Issues
about women empowerment have attracted a number of public discourses
over the years in Ghana and beyond, especially from gender advocates,
including civil society organisations (CSOs).
It is established that women form 51 per cent of the country’s
population, yet they are marginalised, particularly for leadership
positions in Ghana.
In fact, nobody needs to be told that few women are appointed to political leadership positions, such as regional ministers, municipal and district chief executives, board of directors and countless others, while their mail counterparts dominate in such leadership positions when it comes to political appointments.
It must be emphasised that in such circumstances, no meaningful development can thrive.
This is because majority of the men who have been given leadership roles to contribute to development are many times unable to take decisions and formulate policies relating to women’s issues.
It is therefore imperative for any nation that wants to develop meaningfully to give more opportunities to women to, at least, be at par with their male counterparts. This would help bring about balance, equity and speedy development.
- See more at:
http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/24127-empowering-more-women-to-contest-district-level-elections.html#sthash.9fuW5Axi.dpufzIn fact, nobody needs to be told that few women are appointed to political leadership positions, such as regional ministers, municipal and district chief executives, board of directors and countless others, while their mail counterparts dominate in such leadership positions when it comes to political appointments.
It must be emphasised that in such circumstances, no meaningful development can thrive.
This is because majority of the men who have been given leadership roles to contribute to development are many times unable to take decisions and formulate policies relating to women’s issues.
It is therefore imperative for any nation that wants to develop meaningfully to give more opportunities to women to, at least, be at par with their male counterparts. This would help bring about balance, equity and speedy development.
Issues
about women empowerment have attracted a number of public discourses
over the years in Ghana and beyond, especially from gender advocates,
including civil society organisations (CSOs).
It is established that women form 51 per cent of the country’s
population, yet they are marginalised, particularly for leadership
positions in Ghana.
In fact, nobody needs to be told that few women are appointed to political leadership positions, such as regional ministers, municipal and district chief executives, board of directors and countless others, while their mail counterparts dominate in such leadership positions when it comes to political appointments.
It must be emphasised that in such circumstances, no meaningful development can thrive.
This is because majority of the men who have been given leadership roles to contribute to development are many times unable to take decisions and formulate policies relating to women’s issues.
It is therefore imperative for any nation that wants to develop meaningfully to give more opportunities to women to, at least, be at par with their male counterparts. This would help bring about balance, equity and speedy development.
- See more at:
http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/24127-empowering-more-women-to-contest-district-level-elections.html#sthash.9fuW5Axi.dpufIn fact, nobody needs to be told that few women are appointed to political leadership positions, such as regional ministers, municipal and district chief executives, board of directors and countless others, while their mail counterparts dominate in such leadership positions when it comes to political appointments.
It must be emphasised that in such circumstances, no meaningful development can thrive.
This is because majority of the men who have been given leadership roles to contribute to development are many times unable to take decisions and formulate policies relating to women’s issues.
It is therefore imperative for any nation that wants to develop meaningfully to give more opportunities to women to, at least, be at par with their male counterparts. This would help bring about balance, equity and speedy development.
It must be emphasised that in such circumstances, no meaningful development can thrive. This is because majority of the men who have been given leadership roles to contribute to development are many times unable to take decisions and formulate policies relating to women’s issues. It is therefore imperative for any nation that wants to develop meaningfully to give more opportunities to women to, at least, be at par with their male counterparts. This would help bring about balance, equity and speedy development.
Women in local governance
From records, it is clear that in the 2010 District Assembly Election, 70 women in the Upper East Region contested. Out of the 70 women, only 23 women won the election in their electoral areas, which represented 32.8 per cent. There are 153 appointees in the assemblies out of which only 43 are females. Among some factors cited for the poor performance during the last District Assembly Election in the region are negative stereotyping against women leadership by society in keeping with their cultural practices, high illiteracy rates among women, partisan connection and consideration, inadequate resources for women, multiple women candidates in one electoral area, jealousy among women and lack of confidence to compete with men for fear of name calling.
District level elections
In the past, the Regional Inter-Sectoral Gender Network (RISEGNET), a gender advocate organisation in the Upper East Region, with support from IBIS Ghana and ActionAid Ghana (AAG), had developed several modules to empower women to take up women leadership positions in the region. RISEGNET, in 2010, empowered the 23 women who won the District Assembly Election including the 43 female appointees. Though the number was not much, this was a plus for RISEGNET, IBIS Ghana and AAG. The organisation also trained women who wanted to contest the election in campaign strategies and campaign management, public speaking, confidence building, networking and fund-raising among others.
