KAIPTC, Elsie Initiative Fund launch campaign to motivate more women to enroll in combat units of GAF

The Women, Peace and Security Institute (WPSI) of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has officially launched a campaign to inspire young women to aspire to enroll in military combat and combat-support arms of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The media launch of the important campaign was held at KAIPTC on Wednesday, June 21.

The campaign forms part of the “Increasing Women Recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces for increased participation in UN Peace Operations” project, funded by The Elsie Initiative Fund for Uniformed Women in Peace Operations.

Under the programme, KAIPTC and the Ghana Armed Forces with funding from the Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF) will embark on a national campaign to sensitise and encourage young girls to choose combat and combat support arms when they have the opportunity to join the Armed Forces.

Delivering an address as a Guest of Honour before declaring the campaign launched, the Deputy Minister of Defence, Mr. Kofi Amankwah-Manu commended KAIPTC, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the Elsie Initiative Fund for joining forces for the campaign.

“I will like to use the opportunity to thank the Elsie Initiative Fund and all the contributors to the Fund for giving the Ghana Armed Forces the opportunity to promote meaningful deployment of women in Peacekeeping. I believe that the KAIPTC and the GAF team will do a good job to achieve the objectives of the campaign,” Mr. Kofi Amankwah-Manu said while delivering the address on behalf of the Minister of Defense, Hon. Dominic Nitiwul.

Hon. Kofi Amankwa Manu – Dep. Minister for Defence, Ghana

He said he is confident that through the campaign, gender barriers would be broken to encourage women to take up roles in the Armed Forces in departments that are male-dominated.

Mr. Kofi Amankwah-Manu in the address noted that the campaign and all other projects being conducted through funding from the Elsie Initiative Fund and bilateral partnerships between Ghana Armed Forces and Canada demonstrate Ghana’s commitment to UN resolutions 1325 and 224 as well as the Maputo Protocol of the African Union.

In his remarks at the launch event, Mr. Andrew Maharaj from the Canadian High Commission said Canada, as designers of the Elsie Initiative Fund, is proud of the partnership with Ghana.

He said the country deeply values its partnership with KAIPTC and the Ghana Armed Forces, adding that they are keen on deepening the collaboration for the greater good.

“It is Canada’s honour to be present today to celebrate the launch and implementation of multiple exciting projects that will not only provide support for Ghanaian women in peacekeeping, but also contribute to our shared goals of creating better UN peace operations through the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations,” Mr. Andrew Maharaj said.

Mr. Andrew Maharaj, Canadian High Commission to Ghana

He added that he has no doubt that the many projects implemented together with KAIPTC and GAF will strengthen GAF’s institutional capacity to holistically address barriers to women’s meaningful participation within GAF itself and in UN peace operations.

In his address, KAIPTC Commandant Maj Gen Richard Addo Gyane said his outfit deems it an honour to host the media launch of the campaign which aims at encouraging women not only to remain a part of nation-building, but to share in the rewarding experience of national defence.

While underscoring the importance of the national campaign to encourage women to enroll in combat units of the Ghana Armed Forces, Maj Gen Richard Addo Gyane urged parents to have a positive attitude towards encouraging the female members of their families to take up positions beside their male counterparts for the defence of the country

The Commandant in his concluding remarks stressed that the KAIPTC is grateful to the Ghana Armed Forces for the trust and continued partnership towards promoting the development of uniformed women in the Ghana Armed Forces and in peace operations.

KAIPTC Commandant Maj Gen Richard Addo Gyane

Maj Gen Richard Addo Gyane further expressed appreciation to the Elsie Initiative Fund for its support and collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces to promote participation of Uniformed Women in peace operations.

More about campaign:
The WPSI and GAF will conduct the communication and awareness-raising campaign, both in-person and on social media – with key messaging that will focus on breaking down gender stereotypes, encouraging women to join the GAF, and choose combat and combat support arms.

The campaign will also highlight the full benefits of a military career, including equal opportunities, training, and career advancement and promotion.

The national campaign will cover visits to secondary and tertiary institutions in the 16 regions of Ghana to educate and expose female potential recruits to all the opportunities offered by GAF.

The visits to the secondary and tertiary institutions is not only to ignite the interest of young women to take up military careers, but to also furnish them with essential information to guide their decisions on which career path to choose in the Armed Forces.

The campaign will be complemented by the construction of women’s accommodation and facilities at the Army Recruit Training School (ARTS) at Shai Hills and the Daboya Training Camp.

This will ensure that the GAF has adequate accommodation for the planned increase in the number of women recruits.