Ghana reports on status of women - Calls for inter-ministerial approach to gender-related issues
The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), held in March at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York every year, is one of the largest annual gatherings of global leaders, non-governmental organisations, private sector officials,
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UN partners and activists focusing on the status of rights and empowerment of women and girls, aimed at incorporating gender equality and linking women’s empowerment to sustainable development.
This year, Ghana was among representatives of the UN member states, UN entities and the Economic and Social Council-accredited non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from all regions of the world that attended the 61st session on the theme; “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work.”
Ghana’s delegation
Ghana’s delegation at the CSW included Members of Parliament, traditional leaders, civil society organisations (CSOs), market women leaders, farmers and women organisers of the various political parties.
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection held a press conference in Accra last Thursday to present a report on Ghana’s participation in the 61st session of the CSW, which is the main inter-governmental policy-making body within the UN in the area of promoting equality, women’s empowerment and promotion of women’s rights at all levels of socio-economic development.
Addressing the press conference, the sector Minister, Ms Otiko Afisah Djaba, said the theme for this year’s session was important as it influenced government’s policies, both domestic and foreign, to commit to ensure that women’s economic empowerment was considered in the changing world of work.
While recognising that the economy thrived on the operations of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs), the minister indicated that the SMEs were dominated by women, particularly at the informal sector.
She, however, said; “The rural woman who is burdened with a lot of work both at home and in the economic sector has no access to technological innovation and decent working conditions and that is critical in bridging the existing gender gaps in the changing world of work.”
Interventions
Ms Djaba said the ministry would continue to undertake interventions to propel women’s effective participation in the economic growth of the country, indicating that the ministry was to introduce a programme to assist female porters, popularly known as kayayei, to convey goods using trolleys instead of the practice of carrying the goods on their heads, as a step to enhance their operations and enable them to get involved in other activities aside from head porting.
She, therefore, called for an inter-ministerial approach to tackle gender-related issues in the country, adding that; “It is time to end the talk and walk the talk on gender issues. There is the need to end all forms of violence against women after 22 years of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA), since women’s unpaid work is still not recognised.”
Ms Djaba urged her colleague ministers to contribute to the setting up of a database on all women who were not formally educated so that their ministries could work with the Education Ministry, to ensure that all potential mothers acquire formal or non-formal education.
She advised the youth to be actively involved in gender equality and women’s empowerment processes and programmes in the country.