Protection International Africa (PIA) welcomes you to our next event: an online webinar on peace and security “No Excuse; Women HRDs Working on Peace and Security in Africa”, that will take place next November 25 from 14:00 to 15:30h (CET) / 16:00 to 17:30 (EAT), to mark the Int. Day of Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women.
During this online exchange, we will be Celebrating the Stories of Courage and Resilience from Women in Crisis Prevention and as Peace Actors.
Meet our Speakers
As part of our panel, we are pleased to have with us the following speakers:
Diana Letion – Programmes Lead/Safety & Security : Women Human Rights – Defenders Hub (The Kenya Hub)
Women Human Rights Defenders Hub (the Hub) was established in 2019 by women human rights defenders who had worked for many years in the mainstream male-led human rights defenders’ movement in Kenya. Their experience was that the broader human rights defenders’ movement was not addressing the gendered concerns and needs of women defenders. Capacity and patriarchy were at the root of this. The niche of the Hub is its focus on protecting ALL women human rights defenders in their diversities
Bridget Osakwe – National Network Coordinator – WANEP NIGERIA
West Africa Network for Peacebuilding Nigeria (WANEP-Nigeria) was established out of necessity to provide an organized platform for collaborative peacebuilding for conflict transformation and development in Nigeria by indigenous Non-Governmental Organizations with diverse capacities and interest in human rights, conflict transformation and good governance. its operational framework was designed along the visions of the regional network operating in West Africa, Chad and Cameroun with the goal of building sustainable peace for growth and development in the region
Kemi Okenyodo – Executive Director- The Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative (also known as Partners West Africa-Nigeria)
The Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative also known as Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN) is a women-led, non-governmental organization dedicated to enhancing citizens’ participation and improving security governance in Nigeria and West Africa broadly, achieved through its Rule of Law, Citizens Security and CSO Strengthening program areas. PWAN has established a strategic and adaptive management structure with an emphasis on field presence, accountability, and cost efficiency which builds on extensive consortium and effective program delivery experience in West Africa.
About the Webinar
Protection International Africa (PIA) is a regional organization that works towards increasing the agency of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and contributes to the creation of safe spaces for HRDs to continue advocating for the promotion and protection of human rights. PIA stands for the right to defend human rights (RDHR).
In the last two years, PIA has been supporting the work of HRDs networks in West Africa to strengthen their capacities and also in doing joint interventions at the national and international human rights platforms.
HRDs working on peacebuilding face specific security challenges, however – especially women and other marginalised groups. Normalised violence and militarised masculinity create a culture that is particularly hostile towards women and stigmatised groups, creating additional risks for HRDs working on peacebuilding. HRDs working on peacebuilding face increased risks of physical and sexual violence, social stigma for not supporting binary conflict dynamics. For instance, we recently published a series of video podcast sharing the stories of women defending human rights in the DRC (all videos include subtitles in English).
In the case of Nigeria, conflict dynamics include terrorist and religious extremist movements, which often goes hand in hand with an increased representation of patriarchal violence and a strengthened oppression of women in both public and private spaces. Despite being the major targets of this conflict-related violence, women HRDs working on peacebuilding often remain excluded from peacebuilding initiatives.
In its support to HRDs in Nigeria specifically, PIA met with women HRDs working on Peace and Security in the country. The WHRDs were generous to share their knowledge, expertise and highlight their operating environment. It is in this context that PIA is holding a Webinar to not only celebrate the work they do but to also highlight the challenges they still face nowadays.
Appreciating the women HRDs who have offered to share their experiences with us.
Webinar Details
The webinar will take place on the 25th of November, from 2:00 – 3.30 pm (CET/WAT) / 4:00 -5.30 pm (EAT).
The session will be moderated by Ms Phanice Odhacha, the Africa Regional Director of PI.
| Google Meet joining info Video call link: https://meet.google.com/cdn-yjry-yze Or dial: (KE) +254 20 3893887 PIN: 795 336 747 1921# More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/cdn-yjry-yze?pin=7953367471921 |
This webinar is possible thanks to our partnership with zivik Funding Programme and Partnership for Justice.