Deputy Commandant, KAIPTC, urges women to promote peace
The Deputy Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Air Commodore David Akrong, has urged women to take up responsibility for resolving disputes to ensure peace.
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He noted that women needed to be equipped with the right skills “to not only implement policies and programmes on women, peace and security but also harness their voices and agency to inform policies that affect women in their localities, most importantly during this electioneering period in Ghana”.
Air Commodore Akrong was speaking at the opening ceremony of a five-day Certificate Course in Gender, Peace and Security at the Centre, last Monday, to provide opportunities to enhance the technical and theoretical knowledge of grassroots women leaders from targeted organisations in the Volta, Eastern and Greater Accra regions, who work in the space of women peace and security.
The KAIPTC, through its Women Youth Peace and Security Institute (WYPSI) and the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research, developed the course to specifically target grassroots women, peacebuilders and women addressing the day-to-day challenges of women in conflict and security.
The training, which was organised in collaboration with the Swedish government, also sought to deepen the understanding of women grassroots actors in the implementation of the core pillars of the Women Peace and Security Agenda.
Commitment
Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC noted that the training of women in peace and security building represented the commitment of the centre to the UN Women Peace and Security Agenda and the Ghana National Action Plan on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325).
“The UN Women Peace and Security Agenda stresses the need to prevent violence against women, protect women in situations of insecurity, promote female participation in decision-making in various peace processes and ensure that the needs of women are addressed in the relief, rehabilitation and recovery processes before, during and after conflict and insecurity situations”.
“The training additionally demonstrated the KAIPTC’s commitment and contribution toward local capacity development for the implementation of the Ghana National Action Plan (GHANAP 2, 2020-2025) on the UNSCR 1325,” he said.
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He encouraged participants to share their valuable insights and experiences during the sessions and also learn from the very seasoned facilitators of various modules.
Commendation
Speaking on behalf of the participants, the Paramount Queenmother of Alavanyo, Mamaga Ametor Hoebuadzu II, commended the Centre and the Swedish government for their commitment to empowering women as leading agents in peacebuilding and underscored the importance of women in peace resolution.
“Having witnessed the devastating impact of the Alavanyo-Nkonya conflict on my people, I recognise the critical role women play in preventing and resolving conflicts. Women's unique experiences and perspectives make them invaluable assets in peacebuilding,” she stated.
She noted that although cultural and social barriers often hindered women’s full participation in peacebuilding, the training would “enhance our conflict resolution skills, amplify our voices in decision-making and foster inclusive community engagement”
Mamaga Ametor Hoebuadzu II added that as a paramount queenmother, she was committed to “supporting women's empowerment initiatives; promoting peace education and advocacy and collaborating with local and international partners” while urging fellow participants to make the most of the training to become peace ambassadors in their communities.