By Precious D. Freeman
The University of Liberia (UL) and the Nigeria-based International Academy for Gender and Peace (IAGP) have begun two-days West Africa Regional Conference on mainstreaming gender in the security sector in Africa.
The conference which was kicked off yesterday at the main campus auditorium focuses on issues affecting in the security sector, strengthening gender equality in the security sector, and promoting women’s participation in key leadership roles in the security service.
Serving as the keynote speaker, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi said that the development wreckage in West Africa as a result of conflicts cannot be overemphasized due to its devastating nature.
According to him, the reasons of most conflict in West Africa is the absence of a standard means of measuring qualitative well-being which contributed to the failures of some states in the past.
He added that the outcome of the past and causes of the present crisis in West Africa have revealed that human insecurity and development crisis can switch places.
“Both are human-centered with the ability to cause conflicts can alternate with the other to be effective in solving humanitarian concerns,” he said.
He argued that the West is aware that Africa is a region that is endowed with both natural and human resources; however he accused the Westerners of causing confusion so that they will continue to feast on Africa’s resources.
Mr. Audi intoned that African leaders have not been able to realize this and they do not have the power to do much because of the collaboration that exists between they and the Western leaders.
The Deputy Minister of Gender at the Ministry of Gender, Alice Johnson Howard spoke on the topic: “Engaging Security Agencies on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Africa.”
Madam Howard explained that violence against women and girls, as well as other marginalized groups is a human security issue which is often neglected and constitutes one of the major global threats to women and girl’s security.
“Security institutions or agencies often fall short to addressing such gruesome crime perpetrated particularly on women and girl’s, in many countries such as ours where the culture of violence and oppressive gender roles are prevalence, sexual and gender based violence can be on the increase in the security sector,” she said.
She emphasized that recognizing the waves of violence perpetrated against women and girls and the neglect of their participation in peace building processes, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 on October 31, 2000 and mandated its member states to ensure that women’s full and active participation in the peace process.
“Engaging securities agencies on sexual and gender-based violence is a challenging task but worth achieving , as we all know, the security sector globally is a male dominant sector, how then do we go about to engage security agencies on SGBV that is mantled on 90% of its victims are women and girls,” she said.
She however wants security agencies to approach their mandates to protect civilians for sexual gender based violence holistically, recognizing the risks of primarily armed responses to protection and prioritizing partnerships.
Representing the UL president, Moses Zinnah said the UL and IAGP will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the end of the conference to begin the process of developing curricula.
He added that practically, they will sign the MOU that will be approved by the senate to establish a training program that demand-driven in the areas of Gender, Peace and security.
