Insecurity: UN ambassador urges women to be instruments of peace, unity
Mrs Victoria Ozioko, the Ambassador for Peace of the United Nations Rescue Services (UNRS), has urged women to be instruments of peace, love and unity in order to end insurgency in the country.
She made the call in an interview with the Newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ozioko, who is also the founder of Skills for Survival Initiative, said that women were central to peace building in any society and should deliberately initiate narratives that would foster peace, love and unity among Nigerians.
According to her, women and girls are the worst affected by insurgency and humanitarian crisis across the country, with many of them being displaced, raped and assaulted.
She, however, lamented that many women sit back and watch while their sons and husbands engage in vices that threaten the peace and security of lives and properties in the society.
“Women are home builders and are natural peace-builders, so they should not fold their hands and watch our society turned upside down.
“As women, we have to take a stand and tell our husbands, sons and brothers that enough is enough, and that the right thing must be done for us to have peace.
“In this entire crisis we are facing as a nation, women and children are the most vulnerable, so we must rise up and speak.
“However before we can become instruments of peace, we must love one another and speak with one voice as women,” she said.
Ozioko noted that the alarming rate of moral decadence among young persons was largely because of inadequate parental discipline.
She therefore urged women to instill discipline and values in their children while they are still young to enable them grow up as responsible adults and assets to society at large.
“I remember when we were growing up as children, a neighbour could spank you if they see you doing something bad but today it is no longer possible.
“So parents, especially mothers should stand up and take charge of their children so that they won’t grow up to become instruments of insecurity to society.
“As an ambassador for peace, it is expected of me to foster peace among everybody, especially women, and that is why I promote any initiative that will bring peace.
“That is why the skills for survival initiative is committed to women empowerment over these years, because when mothers are empowered they can play their roles effectively,” she said.
The UNRS ambassador added that her NGO Skills for Survival was working towards launching a talk show “Peace Arena” for the promotion of the message of peaceful coexistence among Nigerians
