The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD) in collaboration with The Institute for Development Studies (IDS) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and the University for Development Studies in Northern Ghana, initiated a series of a three-year modular training courses for female Traditional Women Leaders in Southern and Northern Ghana. The course is part of the capacity building efforts by CIKOD and the Universities for the Traditional leaders as active partners in facilitating development in their respective areas.

Two sets of this 3-year modular training courses have been organized; the first set which begun in 2005 ended in 2007, the second set started in 2008 and ended in 2010, this third set which starts in 2015 is scheduled to end in 2017. The first in the series of the three thematic courses is focused on Local Governance while the second and the third is focused on leadership; conflict management and gender and Natural Resource Management respectively.

The objectives of the training course are to:

1.Facilitate a discussion of the relationship between the traditional governance system and the formal local governance (decentralised) system in Ghana

2.Identify the role of Queens in the decentralisation system in Ghana as active stakeholders

3.Strengthen the awareness of the Queens in utilising traditional and modern conflict resolution mechanisms and governance for local level development.

The course participants were:

•Queenmothers from some Traditional Counsels

•Divisional Queenmothers drawn from within the 49 Traditional Councils in the Brong Ahafo Region.

•10 District Gender Officers drawn from the respective districts where the Queen mothers are coming from

The topics discussed include:

1.Traditional Governance systems and the role of Queens

2.Ghana’s Decentralisation System and Practice

3.Relationship between Queens and Assemblies

4.Traditional and modern conflict resolution mechanisms and governance

5.Action Plans Preparation and Implementation Strategy