When taking Women, Peace and Security Policy to Action gains momentum in Imo State

The Women, Peace and Security State Multi-Stakeholder Implementation Monitoring Committee (WPS-SMIMC) is building strategic partnerships to strengthen women’s participation in peace and security across Imo State.

The Committee began by engaging the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Imo State Chapter, on March 31, 2026, to promote gender-sensitive reporting and amplify women’s contributions to peacebuilding, conflict prevention and decision-making. NAWOJ leadership, led by Deputy Chairperson Mrs. Chizoba Opara, committed to collaborating with WPS-SMIMC to advance WPS messaging through its media platforms.

The conversation then moved to the community level. On April 2, the Committee engaged HRH Eze Austine Possible Uche, Traditional Leader of Umuonyeche Autonomous Community, to promote inclusive conflict prevention and resolution. The traditional ruler expressed support for identifying women mediators and male allies and for strengthening community systems for conflict tracking, documentation and early warning.

At the institutional level, WPS-SMIMC met with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare (MWASW) on April 15. Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration and advancing the completion, validation and public dissemination of the existing Imo State WPS Action Plan (SAP-1). MWASW reaffirmed its leadership role, while the Committee clarified its role as a supporting multi-stakeholder mechanism and requested the designation of a liaison officer to strengthen coordination.

Together, the engagements connect three critical pathways for advancing WPS: media visibility, community leadership and government action. They represent a step towards turning WPS from a policy commitment into practical action, ensuring that women’s voices are heard, their peacebuilding contributions recognized, and communities and institutions work together for more inclusive and peaceful communities in Imo State.