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| Fr Thaddeus Kuusah |
08-03-2013
A Peace advocate, Fr. Thaddeus Kuusah says
one key strategy that ought to be employed in reducing violent conflict is to
advocate for a paradigm shift in our expression and attitudes towards conflict.
He said conflict particularly in Northern Ghana occurs as a result of parties’
inability to settle and respond to their differences. According to him, the
Northern sector is prone to violence because people through unhealthy
tendencies prefer violent confrontations as a means to resolving issues instead
of channelling their grievances to mediation and dialogue. This, he noted gives
cause for conflict to erupt and called for attitudinal change to addressing the
issue especially in areas identified as violent prone . Fr Kuusah who was speaking at a two day
workshop for coalition of women and youth network in peace building touched on
the need for improved women and youth participation in resolving conflict
situations. For him, women are gatekeepers capable of influencing positive
change in society. Furthermore, women as compared to men are considered as
agents of change since children right from infancy adopt and develop positive
and negative character traits from their mothers. He was therefore of the
conviction that if women are given the audience to fully participate on matters
of conflict, there will be a positive change in our quest to reducing the canker, which he
observed has led to the destruction of property and loss of human lives. He moreover,
appealed to the youth in particular to redirect their energies to developing their
God given talents, adding that poverty and unemployment constitute violent
behaviours. Mrs Adishetu Salifu of Women
in Peace Building and Development, an NGO confirmed to Radio Ghana that women
involvement in decision of peace building was vital to resolving conflict both
at the household and community level. She identified early warning signs as one
of the surest ways to reducing conflict and advised women to play a key role in
that regard. According to her it is highly imperative for women to inform their
husbands when they see conflict looming in their localities, explaining that women
and children were the most vulnerable in times of conflict. She said in order
to minimize violent expressions, public attention should be drawn to the fact
that there is no winner in conflict, hence the need for all to refrain from the
act. The formation of the movement she
said was informed by conflict in Northern Ghana often characterised by unnecessary
killing of innocent women and children and also the killing of the Overlord of
Dagbon, which she further noted has over the years develop controversies in
various quarters, thus leading to retaliatory
tendencies among ethnic divides in the trouble area. She recalled how most
married men lost their precious lives compounding the woes of their wives and
children. Mrs Salifu however appealed to all conflicting parties to put heads
together and use non-violence means to resolve their differences instead of
resorting to arms. She stated that conflict as a natural phenomenon would always
emerge, however there was the need to involve women and the youth in addressing
conflict since they are key actors to the promotion of peace in society. The two
workshop funded by the United Nations Joint Programme on Human Security
(UN-HSP) brought together gender
advocates including representatives from the Department of Gender and Social
Protection among other Women Right NGOs. It was held at Bolgatanga and supported
by UNDP and other sister agencies under the theme: ‘Strengthening the Umbrella
of Women and Youth in Peace Building: Key to Human Security, Peace and
Sustainable Development’.
GBC
END
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| Section of dignataries present |
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| Adishetu Salifu of Women in Peace Building Movement |
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