Women and youth groups in conflict prone communities in UE sensitized on Peace Building

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga Conflicts in some communities in the three regions in Northern Ghana has been identified as severely undermining efforts towards good governance and poverty alleviation. According to the Women in Peace Building Movement, a civil society organization, such intermittent outbreak of conflicts has resulted in heavy loss of life and property, political instability, mass displacement of people and delay in development activities. The President of the Movement, Hajia Zaratu Abdul-Rahman who made this known at a two-day training workshop for women and youth networks in peace building in Northern Ghana at Bolgatanga said in recent years the government of Ghana has spent close to GH c 10 billion annually to support the peace keeping efforts of security agencies in Northern Ghana. "This situation must change if we must achieve good governance and overcome poverty. The unproductive and senseless security cost would continue to undermine our development efforts unless the general attitude and perception of development partners and relevant stakeholders regarding peace changes." She said. The workshop was funded by United Nations Joint Programme on Human Security, on the theme "strengthening the umbrella of woman and youth in peace building, the key to human security, peace and sustainable development organized by Women in peace movement. The workshop sought to mobilize women and youth groups selected from conflict communities in the Upper East Region including Bawku and Bolgatanga with the aim of harnessing ther effort in peace building processes for sustainable peace and development in their respective communities. it was also aimed at exposing participants to human security concepts and the strategic lineage between human security, peace and development, mechanisms and strategic lineages between between human security, peace and development, mechanisms and strategies for non-violence and peaceful co-existence. Hajia Zaratu said over the past years, the Movement has sort to develop relationships with various categories of women to support peace negotiations with example being women from Liberia, Dagbon, Bawku and Wa adding they hope to achieve a Northern Ghana in which conflict is redefined and transformed into a dynamic environment, where women, men and the youth participate in decision making processes for accelerated development. A facilitator Fr. Thaddeus Kuusah said the three regions in Northern Ghana, amidst rising poverty are at great disadvantage anytime conflict breaks out and therefore stressed the need for greater participation of women and the youth in pre-emptying conflicts as well as peace building. Mr. Isaac Bayor, Field Specialist with the UN Joint Programme on Human Security said the organization has one it's mandate to keep peace and maintain peace. Therefore, it will continue to work with civil society and community based organizations to spearhead the crusade against violent conflicts. The Acting Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Ms Joycelyn Adii reiterated the fact that women and the youth play a vey important role when it comes to peace building. She said while the women give quality advice and most often serve as great mediators, they also are ms often hit when any conflict arise. The youth, she also said are always used as tools in conflict as they are strong and most often not very matured to understand issues very well. "they think the only way to resolve their differences is by fighting,interestingly, they are the very ones that can calm situations down" she said. She expressed the hope that the opportunity provided the participants will go a long way to promote peace building and help build trust among conflicting groups and communities in the region. -end- Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh