LocationsPeace, Security & Governance
Enhancing Social Cohesion and Social Contract Through Empowerment of Women and Youth in Three Northern Regions of Ghana
Project Summary
Ghana remains one of West Africa's most resilient democracies, but its northern regions face a convergence of vulnerabilities that threaten peace and social cohesion. Porous borders, inadequate security sector capacity, uneven development, and the potential spillover of violent extremism from neighbouring countries — compounded by climate change impacts, natural resource conflicts, inter-generational tensions, and political vigilantism — create fertile conditions for radicalisation. Women and youth bear a disproportionate share of these vulnerabilities, further deepened by COVID-19 and the influence of transnational organised crime. Drawing on findings from UNDP's 2023 Vulnerability Assessment in the five northern regions, this project delivers a targeted borderlands intervention that strengthens governance and peacebuilding structures, fosters improved relations between communities and security forces, and addresses the underlying drivers of radicalisation to violent extremism in Northern Ghana.
Objectives
The project seeks to prevent and address the root causes of localised and spillover conflicts and vulnerabilities to violent extremism in Northern Ghana. It aims to empower women and youth to be resilient and actively engage in peacebuilding and conflict prevention, promote social cohesion, strengthen local governance institutions and customary governance structures for more inclusive and accountable service delivery, and foster collaboration between local governments and traditional authorities to improve the economic resilience and productive capacities of women.
Gender Empowerment
Gender empowerment is a central and cross-cutting pillar of the project. The project deploys gender-sensitive tools and resources to ensure the equal participation of women in decision-making processes, actively engages women and young people to address vulnerabilities to all forms of sexual exploitation, and builds strategic partnerships to deepen women's economic resilience and productive capacities. Women's participation in peacebuilding, local governance, and economic development is one of the project's three core expected outcomes.
Strengthening Peace from the Ground Up in Northern Ghana
The project uses a phased and targeted approach that strengthens local governance structures through training, gender-sensitive tools, and accountability mechanisms. It deepens trust between state and non-state actors through joint campaigns and early warning systems, and builds the capacities of local governments and customary governance systems to deliver peacebuilding and social services. By placing women and youth at the centre of conflict prevention and governance processes, the project creates the inclusive foundations necessary for sustainable peace in Ghana's most vulnerable border communities.
Expected Results
- Localised, emerging, and spillover conflicts, vigilantism, and vulnerabilities to violent extremism in Northern Ghana reduced for sustainable peace.
- The participation of women, youth, and civil actors in decision-making and local governance initiatives increased to enhance inclusive development.
- Capacities of local government and customary governance systems in project locations improved to provide peacebuilding and social services that reduce identified vulnerabilities and drivers of conflict.
