Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have celebrated the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) with a splendid Female Parade and a symposium to acknowledge the efforts of women, and rededicate the institution to effective and meaningful gender mainstreaming, so as to create a fair and equitable working environment for all.
GAF commemorated the occasion on Wednesday March 8, 2023, at the Burma Hall, Burma Camp, Accra, with its Chief of Staff (COS) – Major General (Maj Gen) Nicholas Peter Andoh, as the Guest-of-Honour, and the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana – Madam Martine Moreau as Special Guest, under the theme “Enhancing Ghana Armed Forces’ Innovative Gender Equity Strides For An Inclusive Force”.
The COS traced historic female trends in GAF for the past 65 years, stating that the first female Officer was enlisted in 1958, by 1962, the first set of 12 female Soldiers were recruited, whiles the Air Force trained its first female pilot by 1963, in the ECOWAS sub-region.
Touting some inroads made by GAF in gender mainstreaming towards an inclusive force, Maj Gen Andoh cited GAF as the first military in the world to have undertaken the Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operation (MOWIP) assessment and published results online within three years.
MOWIP is a ground-breaking methodology developed through the Elsie Initiative, to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing military and police women, in deploying to United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions.
Through the Elsie Initiative Fund (by the Canadian Government), GAF is undertaking a number of projects, such as a media campaign to engage potential female cadets and recruits, and the construction of a 300-bed capacity accommodation for female recruits at the Army recruit training centres at Shai-Hills (200-bed) and Daboya Training Camp (100-bed), to enhance effective female roles.
GAF is developing the following through a bilateral technical assistance and a training partnership with Canada: 1) a comprehensive Gender Policy, 2) gender training packages for all training schools, 3) online courses for Gender Advisors and Gender Focal Persons and, 4) Garrison Tours to all GAF garrisons, to sensitize personnel on gender-mainstreaming.
Ghana’s military has also appointed its first ever Gender Policy Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff, and other Gender Advisors to all Services, Formations, Commands and Units.
Some other high offices held by GAF female personnel include the first female General – the late Maj Gen Constance Emefa Edjeani Afenu (God bless her soul), who passed after serving as the Deputy Force Commander, United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
Others include Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Felicia Twum Barimah – Defence Advisor, Ghana Embassy, la Cote d’Ivoire; Brig Gen Anita Asmah – Deputy Force Commander, United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF); Commodore (Cdre) Faustina Anokye – Deputy Force Commander, MINURSO; Group Captain (Gp Capt) Sophia Adjo Jiagge – first female to rise beyond Squadron Leader position in the Air Force.
Additional appointments include Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Edna Antwi – Commanding Officer (CO), School of Ordnance; Lt Col Justina Frimpong – CO, Defence Mechanical Transport Battalion (Def MT Bn); Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cdr) Priscilla Ami Dogbeda Dzokoto – CO, Ghana Navy Ship ANKOBRA, Drill Sergeant Major – Senior Warrant Officer Class 2 (SWOII) Patience Logah, amongst many.
Her Excellency (HE) Moreau expressed Canada’s commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in all aspects of society, including the defence and security sector, for which reason her country launched the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations, an initiative that aims to increase the meaningful participation of military and police women in UN peace operations.
She defined ‘meaningful participation’ as within the armed forces and in peacekeeping missions, women to be represented across All Ranks and functions, including senior ranks and senior leadership positions, providing same access and opportunity as their male colleagues, and that these operating environments be free of gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment.
She extolled GAF for being an innovative, action-oriented and a committed-to-gender-mainstreaming military, being one of the world’s largest contributor of women peacekeeping, consistently exceeding the targets of the UN’s Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy.
In a Goodwill Message, Maj Gen Richard Addo Gyane – Commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) remarked; “As we mark this important day, it is noteworthy to acknowledge that the world has made significant strides in the participation of women in peacekeeping missions over the period. Data from the United Nations indicates that in 1993, women made up 1 per cent of deployed uniformed personnel.”
“In 2022, the UN was targeting 9% female deployment among the uniformed contingents for its peacekeeping missions. Ghana as the 7th highest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions deployed 14.2 percent women in 2022, thus exceeded the UN’s set target for the year.
This notwithstanding, there remain structural and traditional barriers that hinder the full participation of women within GAF as well as peacekeeping missions. These barriers such as gender roles, social exclusion and infrastructural deficits are likely to gradually erode the gains made if not duly addressed.
Women continue to play an instrumental role in the development of our nation and remain core to achieving sustainable peace and security. As we celebrate International Women’s Day today, and reflect on GAFs gender equity strides, may our discussions urge us on our commitment to achieve equal opportunities for our women and men in GAF.
We at the KAIPTC celebrate the successes, joy, and resilience of women all over the world. We will continue to collaborate for the promotion of development and meaningful participation of African women in all peace processes”, General Addo Gyane concludes.
The Gender Adviser to GAF’s Chief of the Defence Staff – Naval Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, presenting a welcome address, stated that IWD hinges on Gender Mainstreaming, which basically requires that consideration be given to the needs of both males and females in all activities; operations, administration, and logistics.
She said Ghana’s Military High Command has made progress in gender mainstreaming, equality and equity, especially in the recruitment/enlistment, as well as retention of women in GAF. Females are now posted into teeth arms, which hitherto was the preserve of men, and are now allowed to participate in several courses including Young Officers, Combat Team Commanders’, Fleet Boards and Sergeant Major Courses among others.
On Peacekeeping, GAF presents about 15% of women in all UN Peacekeeping missions which is above the UN mandatory 10% for contingents. GAF also deploys female engagement Platoons and currently has deployed 20% of female on UN Mission in Lebanon – the highest in the world.
On gender issues, GAF is supported by the KAIPTC Women Peace and Security Institute (WPSI), Global Affairs Canada, the Elsie Initiative, and the Canadian High Commission.
The global theme for the 2023 IWD celebration is “DigitAll: Innovation and technology for gender equality”.
