Nii Martey M. Botchway
Accra, Sept 11, GNA – The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), has launched a policy document on the code of practice for women in the maritime domain.
Dubbed “Code of Practice for Women, Peace, and Security Practitioners in Maritime Governance and Security in West and Central Africa,” the document seeks to ensure the welfare and advancement of women in the maritime domain.
It covers issues such as gender equality and empowerment, equal participation, human rights and dignity, diversity and inclusion, conflict sensitivity, local ownership and sustainability, and cultural sensitivity, among others.
Launching the document, Mr. Tom Norring, the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, said it provides a framework to address policy gaps and advance gender equality, peace, and security within the maritime sector.
He said the recognition that maritime security was not solely a male dominated issue, was central to the development of the document, which involved both regional and national maritime security actors.
“It is a human issue, and women’s participation is essential,” he said.
Mr. Norring noted that research conducted by the KAIPTC under the ongoing Danish Maritime Security Programme has revealed key insights into the impact of maritime crimes on women’s Livelihoods.
He said, the research also underscored the various roles women currently played and could further play in the maritime domain.
Mr. Norring reiterated the Danish government’s commitment to integrating women’s perspectives into maritime security policies and ensure that gender responsive policies became standard across the Gulf of Guinea.
Maj. Gen. Richard Addo Gyane, the Commandant of the Centre, said the document also produces a model policy statement on women practitioners in the maritime security environment, which could be used by maritime security organisations.
“When used effectively, the document will make a difference in the experiences of women practitioners in all areas of work in the maritime security domain,” he said.
The document, which is published in English, and translated in French, is a product of an inter-regional maritime security project supported by the government of Denmark for coastal West and Central African States.
It outlines an elaborate dissemination phase that will take place in seven strategic West and Central African states, including Ghana, Cameroun, Congo Brazzaville, Nigeria, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Senegal, where a combination of bilateral engagements with policy makers, seminars and media outreach would drive the sensitization of stakeholders in each of the seven states.
GNA