He said gender in the context of peace and security remains an under explored resource despite its critical benefits to achieving sustained peace and security.

“The United Nations Security Council 1325 has provided a global framework to address the gender challenges and deficit in the security sector,” Brig Gen Aryeetey stated on Monday at the opening ceremony of the “Inspiring Women Leaders Course” in Accra.

“Here at the KAIPTC, promoting gender parity is central to our work. We pride ourselves of developing and implementing a KAIPTC gender policy which has led to gender mainstreaming in all the programmes, courses and trainings we organize.”

The Course is jointly organised by the Women Peace and Security Institute of KAIPTC and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP).

It seeks to nurture and support a community of women leaders to press on women’s advancement, peace and security agenda through the delivery of professional training and executive education.

The course is being attended by 25 participants drawn from Ghana, Tunisia, Switzerland and eSwantini (Swaziland). 

Brig Gen Aryeetey said: “The Inspiring Women Leaders is yet another unique opportunity for women in management roles within the security sector to enhance their skill-set in leadership. Increasing leadership opportunities for women to actively contribute in peace processes requires that women are provided with adequate opportunities to increase their knowledge base especially, in area of leadership through tailored programmes such as this”.

“We look forward to institutionalizing this programme as an annual core programme of the KAIPTC and expanding it to achieve regional balance across Africa.”

Madam Fleur Heyworth, Head, Gender and Inclusive Security Cluster, said the GCSP was an international foundation that was established in 1995 under Swiss law to promote the building and maintenance of peace, security and stability.

She said like the KAIPTC, the GCSP’s core mandate was the provision of executive education and training in comprehensive international peace and security for mid-career diplomats, military officers and civil servants.

She noted that they were glad to partner the KAIPTC in organising the “Inspiring Women Leaders Course”.