Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development (ALFOPED), in partnership with ICAN under the “She Builds: 2026 Peace Campaign,” has organised a one-day training workshop to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Peace, with stakeholders calling for greater recognition, protection and investment in women leading peacebuilding efforts across Borno State.
The event, held on Friday at the Town Grill Banquet Hall in Maiduguri, focused on the theme: _“Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,”_ while the forum highlighted the role of Women Peacebuilders: Recognition, Investment and Commitment.
Speaking at the workshop, Executive Director of ALFOPED, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin, said the campaign was designed to recognise the contributions of grassroots women peacebuilders drawn from 14 women’s associations, including members of the Coalition of Women Mediators for Peace (COWOMF), the Jire Dole Survivor Network, and women-led faith-based peace platforms.
She explained that the initiative also aims to create direct dialogue between women peacebuilders and government officials, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations and the media.
According to her, the forum seeks to identify practical barriers limiting women’s participation, protection, visibility and effectiveness in community peacebuilding while securing concrete commitments from stakeholders to strengthen support for women promoting peace.
Hamsatu added that the workshop would also provide women affected by conflict with an opportunity to express their concerns and share their experiences.
She stressed that the media remains a critical partner in promoting peace through public enlightenment, advocacy and information dissemination, adding that the campaign would establish a simple mechanism for documenting and tracking commitments made during the programme.
She noted that increasing public recognition of women peacebuilders would encourage more women to participate actively in conflict prevention, reconciliation and community development.
Also speaking, a resource person and consultant with the Allamin Foundation, Dr. Abdullahi Muhammad, highlighted the contributions of women’s groups to peacebuilding and commended the foundation’s sustained investment in supporting women working to restore peace in Borno State.
He spoke extensively on the meaning of peace and the need to sustain peaceful coexistence, saying lasting peace is built on unity, justice, inclusion, forgiveness, mutual understanding and a sense of belonging.
Dr. Muhammad also identified preventive measures, community resilience, recognition, encouragement, inclusion and sustainability as essential pillars for achieving lasting peace, stressing that peacebuilding must be holistic and involve every segment of society.
The workshop formed part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of Peace, celebrated globally to promote dialogue, non-violence and collective action towards building peaceful and inclusive communities. Organisers said empowering women at the grassroots remains vital to achieving sustainable peace, especially in conflict-affected areas such as Borno State.
