By AUSTIN OWOICHO, Abuja
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of Women Peace & Security Program, Moji Makanjuola is advocating that a more proactive approach is taken to make its programmes visible internationally.
She expressed this in an address, where she said it was her dream o see acrivities of the group visible in all the nooks and crannies of Africa.
“I will also encourage that we have a national launch structured to give national and international visibility to this network to engender a more proactive and robust engagement with media practitioners as developmental and solution journalism,” she said.
She recalled that the journey which started approximately five years ago when the crisis in the North-East escalated, mostly affecting women, with the urgent need to do Something.
“This is actually the genesis of the Women Peace & Security Program for which my colleagues namely Danjuma Abdulllahi, Late. Blossom Ubani, Prince Dickson, Jida Attah and my humble self-including a few others, working with UN Women contributed selflessly to culminate in the giant strides we are witnessing today.,” she pointed out.
Speaking further, Makanjuola explained that the media were also consulted for input, which informed the communication plan.
“Sadly, not much was done until the idea of setting up a network of practitioners came up in Jos under the tentative name of Media Practitioners in Peace and Conflict.
“Today, we are proud to have evolved into an independent entity, thanks to support from UNW and a few of us who have contributed financially and through sheer drive to see that our agreement to be together is formalized,” she reiterated.
She emphasized emphasized that she remains a strong advocate of specialization by journalists.
“You have to be seen as an expert in your area of interest. This I believe will be part of our agenda going forward,” she said.
She explained that they have been severally trained by UNW in order to be able to better support the UNSCR 1325 and the NAP and ensure that its components are embedded in our laws and regulations.
“My dream is to have this network spread across nook and cranny of Africa.
“For me, I am honoured to be the chair of the BOT. I am available for as many of you that care to reach out. I am sure that my brother a veteran journalist Danjuma Abdullahi is as well.
“Let me salute the courage and the selflessness of all founding members who have kept the spirit of the network alive through all their various commendable activities,” she noted.
“Together we can achieve in the spirit of “One for all, all for One,” she concluded.
