According to him, "Given the opportunity in the right environment, we are confident that our uniformed women could also make a far-reaching impact in peacekeeping operations."
The Deputy Minister made this known at the Elsie Initiative Forum on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York following the call by the UN on its member countries to increase the participation of women in peacekeeping operations.
The call came after a Security Council Resolution which seeks to scale-up female military and police personnel in peacekeeping operations from the current 4.8 per cent to 15 per cent for the police and 20 per cent for the military.
Ghana currently tops the ranking in Africa with 14 per cent, followed by Zambia with 9 per cent.
The government of Ghana, the Deputy Minister said, remains mindful of the fact that peacekeeping operations are integral to fostering global peace and security, which are prerequisites for economic growth and development.
He added that guided by this thinking, Ghana has, over the years, willingly deployed available resources in line with her unwavering support for international and regional peacekeeping operations "proudly making her the 10th largest troop contributor to UN peacekeeping missions."
With women constituting 51 per cent of the Ghanaian population, the Deputy Minister said the country was obliged to be part of the Elsie Initiative, which he described as a forward-thinking project, to enable it to provide additional human resources critical in the global quest for peace and security.
He stated that as an ardent champion of gender parity markers, Ghana has made a conscious effort to increase women peacekeepers from 0 in 1960s to an average of 14 per cent in 2019, pursuant to her commitment to the set targets at the UN Gender Parity Strategy.
According to him, the percentage of women drafted into the Ghana Armed Forces also recorded a marginal increase which consequently translated into their engagement in different roles.
"Ghanaian troops and contingents deployed in peace operations have repeatedly made their mark in the most outstanding ways despite the increasingly challenging nature of peace operations," he said.
According to him, "The Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations is an unquestionable force for change in ensuring that women in peace operations are better integrated into the very framework in which they operate."
0 Comments