Abuja, 27^th July 2018. Experts from National Commissions of Small Arms from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the United Nations (UN) agencies have called for the sensitization of security agencies on the control and illicit proliferation of Small Arms and light Weapons (SALWs) and their effects on gender during conflicts and crisis in the region.

This was a key recommendation of a two-day workshop which concluded on Friday, 27^th July 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria to review a baseline report on SALWs in order to strengthen ECOWAS operational capacity to integrate gender into its peace and security architecture.

The experts also called for ECOWAS Member states to implement all regional and global resolutions regarding the involvement of women in peace and security processes as required by the UN resolution 1325.

Furthermore they recommended that lawmakers of Member States be sensitized on the harmful effects of the illicit proliferation and circulation of SALWs and its effects on gender. ‘This will enable them make gender sensitive laws that will mitigate their effects on women during conflicts’ they said.

The Head of the Small Arms Division of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Joseph Ahoba in his remarks at the close of the meeting called on personnel of the Armed and Security Forces and the Civil Society to collaborate in order to ensure coordinated implementation of such legislation and the UN resolution 1325.

Mr. Ahoba expressed his confidence in the input of the experts to the baseline report on gender mainstreaming in the peace and security architecture of ECOWAS and assured them of the Commissions’ commitment to its proposed roadmap and implementation stratégies.