A two-day international conference on Mainstreaming Gender in the Security Sector in West Africa commences at the University of Liberia today, March 30 -31, 2023.
The Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi will serve as Guest Speaker at the conference that is jointly sponsored by the University of Liberia and the International Academy for Gender and Peace of Abuja, Nigeria.
The conference, which will be officially opened by the Minister of Justice and Chairperson of the Joint Security in Liberia, Musa Dean bringing together an array of participants from the security sector, civil society, the international community, and institutions of higher learning.
The West African Conference will provide opportunities to deliberate, share experiences and recommend practical actions for advancing women’s participation in peace processes.
The conference will also offer the opportunity to assess the progress made by military and para-military Agencies in ECOWAS states in delivering existing commitments using the Continental Results Framework.
According to the Chairperson Planning Committee, Weade Kobbah-Boley, over 20 years ago, the United Nations Security Sector adopted Resolution 1325 calling for the increased participation of women in Conflict prevention, resolution, and post-conflict construction.
The conference is expected to strengthen relations between male and female personnel in the military and paramilitary agencies in securing critical infrastructure in ECOWAS member States and evaluate the delivery of existing gender, peace, and security strategies across member states.
Forging new Civil-Military relations for Security Sector Reforms in Africa, Gender Inclusion in Peace Building and Reconciliation in Post Conflict Societies in Africa, Women Peace and Security in Africa, and United Nations Resolution 1325 and the security sector in Africa are among presentations at the conference.
During the Conference, the president of the University of Liberia, Julius Nelson, and the Vice Chancellor of the International Academy for Gender and Peace, Frederick Terhemba Tyoor will launch a Master of Science Program in Gender and Peace Studies at the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation, at the University of Liberia.
The two institutions will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding for faculty collaboration, student exchange, and exchange for research studies while key personalities will be inducted as fellows into the International Academy of Gender and Peace Studies.
