Source: Public Agenda
2011 was not so good despite CSOs input into efforts to ensure that the rights of women were upheld, that is the vedict of women activists. Several women's right advocates have said they expect to see a change in the way government responds to women?s rights issues next year, 2012.

Some of the advocates including Dr. Dorcas Coker-Appiah, Executive Director, Centre for Gender Studies said, ?We want to see more of political will to implement women's rights issues.

Speaking in an interview with this paper, she said women have not fared well at various levels politically and that at public level there was no new major appointment of a woman.

She said the few women who contested primaries in their parties and expected to get the nod for election next year did not do well because a lot of them lost, while some incumbents falling out.

However, she said civil society organisations have done well in terms of participation. ?Majority of them, particularly the women are out there talking about women?s rights issues. To that extent we are doing well. So we are going to see a continuation of our involvement. Women need a voice and it will come from CSOs.

Dr. Coker-Appiah said come next year 2012, they were expecting that the Affirmative Action Bill under preparation, the Amendment of Intestate Succession Law and the Property Rights of Spouses would be passed. The 1992 Constitution regulates the property rights of spouses but has not been done. The Bill has been in Parliament for almost two years now but we are not deterred, we are still fighting for it.

Political parties have often been blamed for the absence of women in the contest for topmost positions.

A Gender Consultant, Mrs. Rosaline Baatuolkuu Obeng-Ofori, in a previous interview stated that women being relegated to the background in decision making can be avoided if the playing field was made even.

She said society is equally to blame for paying-lip service to the empowerment of women in Ghana. She said Ghana has too many capable female presidents than most of the men who vied for top positions.

?There are many more Ghanaian women who are more capable as leaders in terms of decision making, strategic planning and programme development and have interest of their country than most men who pose as candidates.?

Even though Ghana has made great strides in its efforts at getting women elected or appointed to positions of authority, including the appointment of a woman as Chief Justice, a woman as Speaker of Parliament, CHRAJ boss among other, women rights advocates say they still do not have the critical mass needed to impact greatly.

Come December 2012, Ghana will hold presidential and parliamentary elections, obviously the last elections before the final assessment of the MDGs in 2015. The low participation of women in decision-making is listed by MoWAC as one of its key challenges, 15 years after Beijing Platform for Action and also a concern to government, CSOs and development partners working to increase the numbers of women in decision-making.

Currently, women constitute 8% of Members in Parliament, which is clearly unreflective of the 51% female population in Ghana.

It is said that Ghana lags behind countries like Uganda, South Africa and Botswana where the numerical strength of women have increased over the years.

Following are highlights of women-related activities as carried by Public Agenda

BIG WOMEN SCARING MEN AWAY?

...Ghanaian women want to be more than just wives

...Time to get used to changing power relations

A survey conducted by the Public Agenda reveals that several high profile Ghanaian women are either single or divorced. Reasons: The men just find it difficult to cope with high profile women.

Other less successful men find professional women too formal and intimidating to approach. Several men Public Agenda spoke to on the subject claimed that for them, a woman's success which is often accompanied by an authoritative posturing is a huge turn-off. They will simply not have the courage to approach such women, let alone propose to them.

Two out of twenty men interviewed would not be put off by a woman's success. Kwesi Afram, a chartered accountant in Osu, Accra said Yes I will marry a successful woman, but this will depend on her age. The world is fast changing and the men need to adapt to the trend and accommodate successful women. But, the women have no apologies to make. To them, socially constructed roles for Ghanaian women appear steeped in the sub-consciousness of Ghanaian men such that any change that places women in a dominant position creates some discomfort for them. Dr. Rose Mensah Kutin, Executive Director of Abantu for Development, argues that a different world is possible but it requires hard work. She says it is important that we challenge certain assumptions about women and the position they hold in society, whether married or unmarried which in reality does not affect their ability to deliver.

Media report said at the Legal Aid office, it is recorded that 40% of marriages annually break up within a period of 14 months. The Head of Ghana Legal Aid, Mr. Earnest Mawuli Adzeke, is quoted as saying that the numbers of women, who apply for separation every week, far outweigh that out of their male counterparts.

Out of 2,786 cases reported in the year 2010, 608 were marital, out of which 420 were advanced by women and 179 by men.

MOWAC leads drafting of Affirmative Action Bill

The Minister for Women and Children?s Affairs, Mrs. Juliana Azumah-Mensah announced that the Ministry was leading a nationwide education and consultative tour to gather inputs for the drafting of Affirmative Action Bill to be laid before Parliament for consideration.

She noted that despite immense efforts by various women's groups and gender activists to ensure the inclusion of women in decision making positions, women were still excluded and marginalized at all levels of governance.

