Abuja: The National Defence College (NDC) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) have underscored the importance of advancing gender-responsive leadership and fostering institutional collaboration to enhance peace, security, and governance in Nigeria. This was highlighted during a two-day workshop attended by gender desk officers from military, paramilitary institutions, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the workshop, themed ‘Strategic Exchange Programme on Peace and Security Leadership for Gender Desk Officers’, was organized by FES in collaboration with the National Women Platform on Security Sector Reform and Governance, and the NDC. NDC Commandant Rear Adm. Abdullahi Ahmed, represented by Air Commodore Edmund Oluokun, emphasized that gender impacts every dimension of security, from policy decisions to community safety.
Rear Adm. Ahmed advocated for the involvement of all societal groups in defining security threats and strategies, stressing that gender-responsive leadership could dismantle systemic biases and create inclusive environments for improved security outcomes. He acknowledged the progress made by Nigeria’s security institutions through the establishment of gender units and initiatives promoting inclusion.
Prof. Adam Ahmed, the Provost of the NDC, commended the partnership with FES as a timely effort to strengthen gender mainstreaming in Nigeria’s security sector. He highlighted the vulnerability of women during conflicts and reiterated that gender inclusion should align with professional standards to ensure equal opportunities.
Prof. Plangsat Bitrus from the National Women’s Platform on Security Sector Reform and Governance emphasized the platform’s role in promoting gender mainstreaming across West Africa’s security sector. She highlighted the importance of engaging traditional institutions and stakeholders to enhance women’s participation in decision-making and leadership.
FES resident representative Mr. Lennart Oestergaard expressed optimism about the renewed partnership with the NDC, highlighting the foundation’s focus on democracy and social justice as essential components of democratic development in Nigeria. He reiterated the centrality of gender justice in FES’s work and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting inclusive and democratic reforms in Nigeria’s security sector.