On the 4th and 5th of March 2024, the CLEEN Foundation held a Policy Dialogue on Gender-Responsive Policies and Frameworks in Jos, Plateau States.
The event brought together policymakers, advocates, experts, and stakeholders from various sectors to discuss and share best practices in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The event aimed to explore innovative approaches, best practices, and lessons learned from different states and regions, delving into topics ranging from legal reforms and institutional mechanisms to grassroots initiatives and community engagement strategies.
Mr Gad Peter, the Executive Director who eas represented by Mr Gabriel Akinremi, said that gender-responsive policies are crucial for creating an inclusive society where everyone has equal opportunities and rights.
He emphasised the meed to work towards a more equitable and just society for all by implementing frameworks that considers women and girls specific needs and experiences.
The event had sessions on the importance of cyber security and how to prevent the event of cybercrime as a mediator.Other sessions were on state frameworks where
Mr Olumayowa Olaniyi made the participants understand their roles as stakeholders in society.Unanimously, stakeholders listed some of the policies they had thought were not even in existence; they also developed a work plan, which included a visit to the Gender and Peace Commission in Plateau State and the Ministry of Women Affairs to advocate for gender inclusion in their frameworks.
The dialogue was interesting, and every participant was given an equal opportunity to air their views regardless of their position.
Participants also shared valuable experiences, charting a course towards more inclusive and equitable policy frameworks.
This dialogue served as a platform for collaboration, learning, and collective action as participants worked towards building a more gender-responsive society. Women were drawn from the NPF, NSCDC, NUJ, WPS Network, JNI and CAN, and they were split into groups to discuss how to mainstream gender balance and sensitivity in the state, security framework and how the security strategy can be more people-centric.
There was a bit of debate and questions in the room, which made for a more exciting syndicate session.It is essential to recognise the critical importance of gender equality in fostering sustainable development, social cohesion, and economic prosperity.
We can unlock their full potential as agents of positive change by ensuring that policies, programs, and practices are sensitive to women and girls’ diverse needs and realities.
The Policy Dialogue aimed to inspire concrete steps towards building more gender-responsive frameworks and practices in respective work areas, and participants were left equipped with a renewed sense of purpose and direction as stakeholders and, more importantly, as mediators.
