National Dialogue on Women, Peace and Security in Nigeria: Amplifying Women’s Voices for Inclusive Peace and Governance

Nigeria continues to face multiple and overlapping conflicts — from insurgency and banditry to farmer–herder clashes and ethno-religious tensions — which have deeply impacted communities across the country. These crises have disproportionately affected women and children, who often bear the greatest burden of displacement, insecurity, and social disruption.

Recognizing the urgent need for women’s active participation in building peace and shaping governance, the National Women’s Platform on Security Sector Reform and Governance launched the Grassroots, State, and National Dialogue on Women, Peace, and Security in Nigeria.

The initiative was designed to amplify women’s voices, strengthen their leadership, and ensure their meaningful participation in decision-making processes on peace and security at all levels.

Building an Inclusive Security Agenda

The National Dialogue was guided by key international frameworks, including UN Security Council Resolutions 1325, 2151 (2014), and 2553 (2020), which emphasized women’s leadership and participation in peace and security.

Through the dialogue, women leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors converged together to discuss strategies for advancing inclusive security, democratic governance, and gender-responsive policymaking.

The Dialogue aimed to create platforms for women to participate in peace and security decision-making; amplify women’s voices and perspectives on governance and conflict resolution; strengthen collaboration between women, policymakers, and other stakeholders; and build women’s capacity and leadership in peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

To ensure broad inclusion and impact, the dialogue was organized in three interconnected tiers:

1. Community-Level Dialogues: Local women leaders, traditional authorities, and CSOs met to identify grassroots peace and security challenges and share practical solutions.
2. State-Level Dialogues: One-day sessions were held across Nigeria’s 36 states, connecting women leaders and policymakers to promote women’s participation in state-level peace and security governance.
3. National-Level Dialogue: the two-day national meeting in Abuja brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, women’s networks, civil society, and development partners, to strategize on integrating women’s perspectives into Nigeria’s national peace and security policies.

The Grassroots, State, and National Dialogue on Women, Peace, and Security in Nigeria was a transformative initiative designed to place women at the center of peacebuilding and governance.

By connecting local realities to national policy frameworks, the dialogue enhanced women’s visibility, capacity, and leadership in shaping Nigeria’s peace and security landscape. It envisioned a Nigeria where women are not merely seen as victims of conflict but as active agents of change, driving sustainable peace, inclusive governance, and national resilience.