日内瓦安全部门治理中心-加纳武装部队报告2020（英文）-2021.4-84页_2mb

Summary of the MOWIP Report on the Ghana Armed Forces (2020)

Core Content

The MOWIP (Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations) report for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) assesses the institution's capacity to deploy women and ensure their meaningful participation in United Nations (UN) peace operations. It evaluates ten key issue areas that influence women's involvement in peace operations, using three data collection tools: a Fact-Finding Form (FFF), key decision-maker interviews, and a survey. The assessment was conducted by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) from September 2019 to February 2020.

Main Points

Top Good Practices

• Preparation and Training: GAF personnel, both women and men, report being well-prepared for peace operations. Cross-training is provided, and pre-deployment training is delivered by the GAF, with specialized training offered by KAIPTC for military observers and staff officers.
• Support for Deployment: Vacations and holidays during UN deployments are subsidized for formed troops, indicating institutional support.
• High Esteem for Peace Operations: Peace operations are highly regarded in Ghana, contributing to national prestige and regional stability.
• Women's Representation: Ghana is among the top 10 troop and police-contributing countries (TPCCs) with the highest proportion of women deployed (15% on average) and has a 15% recruitment quota for women in the Armed Forces.
• Promotion of Women: In 2016, the first woman was promoted to Brigadier General, and currently, two women hold this rank.

Top Barriers

• Eligible Pool: Limited number of qualified female personnel available for deployment.
• Gender Roles: Traditional gender roles and expectations within the military may hinder women's participation in certain roles.
• Social Exclusion: Cultural and societal norms may exclude women from certain positions or missions.

Key Issue Areas

1. Eligible Pool: The availability of qualified female personnel is a significant factor in determining the number of women deployed.
2. Deployment Criteria: Criteria for deployment may not always be inclusive of women's capabilities.
3. Deployment Selection: The process for selecting women for deployment is influenced by institutional and cultural factors.
4. Household Constraints: Family-related issues, such as childcare and domestic responsibilities, may affect women's ability to deploy.
5. Peace Operations Infrastructure: The readiness and capability of the institution to support women in peace operations.
6. Peace Operations Experiences: The experiences of women in peace operations and their perception of the environment.
7. Career Value: The perceived value of peace operations for women's careers within the GAF.
8. Top-down Leadership: Leadership attitudes and policies significantly influence women's participation.
9. Gender Roles: Sociocultural expectations around gender roles in the military.
10. Social Exclusion: Structural and cultural barriers that prevent women from being included in certain roles or missions.

Recommendations

The report highlights the need for the GAF to:

• Ensure the needs of uniformed women are met in terms of deployment and support.
• Improve access to rights, benefits, and resources for women in all stages of peace operations.
• Promote equitable participation of women in decision-making and planning processes.
• Allocate resources to create inclusive work environments.
• Measure the impact of women's participation on peace operations.

Contextualization

Ghana is a major TPCC with a strong commitment to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. The GAF has been actively involved in numerous UN and regional peace operations, including MINURSO, MINUSCA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, UNAMID, UNDOF, UNFICYP, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMHA, UNMISS, UNOWAS, and the UN Support Office in Somalia. Despite these contributions, there is no specific policy targeting the number, roles, or types of operations for women, and their deployment is largely influenced by the mandate of the mission and the availability of qualified personnel.

Acknowledgements

The report was developed with the support of the GAF, KAIPTC, and DCAF, with contributions from Cornell University and the Elsie Initiative assessment team. It was funded by Global Affairs Canada and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the institutions involved.

Conclusion

The GAF has the potential to further enhance the meaningful participation of women in peace operations by leveraging its existing good practices and addressing institutional and cultural barriers. As a respected TPCC, it can serve as a model for other countries in the region and beyond.