Women's empowerment must remain central to security agenda — Vice-President

The Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for women empowerment to remain central to Ghana’s peace, disarmament and national security agenda, saying inclusive leadership strengthens communities and promotes sustainable peace.  

“When women participate meaningfully in leadership and decision-making, nations become more inclusive, stable and responsive,” she added.

The Vice-President made the remarks in a keynote address delivered on her behalf by Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, at the Women and Girls Empowerment Seminar held to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament in Accra.

The seminar was organised on the theme: “Women and Girls as Active Agents of Peace and Disarmament: From Awareness to Action for a Peaceful and Gun-Violence-Free Ghana.”

It brought together participants from faith-based organisations, traditional authorities, market associations, educational institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies, government institutions and development partners to discuss strategies to promote peace, prevent gun violence and strengthen community participation in disarmament efforts. 
 

Practical knowledge

The programme sought to equip women and girls with practical knowledge and tools to actively contribute to peacebuilding, violence prevention and disarmament efforts in Ghana, while strengthening collaboration within the national peace and security framework.

The Vice-President said sustainable peace could not be achieved through enforcement measures alone, nor could it be attained when women remained excluded from shaping peace and security structures.

“For generations, women across Ghana and Africa have served as silent architects of peace within families, communities and nations,” she stated.

She said that despite their contributions in mediating conflicts, preserving social cohesion and sustaining communities during periods of hardship, women remained underrepresented in formal peacebuilding and disarmament structures. 
 

Stability

The Minister for the Interior, Mr Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, in a statement read on his behalf, said the spread of illicit small arms continued to threaten peace and democratic stability across West Africa and in Ghana.

He warned that a single illicit firearm in the wrong hands could destroy lives, fracture communities and derail years of development.

The Interior Minister said women and girls often bore the heaviest burden of gun-related violence but also remained among the most effective agents of peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

He cited the roles of queen mothers, teachers, mothers and young women in mediating disputes and promoting tolerance within communities.

-GNA