By Mercy Akuba
For years, the conversation on insecurity has been dominated by images of soldiers on the battlefield, intelligence operatives gathering information, and governments deploying sophisticated weapons to combat violent crimes. From terrorism and banditry to kidnapping, communal clashes and violent extremism, the prevailing assumption has been that security is the exclusive responsibility of men in uniform.
Yet, despite increased military spending and countless security operations, many nations—Nigeria included—continue to battle persistent insecurity. This reality raises an important question: Are we leaving out one of the most effective forces for sustainable peace?
The answer lies in the untapped potential of women.
For too long, women have been portrayed almost exclusively as victims of conflict—widows mourning their spouses, mothers searching for abducted children, internally displaced persons struggling to rebuild shattered lives, and survivors of sexual violence. While these realities are undeniable, they tell only one side of the story.
Across communities affected by violence, women are quietly doing what weapons alone cannot accomplish. They mediate disputes before they escalate, identify early signs of radicalisation among young people, provide humanitarian support to victims, foster dialogue across divided communities, and rebuild trust where conflict has destroyed social cohesion.
Their contributions rarely make headlines, but they are indispensable to lasting peace.
Security experts increasingly acknowledge that insecurity cannot be defeated through military force alone. Modern conflicts are driven by poverty, unemployment, inequality, social exclusion, ethnic and religious tensions, political grievances, and the erosion of trust between citizens and institutions. Addressing these root causes requires more than armed interventions; it demands inclusive governance and community participation.
Women occupy a unique position within families and communities. As mothers, teachers, entrepreneurs, healthcare workers, faith leaders, farmers, and community organisers, they are often the first to notice changes in behaviour that may signal radicalisation, criminal recruitment, or escalating communal tensions. Their proximity to families gives them access to information that formal security agencies may never obtain.
In many rural communities, market women are among the first to observe unusual movements of strangers. Female teachers detect changes in children’s behaviour that may indicate trauma or exposure to violence. Community health workers encounter vulnerable families before crises become public emergencies. These everyday interactions make women valuable partners in community-based intelligence gathering and early warning systems.
Around the world, evidence continues to support the importance of women’s participation in peacebuilding. Studies have shown that peace agreements are more durable when women are actively involved in negotiations. This is largely because women tend to broaden peace discussions beyond ceasefires and political settlements to include justice, education, healthcare, economic recovery, reconciliation, and the welfare of families—issues that ultimately determine whether peace endures.
The landmark United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, recognised this reality by calling for greater participation of women in conflict prevention, peace negotiations, peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and post-conflict reconstruction. More than two decades later, many countries have developed national action plans aimed at implementing the resolution, yet progress remains uneven.
Nigeria has taken important steps to increase women’s involvement in peace and security, but challenges persist. Women remain underrepresented in strategic security decision-making, despite constituting nearly half of the country’s population. Their voices are still largely absent from many negotiation tables where decisions affecting entire communities are made.
This underrepresentation comes at a significant cost.
Communities that exclude women from security discussions risk overlooking critical perspectives on local dynamics. Women often possess deep knowledge of family structures, social networks, cultural sensitivities, and community relationships that can strengthen conflict prevention strategies and improve humanitarian responses.
The benefits of inclusion also extend to formal security institutions.
Across the military, police, intelligence services, immigration, correctional centres, and civil defence agencies, female personnel continue to demonstrate professionalism and effectiveness. They frequently play vital roles in intelligence gathering, investigations involving women and children, peacekeeping operations, hostage negotiations, and community engagement.
Their presence often improves public trust, particularly among women and vulnerable groups who may feel more comfortable reporting crimes or sharing sensitive information with female officers.
However, meaningful participation goes beyond recruitment. Women must also occupy leadership positions where policies are formulated, budgets are allocated, and strategic decisions are made. Diversity in leadership strengthens institutions by introducing broader perspectives and encouraging more inclusive approaches to complex security challenges.
Economic empowerment also plays a critical role in changing the security landscape.
Communities experiencing widespread poverty are more susceptible to criminal recruitment and violent extremism. Empowering women through education, access to finance, vocational training, and entrepreneurship not only improves household welfare but also strengthens community resilience against insecurity. Women who are economically independent are better positioned to support their families, educate their children, and contribute meaningfully to local development.
Similarly, educating girls remains one of the most effective long-term investments in peace. Education expands opportunities, delays child marriage, reduces vulnerability to exploitation, and equips future generations with the knowledge and skills needed to resolve conflicts peacefully.
. Across Nigeria, women’s groups continue to organise interfaith dialogues, mediate communal disputes, support displaced families, mentor young people, and advocate for justice and reconciliation. Often working with limited resources, these organisations bridge divides that formal institutions sometimes struggle to reach.
Governments, development partners, and the private sector should invest more deliberately in these grassroots initiatives. Supporting women’s organisations with funding, training, and institutional recognition would strengthen community resilience and complement national security efforts.
Changing the narrative on insecurity ultimately requires changing our understanding of who contributes to security. It is no longer sufficient to view women solely as beneficiaries of protection. They are indispensable partners in designing, implementing, and sustaining peace.
A secure society is not built solely by those who carry weapons. It is built by those who strengthen families, educate children, resolve disputes, promote dialogue, create economic opportunities, and rebuild fractured communities.
Women have consistently demonstrated their ability to perform these roles with courage, resilience, and innovation.
The path to lasting peace therefore lies not only in stronger military capabilities but also in more inclusive leadership. When women are empowered to participate fully in peacebuilding, policymaking, community development, and security governance, societies become better equipped to prevent conflict, respond to crises, and recover from violence.
The challenge before governments, security institutions, and communities is clear: move beyond symbolic inclusion and embrace women as equal partners in shaping the future of national security.