The UK Government has moved to strengthen the capacity of women through the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) initiative, a training programme, in Katsina State.
The initiative, implemented by Gender Awareness Trust and Tetra Tech International Development, supported by SPRiNG, a UK Government programme, is aimed at strengthening women’s capacity at state and local government levels.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day exercise brought together key actors from government ministries, security agencies, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and community peace structures.
Speaking during the training, GAT’s representative, Halima Abba-Ibrahim, urged all participants to drive the State Action Plan (SAP) on WPS.
She said the exercise was focused on transforming policy commitments into measurable impact.
According to her, it also aims to ensure that the State Action Plan on WPS does not remain a document on paper but delivers tangible results for women and communities across the state.
Abba-Ibrahim further underscored the role of monitoring and learning in achieving sustainable change, adding that “policies alone do not create transformation.”
She said: “It is consistent monitoring, learning and accountability that turns commitments into real impact for women and communities.
“Strengthening our M&E systems ensures that women’s voices and contributions to peacebuilding are properly captured, recognised and supported.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Musawa, described the initiative as a crucial milestone in strengthening accountability and performance tracking under the SAP framework.
Represented by Hajara Abdullahi, the Staff Officer of the ministry, Musawa said that the WPS SAP represented their commitment to promoting women’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding and security processes.
“This training equips our committees with the technical tools to monitor progress, identify gaps and ensure effective implementation,” she said.
The Commissioner called for a renewed commitment by members of the implementation committees to apply the knowledge gained in tracking progress, advancing inclusive peace and security initiatives across Katsina.
Participants were taken through practical sessions on understanding SAP indicators, deploying gender-sensitive data collection tools, harmonising reporting templates, and applying results-based reporting systems.
NAN reports that emphasis was placed on evidence-driven implementation and the importance of accurate documentation in shaping policy decisions.
Some of the participants expressed optimism that improved monitoring mechanisms would enhance coordination, transparency and sustainability of interventions under the SAP.
