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Contribution short abstract

This paper examines ways women navigate structural, political and socio-cultural limitations to exercise agency for transformative leadership in peacebuilding and development contexts within the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) framework.

Contribution long abstract

The United Nations Security Resolution 1325 (2000) explicitly promotes women's representation in decision-making across all spheres of society in member states. Despite constitutional and policy advances like the UNSCR 1325 and National Action Plan promoting women's representation in Nigeria, the gap between formal inclusion and significant impact remains. This paper examines how women navigate structural, political and socio-cultural limitations to exercise agency for transformative leadership in peacebuilding and development contexts within the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) framework.

Drawing on decolonial feminist and conflict transformation theory and mixed methods research from Nigeria's Northern and Niger Delta regions, this study examines the contention between symbolic politics and transformative leadership. Though the UNSCR 1325 calls for women's equitable participation in peace processes, implementation remains performative in Nigeria, inhibited by patriarchal norms, gendered-power relations, and tokenistic approaches that limit women's capacity to shape policy outcomes.

The analysis illustrates that women's contributions to peacebuilding extend beyond official political environments to include community mediation, post-conflict economic reconstruction, and social restoration, albeit excluded within elite-focused frameworks. The paper identifies vital elements facilitating transformative leadership: mentorship networks and solidarity mechanisms; disruption of gender norms through grassroots organizing; access to decision-making spaces and resources; and supportive civil society ecosystems.

The research findings illustrate that transformation requires systemic-change beyond increasing women's numbers in leadership positions; essentially rethinking developmental priorities, ethical governance, and power relations. This research contributes to decolonial feminist reassessment of peacebuilding in Africa, providing actionable recommendations for policymakers and civil society organizations dedicated to accomplishing substantive transformation.