WANEP Launches Action Lab to Track WPS Implementation in Nigeria

In Abuja, the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Nigeria) unveiled the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) Action Lab and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Localisation Monitoring and Assessment Framework. This initiative aims to enhance evidence-based monitoring and accountability in the execution of the WPS agenda in Nigeria.

The event's National Network Coordinator, Dr. Bridget Osakwe, emphasized that the Action Lab represented a significant stride towards fortifying the understanding, tracking, and implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda within Nigeria. Dr. Osakwe highlighted that Nigeria has demonstrated considerable dedication to advancing WPS through national and state policies, institutional endeavors, civil society actions, and female-led community involvement in conflict mitigation and peacebuilding.

However, she stressed the necessity of robust systems to catalog current efforts, discern shifts, pinpoint gaps, and leverage evidence to guide action. According to Dr. Osakwe, the UNSCR 1325 Action Lab serves as a practical platform for tracking, monitoring, learning, and holding stakeholders accountable for WPS implementation and localization throughout the country.

The WPS Localisation Monitoring and Assessment Framework will guide this process, equipping stakeholders with a unified method for generating and utilizing evidence while fostering collaboration and accountability. The initiative intends to unite government entities, civil society organizations, women and youth networks, communities, development partners, researchers, and other stakeholders under a unified commitment to improved evidence and more effective action on Women, Peace and Security.

Patience Ikpeh Obaulo, WANEP-Nigeria's Head of Programmes, stated that the Action Lab would provide a coordinated strategy for documenting and measuring progress, identifying gaps and emerging risks, showcasing best practices, and bolstering accountability across all levels. The subsequent steps involve promoting the Action Lab on WANEP-Nigeria's website, disseminating it to WPS stakeholders for monitoring and reporting, generating evidence for drafting a shadow report for Nigeria, and employing tangible data to hold duty bearers accountable.

Further activities include awareness campaigns and training on leveraging the Action Lab, documenting WPS realities in learning reports, and mobilizing funds and partnerships to operationalize the initiative. Dr. Osakwe expressed gratitude to stakeholders who contributed to the framework's development and validation, acknowledging their expertise, insights, and feedback in refining the Action Lab into a practical and responsive instrument.

She urged stakeholders to remain actively engaged not only in providing evidence but also in utilizing the findings to enhance policies, programs, coordination, accountability, and action at national and subnational levels.