The Head of Programmes of Peace and Security at the Kofi Annan International Peace-keeping Training Center, Augustine Owusu, has disclosed that the resilience of Ghanaian women is one of the reasons Ghana has been successful in its fight against violent extremism and terrorism.
According to him, women in the country have also been committed to supporting the fight, hence the need for their continuous engagement in efforts to prevent violent extremism.
Mr. Owusu was speaking at the opening of the Catholic Relief Service’s (CRS) Prevention of Violent Extremism Training Program for Women in Tamale on Monday, March 10.
He said although Ghana has not experienced any attacks as a result of violent extremism or terrorism, the country needs to continue to prepare against any attacks.
“It is very easy to wonder why we are talking about violent extremism and terrorism in Ghana because we are not experiencing any violent extremists and terrorists, but it is also important to realize that Ghana is not special; we are not special. Why has it happened in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, and Togo? Part of what is special about us is the resilience and the commitment with which our women support this process, so women in this conversation are very important,” he stressed.
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The Program Manager-Youth of Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion at CRS, Alisa Afusah Mogre, emphasized the need for the inclusion of women in Ghana’s fight against extremism, saying that peace and security cannot be achieved without the role of women.
She noted that women do not only notice the first signs of radicalization but are also usually the first to intervene with empathy and wisdom.
“Often, we’re the first to see signs of radicalization, the first to notice when something feels off, and the first to intervene, often with empathy and wisdom,” she said.
Ms. Afusah Mogre highlighted the importance of the contribution of women in peacebuilding, noting that women’s contributions are essential in the fight against violent extremism.
“You are not here by accident; you’re here because your voices matter, your experiences are valid, and your contribution to peacebuilding is essential,” she said.
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Ms. Afusah Mogre added that “we’ll dive into some very tough but necessary conversations about violent extremism—the root causes, early warning signs, and more importantly, the role women play in responding to and preventing these threats.”
The Prevention of Violent Extremism Training Program for Women is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Catholic Relief Services’ Prevention of Violent Extremism Through Social Accountability (PoVETSA) II project.
The one-week training will explore the role women play in responding to and preventing threats of violent extremism in their communities and equip women with the skills on how to effectively collaborate with community members to identify and report on early signs of violent extremism.