By Olimatou Coker
Pursuant to AU’s continued efforts to support member states in the reporting and monitoring of the Women Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in partnership with the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Welfare Monday commences a 5 days training for stakeholders.
The training held at Tamala focuses on monitoring and reporting on the women peace and security agency using the continental results framework.
According to officials, the training will expose participants to the Continental Results Framework of the AU Commission (CRF), a tool adopted by the African Union Peace and Security Council for monitoring and reporting on national progress in promoting the WPS agenda.
Fatou Kinteh, Ministry of Gender Children and Social Welfare, said the training will not only help the country to track the progress and challenges but also to report on time.
“This training demonstrates the KAIPTC’s commitment to promoting peace and welfare of women in the African continent,” she said.
Minister Kinteh added that gender equality and women empowerment have been recognised by the government as a key factor in achieving sustainable national development, peace and prosperity.
The Minister of Defence Sering Modou Njie said the training is not an isolated event but part of a broader commitment by The Gambia to align its peace and security architecture with the principles of inclusivity, human rights, and sustainable development.
“It is also an affirmation of our readiness to work collaboratively with the African Union, the United Nations, and other partners in building resilient societies anchored on gender justice and peace,” he added.
He also urged participants to take full advantage of the opportunity to engage actively, share their experiences, ask questions, and reflect critically on how the tools and knowledge acquired can be contextualised to their day-to-day work.
“Let this workshop be the beginning of a ripple effect, where each of you goes back to your departments, agencies, and communities as champions of the WPS agenda”.
Air CRDE David Anetey Akrong, Acting Commandant KAIPTC, said: “Women peace and security is a topic that holds immense significance for the future of our continent, for the development of our nations, and for the strengthening of our collective security framework.”
He said the National Action Plan (NAP) is not merely a set of strategies and actions; it also represents the commitment of each member state to uphold and implement the goals set out in ensuring gender equality in peace and security across Africa.
“As we probe into the intricacies of reporting and monitoring, remember that our joint efforts are aimed at fashioning a safer, more impartial and equal society for all. Let us reaffirm our commitment to advancing women’s rights and empowerment, as well as instituting a culture of peace, justice, and equality for everyone.”
Evelyn Edroma, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, reaffirmed UNDP’s continued support in localising the Continental Results Framework in The Gambia.
“We will continue providing technical support to align the national action plan with the continental results framework indicators, building national capacity for data collection, analysis, and reporting through targeted training and collaboration,” he added.
