A number of African First Ladies converged in the Nigerian capital Abuja for the 9th Summit of the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM).
The summit is being hosted by Mrs Aisha Buhari, First Lady of Nigeria, acting President of AFLPM.
It is aimed at finding measures to mitigate violent conflicts on the continent and minimize the negative impact on the people, especially women and children.
Mrs Buhari who started receiving some of her counterparts ahead of Summit on Sunday, November 21, expressed delight for the visit.
Among the first ladies attending the meeting are:
* Madam Maria de Fátima Vila Nova of Sao Tome and Principe
* Madam Antoinette Sassou Nguesso of Congo Brazzaville
* Madam Fatima Maada Bio of Sierra Leone
* Madam Angeline Ndayishimiye Ndayubaha of Burundi
* MAdam Clar Weah of Liberia
* Madam Hadiza Ben Mabrouk
Other representatives of Zimbabwe, Cote d’Ivoire and Mauritania were in attendance.
The AFLPM, was established as an outcome of the September 1995 Fourth World Conference in Beijing, China on women.
This was a forum where a significant initiative was taken to establish the African First Ladies Peace Mission by African wives of African Heads of State/Presidents who came together as ambassadors of peace during the conference.
The idea of the Peace Mission, therefore, arose from the need to provide succour to the helpless in crisis situations in Africa, especially women, known to be the most vulnerable, and bear the greatest burden of violent conflicts, as they are usually defenceless, left with orphans, made slaves in war zones, often at the mercy of rampaging rebels, insurgents.
These women are ultimately left to nurse the wounded and contend with the
resulting poverty.
The coalition of AFLPM represents a critical stakeholder that could contribute to the mitigation of violent conflicts and minimize the negative impact on the people, especially women and children of Africa.
The AFLPM, has subsequently rendered support to women and children, as well as made a lot of contributions in fostering peace on the continent, in advocacy matters concerning the rights and protection of women, children, and the girl child from violence.
Ms Aliyu Abdullahi, the Special Assistant on Media to the Nigerian first lady, has described of the mission of the AFLPM as promoting peace and conflict resolution across Africa.
Aisha Buhari delivers remarks at the summit