KAIPTC’s Women, Peace and Security Institute holds Sensitization and Review Workshop for Security Agencies on the Ghana National Action Plan (GHANAP I), 1325

Accra, 22 August, 2017: The Women, Peace and Security Institute (WPSI) of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) have organized a one-day workshop for security agencies. Held on Tuesday, 22^nd August, 2017 at KAIPTC, the objective was to review and sensitize security agencies, primarily female officers, on the Ghana National Action Plan (GHANAP I). Other aims of the workshop was to identify gaps with regards to the implementation of GHANAP I and to offer participants an opportunity to make constructive inputs into the development of the next National Action Plan.

The United Nations Security Council Presidential Statements of 2004/40 and 2005/52 called on member states to develop National Action Plans to guide the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 to pave the way and provide for active participation of women in all aspects of conflict prevention, peace negotiations, peacekeeping, peace building and post-war reconstruction.

Ghana, through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) and other stakeholders, developed the Ghana National Action Plan (GHANAP I), 2012 – 2014 to enable Ghana take proactive steps in achieving the objectives of UNSCR 1325.

With the expiration of GHANAP I, there was the need to develop a new National Action Plan. However, it had been realized that, most security agencies, especially female officers who were to play active roles in the implementation process were neither familiar with the GHANAP I nor involved in the review process, hence the need for the workshop.

Delivering the opening remarks at the official ceremony for the workshop, Mrs. Dede Badu-Addo, a representative from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, noted that the Ministry, as part of the implementation process, organized a number of programs but gains from these programs did not achieve the desired purpose. According to her, the workshop was therefore very important, as it sought to sensitize and review GHANAP I.

Participants shared some challenges they encountered during the implementation process. These included lack of awareness of the UNSCR 1325 and the GHANAP 1; inadequate funding for the implementation of the GHANAP 1 activities; minimal involvement of most security agencies in the implementation process and an absence of  dedicated gender desks in the various institutions to address women, peace and security issues.

This notwithstanding, some of the agencies present had initiated official and unofficial policies to ensure gender parity in the discharge of their mandates. Most of the participants attested to the fact that the workshop was their first exposure to UNSCR 1325 and the GHANAP I.

The Deputy Commandant, Brig Gen Emmanuel Kotia, in his closing remarks urged the security agencies to work in collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure full implementation and the realization of the UNSCR, 1325 in Ghana.

A total number of eighty (80) senior and junior security officers from Ghana took part in the workshop.