Supporting marginalised groups to deescalate conflicts in Nigeria’s Middle Belt

Marginalised groups are communities or individuals who are systematically excluded from economic, social, political, or cultural participation and opportunities, often due to factors such as race, gender, ethnicity, disability, or socio-economic status. These include women, children, the aged and those whose views are suppressed in decision making. While they are affected more by violent conflicts, […]

Marginalised groups are communities or individuals who are systematically excluded from economic, social, political, or cultural participation and opportunities, often due to factors such as race, gender, ethnicity, disability, or socio-economic status.

These include women, children, the aged and those whose views are suppressed in decision making.

While they are affected more by violent conflicts, the tendency is that when consultations are being made to arrive at the best ways to avert crises and maintain peace, they are hardly taken into consideration with the erroneous belief that their views do not matter.

The pathway to their ability to contribute meaningfully to the resolution of conflicts and ensure that their needs and perspectives are adequately addressed in peace agreements is hampered by exclusion and underrepresentation in finding solutions.

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Even when included, their needs are often overlooked in post-conflict recovery plans due to perceived limited capacity to be actively engaged in the peace processes.

Cultural norms and taboos often perpetuate the notion that peacebuilding and conflict resolution are male domains. In many societies, women’s roles are restricted to the private sphere, limiting their visibility in formal processes.

The compounded effects of conflicts which make women and marginalised groups victims should on the contrary, regard them as essential actors in building sustainable peace and make their inclusion in conflict resolution and post-conflict recovery efforts vital for addressing the underlying causes of violence and fostering long-term stability

Their participation can lead to more sustainable solutions, as they often address issues that affect their communities directly. 

Moreover, involving these groups helps challenge power dynamics, promotes gender equality, and ensures that the needs of all stakeholders are considered in conflict resolution.

These have helped in deescalating tensions but more needs to be done to help women play these roles effectively.

They should be encouraged to participate in political processes and decision-making while more needs to be done on the areas of providing leadership training and capacity building programs to equip them with the skills and confidence to take on leadership roles.

In terms of advocacy and policy development they should be supported to boost efforts on issues affecting their lives and contribute to the development of gender-sensitive policies and programmes that would empower them to take on roles in politics, business, and conflict mediation

It is essential to foster networks for women to share experiences and support each other for the prevention of gender-based violence. This can be done through the Implementation of programs to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, including sexual assault, domestic violence, and trafficking.

Another way of achieving that is by availing women access to justice and legal services in cases of violence and discrimination. This will ensure that a lot of what is happening now is reduced 

There’s also the need to provide security and protection for women in vulnerable situations this can be achieved by training them as mediators and advocates in conflict zones, as women in Benue play key roles in promoting peace. This would strengthen non-kinetic approaches to conflicts.

There should be programmes to support the preservation and promotion of women’s cultural heritage and empowering women to participate in decision-making within their communities and families.

The specific needs and priorities of women in different communities vary, so it is essential to conduct needs assessments and consultations to ensure that programs are responsive and relevant.

The participation of marginalised groups can help ensure that the voices of all stakeholders, including those who are often overlooked, are heard and considered.

This helps in humanising the conflict by including diverse groups in the mediation and dialogue process. The inclusion of these diverse groups gives opportunity for their voices to be heard and serves to humanize the conflict for all parties. 

Women and marginalised groups often have strong connections within their communities and can serve as bridges between different factions, helping to build trust and foster dialogue and their participation helps in shaping the future as their inclusion in peace processes can help to ensure that peace agreements are relevant and responsive to the needs of future generations

In recent conflicts in Benue State, women have been mobilized to attend to the basic needs of displaced persons, reuniting families and ensuring people are able to pick the pieces of their lives.

I would like to see initiatives that focus on economic empowerment, provision of opportunities for women to acquire marketable skills in agriculture, entrepreneurship, technology, and other sectors; access to finance, like loans, grants, and other financial resources to help women start and grow their own businesses.

They should be connected to markets and buyers to help them sell their products and services and exposed to mentorship and networking opportunities to connect them with successful entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Promote girls’ education and completion of secondary school; provide access to comprehensive reproductive health services, including family planning, maternal and child health care, and prevention of gender-based violence.as well as conducting health awareness campaigns on issues such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and nutrition.

Marginalised groups bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table that can significantly contribute to the success of mediation and dialogue processes. Their involvement is essential for creating just, sustainable, and inclusive peace agreements.

 

Prof Angya is former Vice Chancellor, Benue State University.