Accra: Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has urged stakeholders to amplify women’s voices in peace negotiations to promote gender balance and sustainable national development. She emphasized the necessity of gender balance in peace and security efforts for achieving an equitable Ghana, advocating for cross-sector collaboration to secure lasting peace.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Lartey made these remarks in a speech read on her behalf at the opening of a three-day in-country training workshop in Accra. The workshop focuses on the continental results framework for monitoring and reporting on the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. Attendees include peace and security experts, personnel from security services, government ministries, and civil society organizations like the Foundation for Security and Development (FOSDA) and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
Dr Lartey described the workshop as timely, expressing optimism that data collection would improve to align Ghana’s reporting with the ECOWAS Simplified Results Framework. She commended the ECOWAS Commission and GIZ for organizing the workshop and encouraged further strengthening of implementation and reporting to make Ghana a reference point for the Women, Peace, and Security agenda in the sub-region.
Speaking on behalf of Dr Sintiki T. Ugbe, Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs at ECOWAS, Mr. Olatunde Olayemi, from the Division of Human Security and Civil Society, reiterated the importance of peace and security for regional welfare and development. He stressed that women and girls are essential stakeholders in peacebuilding, governance, and stability, noting that they are affected by insecurity and conflict as much as men and often disproportionately by gender-based violence.
Mr. Davide Messina, a representative of the EU Delegation to Ghana, highlighted that empowering women in peace and security contributes to a more stable and secure future for the region. He underscored the active role of women in conflict prevention and resolution, pointing out that building their capacity strengthens regional security and stability in West Africa. Messina revealed that Ghana currently hosts over 30 EU security-related initiatives, spanning various areas including conflict prevention, border management, and women empowerment, supported by 50 million EUR in military equipment.