PROMOTING WOMEN’s PARTICIPATION AND BRIDGING GENDER GAPS IN THE PROFESSIONS AND PUBLIC LIFE – ACHIEVEMENTS, RELEVANCE AND PROSPECTS: A PUBLIC RELATIONS PROFESSIONAL’s PERSPECTIVE

Presentation by: Mrs. Rhoda E. Appiah G-RAP YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GENDER FORUM Thursday, 18 th November, 2010

Outline of Presentation

 Gender Mainstreaming in brief;  Public Relations Defined;  PR practice in Ghana and the role of women;  Personal Experience;  Gender Mainstreaming – Way Forward

GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN BRIEF

 Gender mainstreaming has been defined variously but for the purposes of this paper it can be understood as considering the participation, the impacts and implications for any undertaking-policies, programmes and institutions-on men and women differentially in order to achieve more equitable results and equal access to benefits and opportunities.

 By definition, it involves integrating a gender perspective and gender analysis into all stages of designing, implementing and evaluating projects.

 It is important to emphasis that over the years, professional work have been societies’ most contested areas of equality as it is closely linked to power and occupational control which parallel gender, class and race cleavages (Parry and Parry, 1976).

PUBLIC RELATIONS DEFINED

  PR practice is a planned and sustained management process that seeks to build a desirable corporate image for any institution particularly in relations to its stakeholder engagements. Globally, PR practice governed by the Stockholm accord which is premised on 2 main principles: - The Value-Creation Networks paradigm; and -The Contextual leadership paradigm.

PUBLIC RELATIONS IN GHANA

   In Ghana, the practice of PR as a profession in Corporate Ghana dates back a couple of decades. As a profession there are varied areas of specializations such as: Corporate Affairs, Corporate Communications, Government Relations, Media Relations Investor Relations etc.

The profession is regulated by the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana.

GENDER STATISTICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE

 Records available at IPR reveal a marked gender imbalance across all categories of memberships. 

Membership Categories

Fellows Accredited Associates Affiliates Past Executives Present Executives

No. of Women

4 63 62

No. of Men

6 120 99 8 8

Total

10 183 161 16

% of Women

40% 34.4% 38.5% 50%

WHY WOMEN MUST BE IN PR?

 Women are more interested in their image;  Women are largely driven by passion to work and can best hand corporate responsibility activities;  Women are more likely to be honest and easily believed and can be effective in sensitive areas like the extractive industry, procurement and can best advocate on social issues and receive cooperation (eg: NGO’s)

WHY THE GENDER IMBALANCE?

 The constraints of lower levels of education in the past;   The challenge of women being taken as seriously as their male colleagues (traditional believes that women cannot be linguists); Women’s professionalization and growth affected by the demands of their homes and other ancillary roles;

IMBALANCE cont’d

 The lateral nature of growth in the profession on the part of many women;  However, in spite of the low numbers, women have shown commitment to the Institute and the development of the profession by their willingness to put themselves up for nomination of office at the executive council level notwithstanding their demanding official and domestic interfaces.

PR IN THE PUBLIC & PRIVATE SECTOR

 A good majority of these women PR practitioners expecially those in the Accredited Membership categories are heading the PR Departments in their companies especially in both the public and private sectors;  However, very few have mastered the courage to set up their own PR consortiums as opposed to their male counterparts.

IMPACT OF WOMEN IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

 Despite the fact that women in PR seem to be excelling in their career. It is important to investigate the reasons for their less involvement in public life. For instance, why are women PR practitioners not serving as spokespersons for their political parties, gender activists, and contributing to public policy discourse in the country? 

 Are the few women making impact being celebrated as a source of encouragement to younger ones?

 Why have stakeholders such as GIJ, School of Communications, IPR etc not making any effort at mainstreaming gender in the profession.

Some Achievers

  Madam Joyce Aryee-CEO of Chamber of Mines Mrs. Agbozo-1 st President of IPR  Mrs. Regina Addai-Mensah  Mrs. Margaret Amoakohene-Former Ghana’s Ambassador  Ms. Esther Cobbah-Ghana Rep. to the International PR Association  Ms. Esther Ofori-Former CEO Ghana Trade Fair Company

PERSONAL EXPERINCE

 Entered into the profession at a relatively young age with little experience;  There has been occasions where colleagues would want to despise my youth;  But in all these I have kept my faith and stood my grounds.

Gender Mainstreaming-Way Forward

 Although attempts have not been made so far in gender mainstreaming, I believe that the prospects are high as a lot more of graduates (women) passing out of tertiary institutions (even without training in PR) are showing interest in the profession and are enrolling as affiliate members of IPR;  Women in PR practice should be encouraged to aspire to higher educational achievements;

Way Forward cont’d

 Since it is an advisory function of management successful practitioners must conduct themselves in a professional manner in order to be accorded the respect and credibility they so much require to deliver;  Women must be encouraged to be fast learners;

Way Forward cont’d.

 Women practitioners may explore the possibility of entering into private practice (consulting) after gaining enough experience in the corporate world

THANK YOU!!