Stakeholders share impact of PBF project in promoting peace 

Some stakeholders of the UNFPA/UNDP Peace Building Fund (PBF) project communities in the Wa West District have recounted the impact of the project in promoting peaceful co-existence in their communities. 

They said the project had helped transform some gender norms, which were drivers of conflicts as well as enhanced engagement between indigene and minority groups and tribes in those communities.   

Speaking at the project’s engagement meeting in Wa, Mr Emmanuel D. Jabuni, a religious leader from Dromion, said the PBF project had helped reduce the gender-based discrimination in decision making as well as entrenched gender roles in the community. 

The engagement was organised by PronetNorth, the PBF project Implementing Partner, to among other things, assess the project’s gains so far and to further empower traditional leaders as key advocates against discriminatory gender norms. 

Representatives from the PBF project communities in the Wa West District, Dorimon, Kpila and Olli, including traditional and religious leaders, and the Wa West District Assembly attended the meeting.    

“Now, women can speak out and engage men in decisions within the community, and in churches and mosques,” Mr Jabuni said. 

Mr Benjamin Dassah, a traditional leader from Olli, observed that the project had helped address petty conflict that existed in the community, especially between indigene and the minority tribes.  

“We used to look down upon them (minority tribes), but through the project we realised that we need to always engage them in our discussions and meetings in the community so that there will be peaceful co-existence,” he recounted.  

Talking about gender norms transformation, Mr Dassah said cultural practices such as discriminatory and harmful widowhood rights, especially against women had been transformed. 

He cited an instance when a traditional leader in the community died but the widow was not taken through the usual widowhood rights, a decision that was influenced by the PBF project.  

Mr Martin Dery, the Executive Director of PronetNorth, indicated that the empowerment and involvement of women and youth in decision-making was key to attaining “true peace” in the communities. 

He emphasised the need for strong collaboration and partnership between the government and the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to sensitise the communities to peace. 

He indicated that factors such as poverty, perceived neglect and underdevelopment made people, especially the youth susceptible to influence by extremist groups to destabilise the country.   

He also reiterated the need for the District Assemblies to prioritise investing in peace building alongside the physical infrastructure development as peace was a critical foundation on which development thrived.  

The PBF project was aimed to promote peace in selected communities through inclusive decision-making and empowerment, particularly of women and youth as key stakeholders in the peace building process.  

The project is also being implemented in the Zini, Jeffisi and Fielemuo communities in the Sissala West District.   

Source: GNA