Therefore, it was important for the women groups to support and also make an input to enrich the draft bill. ?There is the need to strategize and network to ensure that our are voices are heard, she stressed

manifestoes and they should be held accountable.

?What better structures have the parties put in place for selection of women to winnable seats, what clear objective and targets have they set to ensure that women candidates win the seat they contest, what measures have they put in place to ensure women?s inclusion at the top hierarchy of their parties and what input have the parties made to the Constitutional Reviews Commission to ensure increase of women?s participation in decision making? Are the parties ready to set aside quota for women?? she inquired.

Representatives of the four main political parties, the People?s National Convention (PNC), Convention People?s Party (CPP), New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), who were present at the forum, pledged their parties? readiness and support towards the cause of increasing women?s participation in politics and governance, while affirming that affirmative action was the way forward.

NPP and NDC Presidential Contest

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) held an all-male congress and elected Nana Akuffo Addo as presidential candidate for the 2012 presidential elections. Female representation for presidential candidacy was nil.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) opened nominations for election for the flag bearer of the party from 3rd to the 10th of May, 2011, for prospective candidates to pick up their forms for Gh?20,000 each. Female aspirants enjoyed a 50% rebate.

It was expected this would encourage more women to participate in the democratic process and assume a more responsible role in the governance of the party and the country at large. Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, former first lady of Ghana and wife of former President Jerry John Rawlings picked up forms to seek the presidential nomination of the ruling party but was not successful.

Samia Nkrumah and co

Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Hon. Samia Nkrumah was elected Chairman of Convention People?s Party (CPP). Susan Adu Amankwah and Rodaline Ayana emerged 1st and 2nd National Vice Chairpersons of the party. Samia is expected to use her leadership qualities to energise the CPP and ensure that the CPP becomes a formidable force on the political landscape of the country.

NETRIGHT calls for Gender Equality Commission

The Network for Women's Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) has called for a new provision in the 1992 Constitution for the establishment of a Ghana National Commission on Gender Equality.

Among the functions of such a commission, the group said is to promote respect for and the attainment, protection and development of gender equality in public private institutions and in all spheres of life.

It is also to facilitate the implementation of the affirmative action law and all other gender equality policies and programmes. It should also have the power to investigate case of gender discrimination and make recommendations to improve the functioning of state institutions in this regard

Prof. Dzodzi Tsikata, NETRIGHT steering committee member, disclosed this at an advocacy forum in Accra by the network explained the forum was to share with key stakeholders and the public the content of its submission to the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), and to solicit their involvement o ensure that the Constitution emerges as the most sensitive document, consistent with the image of the country as a torchbearer, adding that Ghana cannot afford to fail its female population.

Prof. Tsikata explained that the new body, which NETRIGHT is calling for, should not replace the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MOWAC) but just like the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) it should promote women?s rights.

?With admit that CHRAJ is there but it has a large role and cannot adequately perform the function we are asking the commission to do. Women are not the same as men or as other social groups that are disadvantaged. They are in slightly different positions.?

Media sensitised on Affirmative Action

ABANTU for Development, Actionaid Ghana and other donor partners held a day's workshop in Accra to enhance the knowledge of media personnel on issues of Affirmative Action and its use in addressing the imbalance and inequalities in representing in national processes.

Under the theme, ?Enhancing Women's Participation in Policy-Making: Affirmative Action as a Tool,? it was also aimed at challenging the media to educate the general public regarding the important initiative for Ghana in order to obtain a consensus.

Ms Hamida Harrison, Programme Manager of ABANTU stated one of such affirmative action measures that can be used is the quota system, which have proved feasible and resulted in some countries achieving 30-40 percent representation of women in governance.

She cited persistent gender inequality as an underlying factor that accounts for women's low participation in politics. ?Much of the time women cannot face such divisive tendencies. The gender biases in our societies also make it very difficult to bridge the gap of gender inequality because women are discriminated against when they decide to be part of the political process.

She said the chance of women standing and winning election is weak because they are not selected to contests seats they are more likely to win. Also, she said the political structures and systems of political parties is not friendly to women citing politics has always been primarily seen as a male area hence women do not get the chance to be elected to sensitive positions in political parties.

MOWAC Minister laments inadequate budget

The Minister for Women and Children?s Affairs, (MOWAC) Mrs. Juliana Azumah-Mensah lamented the inadequate budget allocations to her ministry over years.

?We have made representations to the Minister of Finance to increase our allocations to enable us meet our obligations and commitments. Taking care of women alone is very broad let alone our dear children, we need more money, she stated in an interview with Public Agenda during a day?s forum by her ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and some civil society organisations.

