By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bachonsa (U/E), Sept. 17, GNA – A total of 60 women, drawn from various sections of the Bachonsa community in the Builsa South District, have been equipped with skills to identify and counter violent extremist narratives, online deception and other harmful messages.
The two-day engagement targeted young women who have influence within their families and communities, with a strong presence on digital social media platforms.
The engagement formed part of the “Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in the Atlantic Corridor” project, being implemented by the National Peace Council and funded by the Governments of Denmark and Norway through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Mr Damien Asobayire, the Upper East Regional Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council (NPC), said women played a critical role in society because of their influence in families and communities and, therefore, needed to be equipped to take a frontline role in the fight against violent extremism.
“This training is to strengthen their capacity to use their positions and influence as peace agents and trusted messengers to prevent harmful narratives from gaining influence within their communities and promote peace,” he said.
He said equipping them with the necessary knowledge would enable them to respond appropriately to harmful narratives and promote peaceful messages within their communities.
Mr David Atualing Angaamba, Upper East Regional Principal Programme Manager at the National Peace Council, who facilitated a session on conflict analysis and alternative counter-narratives, said women possessed unique experiences and insights that could contribute significantly to peacebuilding.
“Women are both victims and perpetrators of conflict, and this gives them a unique experience of violence and peace, so it is important that they are allowed to bring their unique insights and experiences to the process of peacebuilding in our communities,” he stated.
Mr Angaamba said women could contribute to peacebuilding in different capacities, including as victims, perpetrators, community peacemakers and targets of gender-based violence, and therefore needed to be actively included in efforts to prevent violent extremism.
Ms Awombadek Avelimkpei, a participant, said the session on conflict analysis had helped her understand some of the causes and triggers of conflict and how individual behaviour could contribute to tensions.
She said the knowledge gained had encouraged her to manage her anger better as a personal contribution to preventing conflicts in her community.
Ms Mama Abaginaba, another shared her experience of online deception, narrating that a faceless person had used the image of Dr Clement Apaak, the Member of Parliament for Builsa South, to contact her under the pretext of helping her secure a job.
She said the experience had made her more conscious of the dangers of online deception, particularly fake job opportunities and mobile money-related fraud.
She also raised concerns about deceptive recruitment and job-related schemes associated with dubious organizations, saying such online activities could expose unsuspecting people to not only financial losses but also extremists’ activities.
The participants pledged to apply the knowledge acquired to promote peaceful communication, challenge harmful narratives and help protect vulnerable persons from online manipulation and other threats to community peace.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Email: [email protected]