KAIPTC and partners launches campaign to increase women’s participation in uniformed profession

The Women, Peace and Security Institute of the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Center (KAIPTC) in collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces and the Elsie Initiative Fund for Women in Peace Operations of the United Nations (UN), have launched a campaign to encourage women to enrol in combat and combat support arms of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The nationwide campaign is to sensitize potential applicants and the broader Ghanaian public, on carrier opportunities within the GAF for females especially within the combat units and also help address misconceptions.

It will also focus on placing emphasis on the “Guaranteeing equal opportunity for all in the Ghana Armed Forces”, which underlines GAFs gender mainstreaming agenda.

The participation of women in peace operations is said to be critical to achieving a mission’s success, thus promoting uniformed female participation in peace operations and ensuring that personnel are better placed to address the needs of the population they serve.

This was made known in a release copied to FiilaNews on the media launch of the project: Increasing women’s recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces for increased participation in UN peace operations”.

An assessment identified that, there are limiting factors that serve as high barriers for uniformed women participation in peace operations in Ghana.

Some of these factors include limited eligibility pool of uniformed women, gender roles and social exclusion.

To help address these limitations, GAF has undertaken a number of initiatives, some of which include, enhancing gender mainstreaming in GAF and consequently increasing women’s participation in UN peace operations since 2021.

It is thus encouraging young women to take up opportunities within the combat unit of GAF as it provides greater opportunity for women to take up leadership roles in future.

Source: Fiilafmonline/ShawanaYussif