Calling an end to the silence of women

A programme has been designed to involve and encourage women in key positions, (chief executives) to share their experiences on a variety of national issues.
This is because women in these positions have been identified as potential partners for gender advocacy whose rich experiences and expertise have largely been untapped.
Two gender advocacy organizations, Women In Broadcasting, (WIB) and ABANTU for Development are the frontrunners of the campaign. The first in a series of dialogues for 2005, under the theme, “Engendering Peace and Security Issues and Processes in Ghana has been held in Accra.
Participants included women in top positions in the various security institutions, such as the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service, (CEPS), Ghana Immigration and Prison Services, Ghana Police Service and Ghana National Fire Service. Others were media executives and individual entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the dialogue, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Administration, Mrs. Elizabeth Mills Robertson, noted that there is a general lack of security worldwide in the face of threats of war and civil strife, turmoil, natural and man-made disaster.
“It is an indication that man has driven himself to the doldrums of insecurity and fear, and if the right steps are not taken the only legacy we might leave for the future generation will be chaos and anarchy”.
She said Ghana stands out in the West Africa sub-region due to its ability to contain internal conflict, therefore any move to maintain peace and security is laudable.
Mrs. Robertson explained that the 1992 constitution provides for fundamental human rights and freedom and that should be the focal point of any discussion on security.
“The likelihood that peoples’ rights and freedoms would be trampled upon is high. To forestall this, there is the need for sustained education of the masses of our people”.
In this regard, the Deputy IGP called for the need to strengthen the National Commission for Civic Education, (NCCE) to be able to perform its role effectively.
She said the various security agencies, particularly the Ghana Police Service have essential roles to play, saying that the service must adhere to democratic policing principles such as the rule of law, for it to be relevant in a state that so committed to nurturing democracy.
“The police service that is responsible for internal security, need to use its powers according to the rule of law and not in whims and caprices of rulers”. She said the ratio of gender in the security services that had a culture of male domination has improved as a result of women activism and affirmative action.
“There is evidence of gender mainstreaming as both sexes are placed on the same pedestal, but there is still more room for improvement”.
During open forum, participants called for the need to improve police-community relations. They argued that the few women who make strides should be given the necessary recognition.