National peace infrastructure and sustainable development goal 16: a study of the national peace council of Ghana

Abstract

Infrastructure for Peace (I4P) is considered a cost-effective and viable mitigation strategy to deal with the threats of violence to peace and development. This study assessed the contributions of Infrastructures for Peace to the realisation of the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goal 16, with reference to the National Peace Council of Ghana. The study is purely qualitative and uses an exploratory study design. Sixty-two participants were purposefully selected for the study, using expert sampling techniques. The interview guide was one of the instruments used for data collection. The data were analysed using thematic and cross-site analyses. The study found that the NPC promotes peaceful, just, and inclusive societies by working to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts. The NPC has prevented, managed, and resolved several conflicts in Ghana. Among these are chieftaincy and religious conflicts, politically motivated conflicts, and socio-economic related violence. Besides, it has organised several capacity-building workshops and seminars for civil society organisations (CSOs) in pursuit of its mandate to enhance the values of tolerance, diversity, and peaceful coexistence in the country. The main aim of these workshops was to build the capacity of the leaders of these CSOs to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts. Goal 16 of the SDGs, which aims at significantly reducing all forms of violence and promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions, has been enhanced by the NPC. The study concludes that the NPC as an infrastructure for peace plays a critical role in the attainment of the SDGs in the daily lives of Ghanaians. The delivery of the mandate of the NPC by facilitating and developing the mechanisms for conflict prevention, management, and resolution is making significant contributions to realising SDG 16. The study recommends that I4Ps should engage both state and non-state actors to build peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. The study recommends that the state and its agencies should do more to promote inclusiveness and respect for others with varied backgrounds, ethnic origins, faiths, genders, sexual orientations, and opinions by acting as change agents. By working together with state and non-state actors, the NPC can contribute immensely to the integration of the people of Ghana and work against discrimination and prejudice.