Impact of RISEGNET
The capacity building provided culminated into 23 women winning the last District Assembly Election and the appointment of 43 to the assemblies. Through the efforts of RISEGNET, majority of women now engage in community development work and others serve on sub committees at the assembly levels. Present and past assembly members who are women have also come under one umbrella to champion the cause of women. Awareness creation and confidence building are high among women in the region. The present and past assembly women often exchanged programmes with Northern Sector Action on Awareness Centre, which is also a gender advocate network in Tamale in the Northern Region.
2014 District level elections
To get more women elected and appointed in the forthcoming District Level Election scheduled for December this year, the Chairman of RISEGNET, Mr James Daud Abang-Gos, said his outfit, with its partners, the Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) with support from Ibis Ghana and AAG, had started profiling about 100 women across the district in order to support them by building their capacities in Campaign Strategies and Campaign Management, Public Speaking, Confidence Building, Networking, Fund-Raising among others. He indicated that the district chief executives, gender desk officers from the various district assemblies, including women groups were assisting to conduct the profiling.
Beneficiaries share experiences
Madam Florence Kuribila, a beneficiary of RISEGNET, who is now the Regional Women’s Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said through the capacity building training she received from RISEGNET, she became a National Executive Member of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), and the Regional Treasurer of GNAT Ladies Association. “We form about 52 per cent of the population, yet we have been relegated to the background and the men are forging ahead. There are certain policies they will adopt that will not suit us. But I am now glad that through the efforts of bodies like RISEGNET, IBIS Ghana and Action Aid things are gradually changing to suit us women,” she said. Madam Agnes Atayela, the Regional Chairperson of the People’s National Convention (PNC) party and Assembly Member for Bolga-Soe Electoral Area, also lauded RISEGNET and its partners for building the capacities of women to take up leadership positions in politics.
Source: Daily Graphic
Issues
about women empowerment have attracted a number of public discourses
over the years in Ghana and beyond, especially from gender advocates,
including civil society organisations (CSOs).
It is established that women form 51 per cent of the country’s
population, yet they are marginalised, particularly for leadership
positions in Ghana.
In fact, nobody needs to be told that few women are appointed to political leadership positions, such as regional ministers, municipal and district chief executives, board of directors and countless others, while their mail counterparts dominate in such leadership positions when it comes to political appointments.
It must be emphasised that in such circumstances, no meaningful development can thrive.
This is because majority of the men who have been given leadership roles to contribute to development are many times unable to take decisions and formulate policies relating to women’s issues.
It is therefore imperative for any nation that wants to develop meaningfully to give more opportunities to women to, at least, be at par with their male counterparts. This would help bring about balance, equity and speedy development.
- See more at:
http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/24127-empowering-more-women-to-contest-district-level-elections.html#sthash.9fuW5Axi.dpufIn fact, nobody needs to be told that few women are appointed to political leadership positions, such as regional ministers, municipal and district chief executives, board of directors and countless others, while their mail counterparts dominate in such leadership positions when it comes to political appointments.
It must be emphasised that in such circumstances, no meaningful development can thrive.
This is because majority of the men who have been given leadership roles to contribute to development are many times unable to take decisions and formulate policies relating to women’s issues.
It is therefore imperative for any nation that wants to develop meaningfully to give more opportunities to women to, at least, be at par with their male counterparts. This would help bring about balance, equity and speedy development.
It is established that women form 51 per cent of the country’s
population, yet they are marginalised, particularly for leadership
positions in Ghana.
In fact, nobody needs to be told that few women are appointed to political leadership positions, such as regional ministers, municipal and district chief executives, board of directors and countless others, while their mail counterparts dominate in such leadership positions when it comes to political appointments.
It must be emphasised that in such circumstances, no meaningful development can thrive.
This is because majority of the men who have been given leadership roles to contribute to development are many times unable to take decisions and formulate policies relating to women’s issues.
It is therefore imperative for any nation that wants to develop meaningfully to give more opportunities to women to, at least, be at par with their male counterparts. This would help bring about balance, equity and speedy development.
- See more at:
http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/24127-empowering-more-women-to-contest-district-level-elections.html#sthash.9fuW5Axi.dpufIn fact, nobody needs to be told that few women are appointed to political leadership positions, such as regional ministers, municipal and district chief executives, board of directors and countless others, while their mail counterparts dominate in such leadership positions when it comes to political appointments.
It must be emphasised that in such circumstances, no meaningful development can thrive.
This is because majority of the men who have been given leadership roles to contribute to development are many times unable to take decisions and formulate policies relating to women’s issues.
It is therefore imperative for any nation that wants to develop meaningfully to give more opportunities to women to, at least, be at par with their male counterparts. This would help bring about balance, equity and speedy development.
No comments:
Post a Comment