ECOWAS Launches Humanitarian– Development–Peace (HDP) Initiative to Support Women and Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Plateau State

Restoring hope for the most vulnerable: ECOWAS Launches Humanitarian – Development – Peace (HDP) Initiative to Support Women and Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Plateau State

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has launched a landmark Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) Initiative aimed at promoting peace, recovery, and resilience among women and children affected by armed conflict in Plateau State.

Organized by the ECOWAS Department of Humanitarian Development and Social Affairs in collaboration with the GIZ Peace Core Project and the Plateau State Peace Building Agency (PPBA), a two-day workshop was held in Jos from 29–30 September 2025 to promote the integration of humanitarian action, development cooperation, and peacebuilding in North-Central Nigeria. The event marks an important step in advancing regional strategies to strengthen coordinated responses to conflict and displacement challenges across the area.

With support from the European Union (EU) through the EU Support Programme to the African Peace and Security Architecture, and the Plateau State Government, the initiative focuses on providing psychosocial support to children and establishing a Plateau-specific Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) Coordination Mechanism. This mechanism seeks to enhance collaboration among humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actors, reduce duplication of efforts, and ensure a gender-sensitive approach that places women and children at the center of recovery and resilience-building efforts.

Valued at N56 million, the targeted interventions will focus on conflict-affected Local Government Areas including Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Bassa, where communities continue to grapple with the effects of farmer–herder clashes and banditry.

The workshop, themed “Strengthening the Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) Nexus in Plateau State through Integrated Dialogue and Humanitarian Support for Women and Children in Conflict-Affected Communities,” brought together key stakeholders from ECOWAS, the Federal and State Governments, development partners such as GIZ, and local community representatives. The goal is to build a unified approach toward sustainable peace and development in Plateau State.

In response to the region’s pressing humanitarian needs, ECOWAS is providing direct assistance to conflict-affected women and children, including psychosocial support, educational materials, nutritious food for children under five, essential household supplies, health and dignity kits, and WASH sensitization to promote hygiene and access to clean water.

During the event, ECOWAS presented a cheque of ₦26 million to the Plateau State Government to fund psychosocial support programs for children affected by armed conflict. This vital intervention aims to provide emotional healing while restoring access to quality education—viewed as both a basic right and a key driver of recovery and resilience. By investing in children’s education and well-being, the initiative seeks to lay the foundation for lasting peace, social cohesion, and sustainable development in Plateau State and across the wider West African region.

Declaring the workshop open, Mr. Samuel Jatau, Secretary to the State Government (represented by Mr. Timothy Gayi, Permanent Secretary, Policy and General Administration), commended ECOWAS for its commitment, noting that the rising humanitarian crisis in Plateau State “calls for urgent and coordinated action.”

Representing H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Dr. Sintiki Tarfa-Ugbe, ECOWAS Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering solidarity with the people of Plateau and its dedication to promoting peace, protecting children, and empowering women across West Africa.

“Today, we are not just convening a workshop; we are igniting a movement, one that places women and children at the center of recovery, resilience, and renewal,”

“By embracing the HDP Nexus, we are committing to a new way of working, one that breaks down silos and builds bridges. Humanitarian aid must not only save lives but also lay the foundation for development and peace.” She added

Ending her speech Dr. Ugbe underscored the timing of the intervention and stated that “This is not just aid, it is affirmation. It says to every child in Jos: you are seen, you are valued, you are not alone.”

Dr. Julie Sanda, Director General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, expressed deep appreciation to ECOWAS and its partners, describing the intervention as “a meaningful contribution to the ongoing journey toward peace, stability, and reconciliation in Plateau State.”

Also present at the workshop were representatives of Plateau State Government, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, ECOWAS, GIZ Peace Core Project, PSPBA, PLASEMA, Nigeria Permanent Mission to ECOWAS, ECOWAS National Office and leaders and children of the affected communities

The HDP workshop aligns with ECOWAS’s regional agenda and the 2025 World Humanitarian Day theme, emphasizing global solidarity, local empowerment, and community leadership. By bringing together humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actors, it seeks to build resilience, restore dignity, and promote peace in Plateau State as a model for a stable and secure West Africa.

“Let Jos be the starting point. Let Plateau State be the model. And let this dialogue be the foundation for a future where every woman and child can live in safety, dignity, and hope.”