebbu Miango, King Gado Dama, and his chiefs warmly welcomed the initiative, encouraging the women mediators to actively engage with community members. They also expressed appreciation to WOPPI for the intervention.
Following the community engagement, the women mediators held their bimonthly meeting to discuss emerging security concerns, early warning signs, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
The meeting also focused on strengthening community response mechanisms and fostering collaboration among women mediators, traditional rulers, security actors and other relevant stakeholders.
Moving beyond discussions to practical action, the women mediators developed two action plans for implementation in October and November.
The first action plan seeks to address the growing concerns surrounding drug and substance abuse in the local government area.
The second, to be implemented in collaboration with the Local Government Council, will focus on sensitising women and other stakeholders on peaceful coexistence and conflict resolution.
The initiative underscores the importance of women’s participation in community peacebuilding and the need for stronger partnerships among traditional institutions, local authorities, security agencies and community-based actors in addressing conflict and violence.
Through the initiative, WOPPI is supporting efforts to strengthen grassroots peacebuilding, promote early identification of security threats and encourage collective action towards peaceful coexistence.
