Media asked not to project women as sexual objects
A gender activist group has called on the Ghanaian media to stop projecting women as sexual objects in both the print and electronic media.
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According to Mrs Hujoysse Jeir Jenkins, founder of the Billion Emerging Women Crusaders World Reform Movement (BEWCROSS), “It is unfortunate that the media has not helped that much in portraying the African woman as one who is capable of handling and occupying respectable positions in society.”
Rights of women
“Much focus is not placed on the mental capability of the woman. So if we can all fight for the rights of women, the media must do its part as we also do ours,” she said.
Mrs Jenkins was speaking at a press conference as part of activities to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day which is observed on March 8.
The programme was put together by BEWCROSS with support from the Foreigners Rights Protection Organisation (FRIPO), an NGO based in the USA, and ABANTU for Development.
Global event
Globally, International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8 every year in recognition of the achievements of women while calling for greater equality. This year, the celebration of the event marks an important milestone in women’s rights activism: 20 years since the landmark Beijing Declaration which set 12 critical areas of focus for advancing the agenda of women worldwide.
Mrs Jenkins also called on the government to put adequate measures in place to reduce the high level of marginalisation of women in society.
Marginalisation of women
“Marginalisation of women has inhibited their ability to enjoy equal opportunities and privileges available to them,” she said.
Mrs Jenkins noted that over the years, the roles of women in nation building had been portrayed as competing with their male counterparts in all aspects of life.
However, she said there was the need for women to be made to realise the complementary role they played in society, pointing out that, “Gender equality does not mean women and men should have unhealthy competition to create problems in society. Rather, it means equal access to opportunities.”
Advocacy plans
As part of advocacy plans, Mrs Jenkins appealed to the media, especially the electronic media, for support in procuring enough airtime to engage in the general discussions on the status of gender equality in the country.