Women and ADR, a civil society network promoting the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) among women, will tomorrow, Friday, November 21, hold its next public sensitisation campaign at Achimota as part of efforts to deepen public understanding and adoption of ADR in Ghana.
The outreach, expected to draw market women, community groups and local leaders, will be held under the theme “The ADR Advantage: Educating Women in the Use and Benefits of ADR in Conflict Resolution.”
It forms part of an ongoing nationwide effort to introduce more women to ADR as a practical, accessible and peaceful method for handling everyday disputes.
According to the group, ADR has become an integral part of the country’s legal and judicial framework, offering a flexible, confidential and faster means of resolving conflicts.
The objective of the programme is to help women understand the advantages of adopting ADR so that minor conflicts do not escalate to the police or courts.
The Achimota event will feature the Greater Accra Regional Coordinator for ADR at the Judicial Service, Mrs. Serwaa Danquah; the President of Women and ADR, Dr. Irene Nartey; ADR practitioner Nancy Aboagye; gender and development consultant Marian Tackie; and counsellor and mediator Innocential Dumedah among others.
According to Mrs. Danquah, although the campaign highlights women, ADR is for everyone. Women are being positioned as key advocates, she said, because “when women carry the message, it goes further.” She stressed that the initiative encourages women to lead public sensitisation, ultimately bringing more men and families into the ADR system.
She said the group is keen on promoting ADR among women because of the immense benefits that ADR, particularly mediation provides in ensuring an amicable resolution of disputes in an expeditious, confidential and less expensive manner, while ensuring preservation of relationships.
The organisers believe that market women are central to the campaign because they are among the most vulnerable in conflict situations, citing rent issues, land disputes, marital misunderstandings and child-maintenance matters, as topical points in the outreach.
