The IGAD Centre of Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (ICEPCVE) organized a three-day workshop in Djibouti from March 15-17, 2022, on enhancing women’s strategic communication capacity with the goal of developing alternative and counter narratives to prevent violent extremism in the Horn of Africa region.
H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of IGAD, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women of Djibouti, Vice President of the National Federation of Women of Djibouti, Head of European Union to Djibouti, the US Ambassador to Djibouti and a representative from the Ethiopian Embassy in Djibouti were in attendance, as were representatives from the Embassies of the United Kingdom, Japan, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Egypt.
In his opening remarks, Executive Secretary H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu praised the center’s efforts and the continued assistance from partners in encouraging and empowering women in IGAD member states, stating that including the voice of women is critical in enhancing peace and security in the region. The Executive Secretary emphasizes the crucial role that women may play in peace building and combating violent extremism, quoting “weapons can kill terrorists; education can kill terrorism.”
The workshop, which brought together women from the IGAD region, acknowledged that bolstering women’s participation is the first step in preventing violent and extremist ideologies in communities. Following that, priority should be given to investments in research and women’s empowerment, notably in leadership and economic empowerment. Participants reached the conclusion that IGAD Member States must work to strengthen existing national and regional counter-terrorism frameworks in order to integrate gender and be positively influenced by women’s experiences.
The Ethiopian Embassy in Djibouti, as well as representatives from the Ethiopian Women’s Federation and the Ethiopian Women’s Empowerment Association, took part in the three-day workshop geared towards enhancing women’s strategic communication capacity.
