Preparing for Peace, Security and Resilience in West Africa – HAWA V
West Africa is facing major challenges: increasing insecurity, violent conflicts, displacement, and the tangible impacts of the climate crisis threaten the daily lives of millions of people. Addressing these interlinked crises requires integrated efforts that go beyond short-term relief, aligning humanitarian action with long-term development initiatives and peacebuilding to strengthen human security, build resilience, and tackle the root causes of vulnerability in a coherent and sustainable manner. Yet, coordination, preparedness, and long-term approaches are often lacking.
This is exactly where the programme “Preparedness for Humanitarian Assistance and Peacebuilding in West Africa (HAWA V)” comes in.
Effective response – before crises escalate
HAWA V strengthens humanitarian and peacebuilding actors in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire, enabling them to respond to crises in a more prepared, coordinated, and effective manner. The programme aims to ensure that emergency and disaster response is gender-responsive, conflict- and climate-sensitive, while simultaneously promoting conflict resolution mechanisms.
A strong international partnership network
The programme is organised as a consortium comprising the Austrian Centre for Peace (ACP), the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), and CARE Austria. It is is jointly implemented in close cooperation with CARE International Ghana. In this way, HAWA V combines international expertise with local knowledge and regional experience. The programme is funded by the Austrian Development Agency within the framework of International Partnerships Austria and supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence (BMLV).
Our Vision
The goal of the project is for humanitarian actors and their organisations in West Africa to implement improved, gender-responsive, climate- and conflict-sensitive approaches to disaster preparedness, emergency relief, and ecological peacebuilding—sustainably, in a coordinated manner, and with lasting impact.
To make this vision a reality, we focus on:
Strengthening competencies and capacities of all actors involved including state institutions, civil society organisations, NGOs, and security forces to enable humanitarian and effective crisis response
Cross-border cooperation to develop joint solutions to disaster, environmental, and security risks
Supporting the empowerment of women and youth across the HDP nexus, equipping them to take on leadership roles in peacebuilding and disaster management while addressing immediate and long-term community needs
Sustainable networks and knowledge exchange that continue to have an impact beyond the project’s duration
Diverse activities with sustainable impact
HAWA V combines training, practical initiatives, and research, including:
Basic, train-the-trainer, and specialised courses at KAIPTC
Local and cross-border workshops in the four target countries
Support for six community initiatives to implement concrete project ideas for crisis preparedness
Gender Labs and women’s initiatives to strengthen gender-responsive approaches
Establishment of an alumni platform for long-term networking
Research and learning activities for the continuous development of the programme
Gender equality as well as environmental and climate protection are systematically integrated into all activities.
Our impact
More than 1,000 people are reached directly through trainings and workshops. Indirectly, over 200,000 people in West Africa benefit from improved humanitarian structures, strengthened peacebuilding efforts, and more resilient communities.
In this way, HAWA V not only provides short-term support in crisis situations but also creates long-term perspectives for peace, security, and a sustainable future.
With the HAWA project, the ACP is a signatory to the Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact (WPS-HA), an inter-generational, inclusive global movement that takes transformative action on gender equality through strengthened coordination of existing mechanisms for women peace and security and humanitarian action; improved monitoring and assessment of progress; and a focus on financing, advocacy and increased visibility.
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Senior Project Manager - Sophia Stanger
E-Mail: stanger(at)ac4p.at