Let’s jealously guard and protect Ghana’s peace – Gender Director

Madam Charity Batuure, the Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Gender, says concerted efforts are needed to jealously protect the peace the country was currently enjoying.She said Ghana was surrounded by countries that had suffered insurgencies, ruining their efforts of development.Madam Bature said: 'Ghana is fortunate to be an island of peace, and we must therefore do everything within our power to ensure that we maintain the peace.'The reason being that if those around us have issues and they are counting on us, as an island of peace, if we also run into problems, where are we going.'Madam Batuure stated this at Gwollu, at the weekend, during a training for security personnel, youth leaders and women on gender and youth-responsive safeguarding procedures.The training, which formed part of the UNFPA Peace Building Fund (PBF) project by the Department of Gender, was also held in Wechiau in the Wa West District.It sought to enlighten the security officers within the project district s on youth and gender issues to help address vulnerabilities of sexual exploitation, gender-based violence (GBV) and terror institutions arising from both local and spillover conflicts.Madam Batuure emphasised the need to build the capacity of community members to be vigilant and speak out about signs of conflict as part of interventions to avert any possible uprising.She said people's refusal to tell the truth in a conflict situation was a major impediment to conflict resolution, stressing the need for truth to prevail in every conflict situation.At Wechiau, Madam Vida Diorotey, the Wa West District Chief Executive, said aside from good health, peace was a necessary ingredient for human existence.She encouraged the participants to be peace ambassadors wherever they found themselves to ensure the district became a symbol of peace for others to emulate.Madam Rita Nyorka, the UNFPA Implementing Partner (IP) Focal Person at the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council, addressing the participants at We chiau, said without peace all development interventions of the government and development partners would fail.She said it was, therefore, the responsibility of all to ensure the success of the pilot PBF project to inspire its scale-up to other districts.DSP Mr. Adongo Apiiya, the Upper West Regional Coordinator, Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), Ghana Police Service who facilitated the training encouraged prompt reporting of conflict-related issues to the security agencies for redress to prevent escalation.The participants were taken through conflict analysis (reasons and motivations of conflicts) and preventing and responding to SGBV as drivers of conflicts among others.The participants acknowledged that when women were excluded in the decision-making process, they would not be confident to discuss security issues they witnessed with men.Assistant District Fire Officer Grade 1 (ADOI) Ms. Memuna Mumuni Bayaba, the Wa West District Commander, Ghana National Fire Service, said the tr aining had enhanced her understanding of gender issues.The UNFPA PBF project is being implemented in Jeffisi, Fielmuo and Zini communities in the Sissala West District and Kpila, Dorimo and Olli communities in the Wa West District, and aims to promote Social Cohesion among the community members.Source: Ghana News Agency