A women-led cross-border peace dialogue and mediation process between Northern Plateau and Southern Kaduna Local Government Areas (LGAs) was formally launched on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, in Jos, Plateau State.
The initiative, convened by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), and supported by GIZ and the Plateau State Peace Building Agency, brought together a broad range of stakeholders, including government officials, security agencies, traditional and faith-based leaders, women leaders, and representatives of border LGAs from Riyom and Bassa in Plateau State, as well as Kauru and Kaura LGAs in Kaduna State.
Speaking at the event, the Chairperson of the launch and former Minister of Water Resources, Hon. Sarah Ochekpe, described the initiative as both symbolic and strategic, noting that it reflects a collective decision to prioritise dialogue over division in communities long affected by conflict.
She commended HD for its sustained peacebuilding efforts across Plateau State and the wider Middle Belt, and praised the organisation for deliberately placing women at the centre of the peace process. According to her, the exclusion of women from negotiations has often undermined peace efforts, despite the fact that women bear the greatest burden during conflicts.
“Many children have been born into communities that have never known peace,” Ochekpe said, stressing that sustainable peace requires conscious, inclusive efforts. She called for continuous training, economic empowerment, and social support for women mediators to enable them sustain their peacebuilding roles beyond the launch.
The Country Manager of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Dr. Chris Agoha, said the dialogue process was informed by years of conflict analysis in Plateau and Kaduna States, where violent clashes driven by ethnic, religious, political, and economic factors have persisted for over two decades.
He noted that while various peace initiatives and ceasefire agreements have been attempted, many have collapsed due to weak implementation and unresolved root causes. Dr. Agoha emphasised that evidence-based studies show that peace agreements are more durable when women are actively involved as mediators, negotiators, and community mobilisers.
“Women have unique access to communities and play critical roles in reconciliation, early warning, and grassroots mobilisation,” he said, adding that the women-led mediation approach offers a viable pathway to addressing the complex cross-border conflicts between Plateau and Kaduna States.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Director General of the Plateau State Peacebuilding Agency (PSPBA), Dr. Julie G. Sanda, Celestina Avizavi Christopher described the initiative as a significant step towards transforming shared borders into bridges of cooperation.
She noted that while border communities share markets, farmlands, cultures, and family ties, they have also endured cycles of mistrust and violence. According to her, placing women at the centre of peacebuilding is not symbolic inclusion, but a strategic activation of one of the strongest peace assets within communities.
She outlined the objectives of the initiative to include the formal launch of a structured and sustained dialogue process, increased coordination among institutions and stakeholders, and alignment with the Women, Peace and Security agenda of the Plateau State Peacebuilding Agency.
Chairman of Bassa Local Government Area, Hon. Dr. Joshua Sunday Riti, speaking on behalf of the participating local government chairmen, welcomed the initiative, describing women as critical agents of peace and positive change.
Also speaking, HRH Jonathan Mamman from Kaura Local Government Area expressed gratitude to HD for its intervention, particularly in empowering women with peacebuilding skills. He described the collaboration among the four LGAs as timely and essential, given past cross-border tensions, and expressed hope that lessons from the dialogue would be effectively transmitted back to local communities.
The launch marks the beginning of a sustained women-led dialogue and mediation process aimed at addressing the root causes of cross-border conflicts and promoting peaceful coexistence between communities in Northern Plateau and Southern Kaduna.
