UNGA78: Tinubu, Adeboye lead African First Ladies in peace moves
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu yesterday added her voice to the call for global peace and justice.
She made the call at the First Ladies High Level Forum to celebrate the 2023 United Nations (UN) Day of Peace, a side event at the ongoing 78th General Assembly (UNGA 78) in New York, United States (U.S).
Speaking on the theme: Gender actions for peace: Ambition for women leaders as key players on the global peace”, the First Lady said peace remained a collective responsibility, especially in a world replete with conflicts and uncertainties.
Reiterating that peace was not just the absence of war but presence of justice, equity and harmony, the First Lady, said every individual, regardless of their gender should be able to thrive in an environment free from violence and discrimination.
She said: “The journey towards a lasting peace requires dialogue, engagement and empowerment of all members of society, in particular women in leadership roles.
“Women bring unique perspectives, qualities, compassion and experience which can play transformative roles in conflict resolution, peace and sustainable development.”
She urged the women to make use of their soft power in advocating for peace and pursuing democracy, urging them to contribute in reducing underage violence.
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“As peace keepers, we contribute to reducing underage violence. As mediators, trauma killing counsellors and policy makers, women work to transform relationships and address the root of violence.
“Finally, as educators and participants in the development process, women contribute to build in the capacity of their communities and nations.”
As the 517th person that rang the World Peace Bell, signifying commitment to global sustainability, love and peace, and one world, she wished for divine peace upon the world.
At its 1981 session, the United Nations General Assembly declared third Tuesday of September as International Day of Peace.
Yesterday coincided with the opening of the annual sessions of the General Assembly. The purpose of the day rests to strengthen the ideals of peace and harmony around the world.
Founder, African Missions Global, Pastor Folu Adeboye, urged the First Ladies not to let their husbands cause trouble for their respective countries or go to war.
She used Biblical references to highlight the importance of a woman or wife to a leader in the peace and development of a society.
Co-convener of the forum and Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, presented the SDG 16 Nigeria 2022 Shadow Report 2023 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, which showed areas Nigeria needed improvement on.
The report was prepared using a Transparency International global template for cross chapter comparison amongst countries and was produced by CISLAC as TI Nigeria under the project which seeks to improve democratic accountability of public institutions and anti-corruption deficits by Strengthening Accountability Networks among Civil Society (SANCUS) which is supported by the European Union (EU).
The report is an updated assessment of the previous editions of the SDGs Shadow Report published by CISLAC in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. The aim of this report is to monitor and explore the progress within the agenda 2030 with the focus on the SDG 16 targets earlier mentioned (16.4; 16.5 and 16.10) which have been analysed in depth.
The research encompasses over 14 policy areas and 76 indicators distinctly developed as part of the global Transparency International project of ‘shadow reporting’ the official Voluntary National Reports (VNRs) prepared by the governments as a self-assessment against the SDG goals.
President, Naval Officers Wives Association, (NOWA) Mrs. Ijeoma Ogalla, who was represented by her deputy, Zainab Akpan, said peace would not come unless people make it happen.
She said: “Today, we remember that women have been the major victims of wars, conflicts and inequalities. But women are more than just victims; they are also powerful agents of peace.”