KAIPTC, Sweden build capacity on gender-based violence in Benin

A five-day training to equip local actors in West and Central Africa with the skills to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) has been held in Cotonou, Benin. 

The programme was organised by the Women, Youth, Peace and Security Institute of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) with funding from the Sweden International Development Agency (SIDA).

It brought together 29 participants from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), legal practitioners, the media, religious leaders and traditional authorities in the Republic of Benin.

The programme, dubbed, Enhancing the Capacity of Local Actors to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence in Benin, aligns with the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).

It sought to equip facilitators who act as key figures in resolving Gender-Based Violence (GBV) with the knowledge and skills to prevent and respond to GBV, while also raising awareness within local communities and among leaders to combat GBV.

Role of local actors

The training explored the existing legal frameworks such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (DEVAW), while highlighting the critical role of local actors in promoting a culture of peace, equality and respect for all.

Officials of the KAIPTC say the training recognises the growing understanding of the links among poverty, insecurity and GBV, particularly in the context of limited capacity of local actors and low prosecution rates in many communities across the sub-region.

Strong advocacy

Speaking at the opening of the training, the Director of the Women’s Youth Peace and Security Institute (WYPSI) of KAIPTC, Mrs Patience Agyare-Kwabi emphasised the importance of building the capacity of local actors and its importance to the reduction of GBV.

Credit: https://www.graphic.com.gh/

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