Political and economic empowerment project for Women in northern Ghana
A project that seeks to address the severe under representation of women at all levels of government and decision making in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions has been launched at Wa.
Dubbed; “Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the Savannah Areas of Ghana”, it is the collaborative effort of the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) and the Upper West Region’s Department of Women of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affaires in partnership with GHARWEG, Advice, Training and Career Centre in the UK
The Project has the objective of equipping and increasing the knowledge, self-confidence and relevant skills of selected women to enable them to become successful candidates for elections at local, district and parliament levels.
This would be achieved through training courses on a non-partisan basis to ensure community buy-in for the benefit of all as well as engaging political parties in debates to persuade them on the importance of supporting women candidates.
Naa Seidu Braimah, a Member of the Council of State who launched the project, said progress of women was being hampered by their acceptance of male dominance and discrimination as part of social norms that should not be questioned.
She said women’s woes had been deepened by cultural practices which cut across Africa and even Asia.
He therefore called on chiefs, civil society groups, religious leaders and all who have the well being and prosperity of women at heart to join forces and fight the practices that were negating the progress of women.
Naa Braimah proposed to the Constitutional Review Committee to reserve 50 per cent of the government appointees to the Metropolitan, Municipal and district assemblies for women.
Ms. Afi Yakubu, Executive Director of FOSDA, said she was of the view that increased activism on gender issues in the country had not translated into increased representation and voices of women in decision making at both local and national levels.
She said the project would be implemented in 13 districts of the three northern regions.
Source: GNA