Gender Gaps in Nigeria's Operation Safe Corridor Initiative

The article addresses the gender disparities within Nigeria's Operation Safe Corridor initiative, which aims to rehabilitate and reintegrate former Boko Haram insurgents. It reports that approximately 50,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced due to Boko Haram's activities.

The initiative, which collaborates with UNICEF and the Borno State government, has focused on the reintegration of around 6,000 former combatants, predominantly women and children. However, experts like Bridget Osakw from WANEP highlight that women, who have been forcibly recruited and subjected to various forms of violence, are often sidelined in rehabilitation efforts.

The article emphasizes the necessity for the Ministry of Women Affairs and related agencies to ensure that women receive equal access to support and rehabilitation programs. Ms. Phuong Nguyen, UNICEF's Chief Field Officer in Maiduguri, launched a public information campaign to support these efforts, stressing the importance of addressing structural inequalities that hinder women's reintegration.