Peace Council strengthens women’s role in preventing violent extremism

The National Peace Council (NPC) has strengthened the capacity of 60 women in Kansogo in the Bawku West District to identify, challenge and counter violent extremist narratives as part of efforts to prevent the infiltration of their activities in vulnerable communities. The two-day engagement, which targeted women, particularly young social media users, formed part of the “Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in the Atlantic Corridor” project being funded by the Governments of Denmark and Norway through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The engagement sought to equip the women with skills to support the dissemination of alternative and counter-narrative messages while leveraging their roles as peace agents and trusted messengers within their communities.

Mr Damien Asobayire, the Upper East Regional Executive Secretary of the NPC, said women played a critical role in preventing violent extremism because of their influence within families and communities. He said the Council had identified the need to provide targeted training for women, particularly young women who were active on social media, to enable them to recognise the narratives used by extremists to radicalise and recruit unsuspecting persons. “We have noticed that women play a critical role when it comes to assisting or helping to prevent violent extremism and equipping them with the necessary knowledge is what would enable them to respond appropriately to harmful narratives and promote peaceful messages within their communities,” Mr Asobayire said. Mr David Atualing Angaamba, the Upper East Regional Principal Programme Manager at the National Peace Council, who facilitated a session on conflict analysis and alternative counter narratives, said women had unique experiences and insights…