Queen mothers demand recognition

The Akwabeahene of the Akropong Akuapem Traditional Area, Nana Otua Owusuwaa called on the Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs and the President to recognise the institution of queenmothers just as their male counterparts in Ghana.

Speaking at a West African Women in Leadership Conference in Accra she wondered why queen mothers are made to play second fiddle to their male counterparts in the scheme of things.?I just cannot understand that in this 21st century women in such positions should be relegated to the background when most of us are educated, exposed, experienced and capable of rubbing shoulders with our male colleagues. We should be recognised for our efforts at development and progress.

Men must see feminism as critical to struggle for rights - Akoto Ampaw urges

A renowned legal practitioner, Mr. Akoto Ampaw at the second national feminist forum held in Accra encouraged the feminist movement to be actively involved in the mass struggle for democratic principles and not to work in isolation.

He said the movement must not see itself as different from other democratic struggles.

He noted that issues such as the struggles of mining communities clearly have major gender dimensions and so men who are involved in such struggles get a better understanding of the feminist movement. The forum was organised by the Network for Women?s Right in Ghana (NETRIGHT) with support from the African Women Development Fund (AWDF).

He said men could be feminist in the sense of being part of the movement that challenges the status quo.

?Such a movement is relevant to men in the sense that it forces them to question what they take for granted and affords them the opportunity to look at the possibility of organising society different from how it is organised currently.?

?Clearly men who are democratic and committed to society must see feminism as a critical point to the social struggle for rights. The history of social struggle is same as emancipation, so it is important that they recognise the struggle for change can?t be complete without dealing with challenges that feminism poses.

Feminism, generally, is belief in the need to secure rights and opportunities for women equal to those of men, or a commitment to securing these.

Convenor of NETRIGHT, Dr. Akua Britwum explained the forum was in response to the call on African women to start formal discussions at the national, regional and international levels on what could constitute a set of guiding feminist ideas and principle. ?The aim of the forum is to create awareness of feminist movement in Ghana is to discuss the constraints in setting a strong feminist agenda and the underlying power play in setting and framing our identities as feminists in Ghana.

Affirmative Action is panacea for increasing women numbers in decision-making

It has been established that without mandatory Affirmative Action, expected changes that can lead to an increase in women?s representation in national politics will not occur.

Ghana may also miss out on achieving its Millennium Development Goal (MDG 3) target with regard to the proportion of seats held by women in national parliament. MDG 3 mandates all countries to promote gender equality and empower women.

A study has recommended that in the short term, advocacy must continue to explain and build support for legislation on an Affirmative Action Policy (AAP). This is to be spearheaded by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWAC) and Coalition on Affirmative Action legislation.

Professor Takyiwaa Manuh, former Director of African Studies at the University of Ghana, said advocacy efforts need to be based on current statistics on women?s representation in politics and national life, Ghana?s treaty obligations such as those of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the trends around sub-Saharan Africa and also in West Africa.

She said the advocacy would need to enlist the support of the media by MoWAC and civil society organisations (CSOs) to popularise and disseminate the AAP.

Prof. Manuh was making a presentation at the Gender and Development Dialogue series organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and it partners, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women in Accra.

Increasing women?s representation and participation in decision making are national issues

A women?s rights activist and Executive Director of Ark Foundation, Mrs. Angela Dwamena-Aboagye has called on the National House of Chiefs, Members of the Council of State and all other males in authority to add their voices to the call for affirmative action.

She noted that in our part of the world, people tend to listen to men in authority than women, both at the grassroots and national levels. However the increase in women?s representation and participation in decision making is not only a women?s issue but a national one.

At a forum organized by the IEA in partnership with the European Union (EU) on the theme ?Towards Greater Participation and Representation of Women in Parliament,? Mrs. Dwamena-Aboagye observed that several fora on affirmative action have not seen any of the leaders of the various political parties present to listen to issues on women empowerment to which they are stakeholders.

She said that since putting up women for elections starts at the party level, it was important that leaders of political parties were part of such meetings to unravel the mystery why parties are not willing to reserve safe seats for women as well as support those who qualify at the primaries.

Remove disparities between women and men, government urged

ABANTU for Development and ActionAid-Ghana called on government and all political parties to ensure that they maintain their respective commitments of promoting increased women's participation in the electoral process.

The two women rights advocacy groups admit that though concrete steps have been taken to address disparities in certain sectors like meeting school enrolment under Millennium Development Goal (MDG3), governments and political parties also have a responsibility of removing disparities between the representation of women and men in decision making relative to the 2012 general elections.

They have thus reminded political parties of their promise of 40% women representation which unfortunately was not achieved and consequently resulted in a decrease in women's representation from 11% in the 2004 elections to the current 8%.

 

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