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 that could make significant contributions to peacebuilding.

According to him, women were central caretakers of families in many cultures and could leverage their positions to identify and counter violent and harmful narratives before they gained influence in communities.

“Women and men have different experiences of violence and peace, and they must be allowed and encouraged to bring in their unique insights and gifts to the process of peacebuilding. Women can contribute to peacebuilding as victims, perpetrators, community peacemakers and targets of gender-based violence, among other roles, and therefore need to be actively included in efforts to prevent violent extremism,” he stated.

Participants expressed appreciation to the NPC, UNDP and the Governments of Denmark and Norway for equipping them with practical knowledge to help safeguard their communities.

Ms Gloria Ndeogo, a participant, said the training had helped her understand how extremist groups could use social media to influence and recruit young people.

“We have learnt how to identify dangerous messages and respond to them without spreading the same narratives we are trying to prevent. We will take this knowledge back to our families and communities. So, from the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank the Peace Council and its donors for the support,” she stated.

Ms Martha Abugri, another participant, said the training had demonstrated that women had an important voice in promoting peace and preventing violent extremism.

“This training has shown us that women have a voice and a responsibility in protecting our communities, and so, with this training, we are better prepared to speak against violent narratives and promote messages that unite rather than divide us,” she said.