GIZ Gender WebsiteThe Gender and Communication Unit of GIZ Ghana, partnered the Women Peace and Security Institute (WPSI) of the Kofi Anna International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) and the WIPNET Program of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), to hold a week-long social media advocacy and sensitization campaign on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual Harassment (SH), as part of their collective drive towards the 2019 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration.
The week-long campaign was climaxed with a day’s durbar on March 8, International Women’s Day on the theme: Empowering the Youth to Advocate Against Gender Based Violence. The event which was held at KAIPTC brought together 200 students from ten (10) Junior and Senior High Schools within the Accra and Tema metropolis of which 80 were from the Nima Clusters I and II, The Borstal Institute and The Female correctional facility as a GIZ social responsibility initiative for the communities surrounding the Country Office.
The broad aim of the Durbar was to sensitize the youth about Gender-Based Violence and to empower them to be advocates against Gender-Based Violence in their communities.
This collaboration, borne out of a shared vision to highlight, promote and address equality and gender-based issues at the local, national, continental and global levels, was in pursuit of the ‘practicalization’ of the goals of the newly launched GIZ Gender Strategy (2019-2021), in tandem with the GIZ Gender Equality Plan and the Women’s Empowerment Principles; the AU Protocol on the African Charter on the rights of women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) and the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 towards the pursuit of peace, security and development.
Pre-event pledge by Gender Adviser
Pre-event pledge by Country Director
Pre-event pledge by Commandant of partner institution
Pre-event pledge by Executive Director t of partner institution
Country Director of GIZ Ghana and Commandant of KAIPTC
Welcome address by Country Director
Welcome address by Executive Director of WANEP Ghana
Representative of the Ministry of Education
Participants
Participants
The high table
Picture with facilitators and event organizers
Picture with student beneficiaries
Furthermore, there’s was a joint recognition that no individual entity could effectively bring an end to the prevailing gender imbalances and disparities around the globe, and that meaningful impact could only be achieved through such joint efforts.
To this end, the Durbar drew on the expertise of carefully selected resource persons who exposed participants to the key components of gender and gender-based violence and the importance of respect for diversity to create a balance across all spheres of society. This was achieved with a World Café of five (5) thematic booths on different subject areas including ‘Dealing with emotions’ and ‘How to become advocates’ among others. There were one-on-one counselling sessions where participants will have the opportunity to interact with trained and professional counselors throughout the event. This is to offer anyone who needs a listening ear, an avenue to seek redress or to share their stories in a private and trusted environment.
In his welcome address, Alan Walsch, Country Director, GIZ Ghana; admonished the student beneficiaries and participants to share the benefits they derive from the Durbar with their friends, family and wider circles, because it is only through sharing that we can measure the true impact of the event.
He added that, his dream was to live to see a day when International Women’s Day would not be celebrated again because equality would have been achieved globally.
On this part, Commandant of the KAIPTC, AVM G. Evans advised the youth to take the issues of gender-based violence more seriously to impact their generation positively.
Honourable Ayisi who represented the Education Ministry lauded the three institutions for the initiative and advised the students to make full use of the opportunity.
Dr. Chukwuemeka Eze, Executive Director of WANAP Ghana was thrilled about the continued collaboration among the three institutions and pledged support for more of such.
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. The theme for the 2019 celebration is #BalanceforBetter.