By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA
Kumasi, Nov. 14, GNA – A two-day capacity building workshop on conflict prevention has been held for some queens in the Ashanti Region with a call on them to raise their voices in conflict prevention and resolution processes.
It was attended by queens from some selected paramount traditional areas in the Region as well as representatives of some women groups.
Funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), the workshop sought to increase the voices, participation and inclusion of women in conflict prevention before, during and after the 2020 general elections.
Professor Emmanuel Asante, Chairman of the National Peace Council in an opening address, said traditional rulers were key actors in conflict resolution in Ghana even before independence and still continued to play relevant roles in facilitating peace in conflict areas.
He said Ghana would not flourish if we continue to stifle the potentials of women as a nation, considering the fact that they constituted more than half of the country’s population.
“A nation desirous of development like ours should be twice as much desirous of empowering and including women, the vulnerable and marginalized in the society,” he stated.
He said the mere fact that a lot of males have been dominating the conflict management process in the country did not necessarily mean that the field was impermeable by women.
“Just like how several women have been able to stand up to shine in other male-dominated fields, conflict management should not be impossible to be executed by women,” he emphasized.
Prof. Asante underlined the urgent need to empower women in Ghana more than ever as the country’s socio-political atmosphere remained highly polarized.
He counseled the participants not only to fancy themselves as strong women but also take that extra leap to empower other women as traditional leaders.
Mr Simon Osei Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister in a speech read on his behalf, said it was unfortunate that women continued to be marginalized in peace and security processes, but there was adequate evidence that women participation in conflict prevention contributed effectively to today’s complex crises.
He said women had proven to be fundamental to social change that prevented conflicts, hence it was imperative to empower them to actively participate in conflict prevention and peace building processes.
The workshop, he opined, was appropriate and timely since the participation of women in conflict prevention and mediation efforts around the world was an enormous force with great impact.
Mr Pasquale Salvaggio, the Political and Public Affairs Counsellor of the Canadian Embassy, said Ghana over the years had positioned itself as the beacon of democracy in Africa and that the rest of the world was expecting the country to maintain that feat by ensuring inclusive, peaceful, free and fair elections.
He said the CFLI was committed to supporting small-scale and high-impact projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners and focused on themes including human rights, inclusive governance and democracy.
GNA
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