The Women’s Situation Room, Ghana has expressed deep concern over reports of election violence in the Tolon Constituency, where one person has allegedly been shot and several gunshots have been heard. The situation has led to the blocking of a part of the Tamale Tolon road, causing widespread worry among the electorate.
According to Naa Kotei Tsoo, Eminent Woman of the Women Situation Room, “We are very concerned about the reports coming from our domestic election observers in Nyan Kwala in the Tolon Constituency. We call on the immediate intervention of the security agencies to protect lives and sanctity of the electoral process.” The Women’s Situation Room is a consortium of women groups and networks aimed at promoting peaceful elections.
The initiative is a partnership with Angie Brooks International Center for Women Empowerment and the National Peace Council and supported by AWDF and Kofi Annan International peacekeeping Center. In a related development, the National Peace Council (NPC) had earlier organized a consultative dialogue meeting for stakeholders in the Tolon District to promote peace ahead of the elections.
The Women’s Situation Room has deployed 167 observers in seven regions across the country to monitor the elections and promote peace. The Situation Room is a women-led peacebuilding mechanism that seeks to incorporate women and young people who have traditionally been excluded from politics.
The Women’s Situation Room and other stakeholders are working tirelessly to promote peace and ensure that the electoral process is free and fair.
In Ghana, women’s representation in politics is severely underperforming, with only 10.9% of seats in the Ghanaian parliament held by women. The Women’s Situation Room is an innovative approach to addressing this issue, by empowering women and youths to ensure peace before, during, and after elections.
