Women Empowerment and Peacebuilding in Post-Conflict Contexts: The Role of UN Women in Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, 2014-2020

Nuhu Judith Dung
Akombo I. Elijah
Surajo Ladan
Muhammed Haruna Suleimuri
Atando D. Agbu

Kwaghe International Journal of Arts, Humanities and Religious Studies
Vol 3 No 2 (2026): Kwaghe International Journal of Arts, Humanities and Religious Studies

Women’s exclusion from formal peacebuilding processes remains a critical challenge in conflict-affected communities, despite their longstanding contributions to conflict prevention and post-conflict recovery. This study examines the role of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in advancing women’s empowerment and participation in peacebuilding in Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria, from 2014 to 2020. Specifically, it investigates the nature of UN Women’s empowerment programmes, assesses their influence on women’s empowerment and peacebuilding participation, and identifies the challenges affecting their effectiveness. Grounded in empowerment theory, the study employed a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis, including an examination of UN Women reports and relevant policy frameworks. The findings indicate that women in Jos North had served as first responders, informal mediators, and interfaith peacebuilders before the introduction of formal interventions. UN Women reinforced these roles through the Women Peace Mentors programme, capacity-building activities, community dialogue platforms, advocacy, and political inclusion initiatives. Although these interventions enhanced women’s visibility and participation in peacebuilding, persistent structural and sociocultural barriers constrained their sustainable empowerment. The study concludes that strengthening community-based empowerment programmes, expanding the Women Peace Mentors initiative, improving collaboration between UN Women and local stakeholders, and addressing barriers to women’s participation are essential for more inclusive and sustainable peacebuilding. By providing localized empirical evidence from Northern Nigeria, the study extends gender and peacebuilding scholarship and offers practical insights for developing context-sensitive interventions under the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.