The Gambia hosted a regional programme on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), in July 2025. The five-day training programme was designed to strengthen monitoring and reporting on the agenda across Africa.
The KAIPTC-led training, organised in partnership with The Gambia’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare and with funding support from the Government of Sweden through SIDA, brought together national focal points and institutional representatives. Participants were trained to apply the African Union’s Continental Results Framework (CRF)—the main tool adopted by the AU Peace and Security Council in 2018 to close the gap between commitments and implementation of the WPS Agenda.
Facilitated by KAIPTC’s Women, Youth, Peace and Security Institute (WYPSI), the programme adopted a trainer-of-trainers approach, equipping attendees to replicate lessons in their ministries, departments, and agencies. The sessions also provided practical skills in applying CRF indicators, preparing progress reports on UNSCR 1325, and identifying challenges to effective WPS delivery.
At the opening ceremony, Air Commodore David Akrong, Acting Commandant of KAIPTC, underscored the importance of the training, stating that
“WPS focal persons are central to driving gender equality and inclusive peacebuilding across our continent. This course will enhance their ability to track and report progress, which is crucial for building peaceful and resilient societies,” he said.
Hon. Fatou Kinteh, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, welcomed the training programme, highlighting progress made in The Gambia’s implementation of the WPS Agenda but noting persistent challenges. “Patriarchal norms, limited resources, and the underrepresentation of women in decision-making continue to slow progress. This training will help harmonise data collection and improve reporting across the region,” she stressed.
Echoing the urgency of the agenda, Hon. Serign Njie, Minister for Defence, The Gambia, pointed to the disproportionate impact of security threats on women and girls. “From violent extremism to climate displacement, women are at the frontline of vulnerabilities but also at the forefront of peacebuilding. Without strong monitoring mechanisms, policies risk being rhetorical instead of transformational,” he said.
Dignitaries including Mrs. Miatta Lilly French, ECOWAS Country Representative, and Madam Evelyn Edromah, Deputy Resident Coordinator of the UNDP, encouraged participants to apply the lessons to strengthen national systems and advance gender-responsive peacebuilding.
The training drew participants from diverse institutions, including the National Assembly, Gambia Police, Red Cross, Immigration Department, University of The Gambia, Ministry of Justice, National Youth Council, WANEP, ROAJELF, and the African Commission for Human Rights and Security, among others.