“Being a woman gave other women the opportunity to easily approach me” says Captain Esinam D. Baah, a Ghanaian soldier who once led her platoon for a year with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon. Capt. Baah was sharing her peacekeeping experience on a panel discussion on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) during an event in Accra, Ghana.
n 2000, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) on WPS in response to lessons learned on peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The Resolution called on countries to address the impacts that conflict had on women and girls around the world and to systematically include women in peacebuilding efforts, including peace talks, peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction efforts. The WPS agenda remains critically important today and thus strengthening the meaningful participation of women peacekeepers is a priority for UN peacekeeping, and it is an operational necessity.
To highlight the importance of the the WPS agenda and advance women inclusion in peacekeeping, the Department of Peace Operations’ Strategic Communications Section through the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Accra held a highly impactful panel discussion and film screening in Accra dedicated to advancing the role of women in peace and security efforts.
The event highlighted the success story of Ghana and national efforts at advancing this agenda.
The five member panelist included Group Captain Theodora Agornyo, Ghana Armed Forces - Gender Policy Advisor Unit; Dr. Emma Birikorang, Deputy Director, Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC)-Women Peace Security Institute; Bertha Desmennu, Snr. Liaison Officer for Canada’s Elsie Initiative Bilateral Partnership Ghana; Afua Ansre, Snr. Gender Advisor, UN Women; and Captain Esinam D. Baah of the Ghana Armed Forces. They delved deeper into the theme for the event, “Women, Peace, and Security & Gender-responsive Leadership” with a resonating call for more qualified women to receive leadership roles.
Delivering his opening statement, the the UN Resident Coordinator, Charles Abani noted that it is increasingly clear that sustainable peace cannot be achieved without the full and meaningful participation of women at all levels of decision-making, especially as conflicts persist and new challenges emerge. “Throughout history, women have been agents of change, resilience, and hope in the face of adversity. Their contributions to conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and community empowerment are undeniable. It's time to amplify their voices, recognize their agency, and ensure their meaningful participation in decision-making processes at all levels” he said.
The keynote address was delivered by the former Deputy Force Commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), Commodore Faustina Boakyewaa Anokye. She said the journey in achieving gender equality had not been an easy one and more actions are needed to achieve gender parity. “We can and must do better because equality for women is progress for all. Let us embrace equity and invest in women for accelerated growth”. She urged the women in various security services to challenge themselves and take up the mantle in holding various positions wherever they find themselves.
Speaking to the Elsie initiative, Bertha Desmennu said “the initiative is just not looking at women in numbers but rather women participating in all ranks, taking up all roles and not being limited to what historically has been recognized as gender based”.
"We are thrilled with the success of this event and the meaningful conversations it sparked," said the head of UNIC , Accra, Cynthia Prah. "It was inspiring to see the enthusiasm and commitment of all participants sharing their thought and experiences towards advancing the WPS agenda."
Two videos recounting the journey of Captain Baah, before and during her deployment and return home, and Ghana’s efforts at enhancing women's involvement in peacekeeping missions were screened.
The audience engaged actively as they asked questions, fostering an atmosphere of curiosity, knowledge sharing and inspiration. The success of the event underscores the UN’s commitment to promoting awareness and understanding the WPS agenda and encouraging women inclusion in peacekeeping.
This article was originally published by UNIC Ghana on 18 March 2024
