Women, Peace & Security
The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) is introducing a Master of Arts in Gender, Peace and Security programme, which was inaugurated in June 1, 2012.
The programme provides a framework for research and reflection on conflict, peace and security in the African context, bringing to the fore the gender dimensions and effects.
The course aims to equip students to better understand and contribute to the management of current and emerging peace and security challenges from a gender perspective.
The entry requirement for this course is a good first (2nd Class Lower or above) or its equivalent in any discipline from a recognized university. Good comprehension of oral and written English is required. Previous working experience on gender-related issues, as well as in a peace and security environment, is an advantage for admission.
According to Mr Ebenezer Anum Tetteh, Head of Public Relations of the centre, the specific objectives of the course were to ensure participants achieve the highest professional standards in Gender, Peace and Security, Conflict Prevention, Resolution and Management, Mediation, Peace Brokering and Security Management.
He said it was to equip graduates with specialized knowledge and skills to play a meaningful role in the management and professional leadership of multi-dimensional peace support operations, the Public Service, National Security institutions, civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations.
Also, it is to meet the demands and aspirations for continuing education of staff members of public and private sector organizations involved in conflict, peace and security issues.
Mr Tetteh said the course was to prepare interested individuals for a career in peace and security; empower women to attain higher positions in international organizations and security institutions; empower graduates to lead and manage change as peace and security advocates, community workers as peace mediators and negotiators and develop thoughtful practitioners who understood and applied an interdisciplinary approach to mainstreaming gender in the processes of conflict prevention, peace-building and security.
The course is open to applicants from all over Africa and the world, but females are especially encouraged to apply for courses in theories and concepts of Gender, among other things.
The KAIPTC is a centre of excellence for the delivery of high-quality research and training support in conflict prevention, management and peace-building.
The centre was granted institutional accreditation in April 2011 by the National Accreditation Board (NAB) to run postgraduate courses. KAIPTC is affiliated with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) as a mentor institution. KAIPTC piloted its first Master of Arts programme in Conflict, Peace and Security in May 2011.
The Master of Arts in Gender, Peace and Security is part of the Gender, Peace and Security is part of the Gender Academic Programmes (GAP) being introduced by the centre. Other courses include the Certificate and Diploma in Gender, Peace and Security, which will commence in September 2012 and 2013 respectively.
The certificate course will open doors formal training in peace and security for women at the grass roots level, who have basic or limited formal education and are working at the grass roots level, who have basic or limited formal education and are working at the forefront of conflict mediation and other peacemaking activities.
The Diploma course is yet to be accredited and will provide the opportunity for women and men who are working in the peace and security sector but without the qualifications for Masters’ programme, to develop their theoretical grounding and analytical skills on issues of peace and security.
GAP was established through the Women, Peace and Security through the Women, Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), a two year project to set up a Women, Peace and Security Institute in Africa.
The Initiative was in response to recommendations set out in United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 (and its follow-up resolutions on women, peace and security). UNSCR 1325 calls for an increase in the formal roles that women play (especially in leadership) in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.
It also addresses the special needs and problems faced by women and girls in conflict and post-conflict societies, especially due to rape and other forms of gender-based violence.
The project is funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the government of Norway and the government of the Netherlands.
