By Alberta Asanewa Dwirah.
The Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Serwaa Danquah, has urged the public, particularly market women, to embrace ADR as a faster, more affordable, and peaceful means of resolving disputes. She made these remarks during a public awareness programme on ADR for traders at the Achimota Market in Accra.
Madam Danquah highlighted the pivotal role of women in society, noting that their influence in homes, churches, groups, marketplaces, and the community makes it essential to educate them on ADR. “When women lead a movement, it goes far. Women nurture children, support men and are greater in number in Ghana. In our homes and churches, women’s groups outnumber men and women have the patience to explain and teach. That’s why we are focusing on women,” she said.
The Non-Profit Organization, Women and ADR, dedicated to promoting ADR among women, has intensified efforts to raise awareness about its benefits in resolving everyday disputes. The initiative aims to equip women with knowledge on how ADR can prevent minor conflicts from escalating into court or police cases. This effort is part of a broader nationwide campaign to introduce more women, particularly market women, to ADR as a practical, accessible, cost- and time-efficient, effective, and peaceful dispute-resolution option.
At the event, Madam Danquah explained that the programme collaborates with community leaders, Queen Mothers, and market associations to strengthen local structures to amicably resolve disputes. “We involve community leaders, so they can identify issues suitable for ADR and refer them appropriately,” she said.
An ADR Mediator, Asana Mohammed, clarified that mediators serve strictly as facilitators, guiding parties in disputes to find solutions to their own problems rather than imposing decisions or solutions. She noted that while ADR does not handle criminal cases such as assault or sexual offenses, it is crucial for managing emotional and interpersonal disputes that the courts do not have time to address. “It is difficult, because we are dealing with emotional issues and the Court is not concerned with that,” she explained. “But for us, emotional issues require attention. We resolve matters in a way that better serves everyone involved,” she added.
Madam Asana emphasized that ADR is voluntary; unlike court-referred and litigation cases, private mediations depend entirely on the willingness of participants to engage. “If the parties don’t agree to participate, you cannot force them,” she stated.
Queen Mother of Achimota, Yoomonaa Ayikailey Addjorbo, encouraged all market women to put the lessons learned into practice.
Dr. Irene Nartey, President and Patron of Women and ADR, said the Association is working to establish ADR mediation centres in markets and has already trained some market women to help resolve disputes that occur at the market. “We plan to establish an office at the market to assist with cases and train individuals who will, in turn, help market women resolve their disputes,” she said.
Several market women expressed gratitude for the knowledge acquired during the programme, which had the theme, “The ADR Advantage: Educating Women on the Use and Benefits of ADR in Conflict Resolution.”
