3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. participation, Promotion, protection and prosecution will provide the much needed guide to be part of strengthening women, peace and security processes in Nigeria. I wish to remind all that the implementation of the NAP is the key to a result-oriented and success story in the women, peace and security agenda in Nigeria and Africa. The Federal Government of Nigeria has reinforced its commitment to promote gender issues in the national development agenda. This is evident in measures and policies geared towards the advancement of women to strengthen full and effective participation and representation in various strata of national life. Nigeria continues the pursuit of affirmative action in gender empowerment. At the moment, the participation of women is politics is more than twenty per cent (20%). Nigeria remains irrevocably committed to the African Union and its various organs and legal frameworks, including the African Union (AU) Constitutive Act and the Protocol on the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. As a founding member of the African Union Peace and Security Council, Nigeria has been active and vigorously pursuing Africa’s agenda for peace, stability and reconstruction of the continent. Both within Africa and the ECOWAS, Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to peace have continued to yield dividend as recent political developments in Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Sudan, Darfur and the SahelSahara region. In the same vein, Nigeria continues to affirm determination on commitments of Africa to its shared values on the rule of law, good governance, democracy and human rights in the subregion and at the continental levels. As a State party to Africa’s Charter on Human and Peoples Rights as well as the Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, Nigeria remains firm and unequivocal in upholding democratic values and principles on the continent through free, fair and credible elections as well as respect for rule of law and constitutionalism. Nigeria remains resolute against unconstitutional change of government in line with the Constitutive Act and other legal frameworks of the Union. Furthermore, Nigeria has continued to be responsive on humanitarian situations including post conflict reconstruction and disaster management in Africa. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), a national institution established to deal with disasters and tackle disaster related issues has been active and supportive of a number of African countries facing various challenges and therefore contribute to peace building and political stability in order to pave way for development and prosperity of governments and peoples. Collaborative activities between notable NGOs, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Nigerian Red Cross Society and the National Human Rights Commission have resulted in the conduct of series of workshops. Taking cognisance of the nexus between peace, security and development, Nigeria is in the vanguard of the pursuit of democratic ideals and principles with a strong commitment to ensuring sustainable culture for rule of law, human rights and constitutional democracy in Africa. 129