Transcript JOYCELYN DOTSE

MAP OF GHANA
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PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY
IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
THE
GHANA EXPERIENCE
PRESENTED AT: SEMINAR FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT FEMALE
DECISION-MAKERS OF THE NORTH - SOUTH COOPERATION
18TH – 20TH MAY 2009 HELSINKI, FINLAND
BY:
COUNCILOR JOYCELYN DOTSE – OCHLICH
CHAIRPERSON: GENDER AND CHILDREN SUB-COMMITTEE
HO MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY, GHANA
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All Protocol Observed
I would like, first, to thank the organizers of this Programme for inviting a
delegation from the Ho Municipal Assembly to attend this seminar. I bring you
greetings from the new Mayor Isaac Kotobisa.
SUMMARY
This paper describes the role of local and central government of Ghana in
promoting gender equality and its challenges. It also presents interventions
promoted through laws, legislations and conventions at local and national level for
promoting gender equality.
1.
INTRODUCTION
Since independence, Ghana has gone through a number of efforts to decentralize
political and administrative authority from the centre to the local level. The most
comprehensive effort began in 1988, when extensive powers and competencies
were transferred to districts. One hundred and ten (110) district assemblies were
created as legislative, executive, planning and rating authorities.
Among them is Ho Municipal Assembly.
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2.
THE PIVOTAL ROLE OF WOMEN IN GHANAIAN SOCIETY
Historically, women in Ghana have contributed immensely towards
Ghana’s political life. From the period of independence to date, women
have contributed resources and actively articulated their concerns and
issues within both their households and in public arena.
In spite of the pivotal role Ghanaian women play within the family,
community and society at large, they do not occupy significant key
decision-making positions in sectors of economic, political and social life.
They are relegated to the background as far as public decision-making is
concerned.
This may be because, no concrete policy measures are in place to ensure
that the structural inequalities between women and men are taken into
account in promoting participation in policy decisions.
However, Article 9 of the African Charter’s Protocol obliges State Parties to
ensure equal participation of women in political life through affirmative
action and enabling legislation. Consequently all Political Parties in Ghana
today have in their Party Manifestoes, provided for at least 40%
participation of women in leadership positions but less is achieved in
practice so far.
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YAA ASANTEWAA, QUEEN MOTHER OF EJISU (1900)
In1900, she led the Ashanti rebellion known as the War of the Golden
Stool against British Colonialism. ( “if you the men of Ashanti will not go
forward, then we the women will. I shall call upon my fellow women.
We will fight till the last of us falls in the battlefields." )
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3.
ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY
Ghana’s decentralization program has sought to create administrative and
developmental decision making structures in the Districts. This is to democratize the
system of government to achieve a more equitable allocation of power and wealth in
the development process. It is also intended to unearth and develop local talent and
initiative and train people for participation in higher levels.
It is envisaged that decision making would begin from the local government to the
national and back to local level. Therefore, local government is the sphere of
government that is nearer to the people and their everyday concerns.
Yet, women have not been able to take advantage of their potential to shape
decisions due to low representation.
• Women’s Participation in Politics and Decision Making
The ratio of female / male membership of both Parliament and the District
Assemblies does not reflect a population composed of over 51 per cent women.
Women account for less than 10 % of people in public office.
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Low representation of Women in District Assemblies
In the 1998 District Assembly elections, out of an overall total of 4,820 elected
candidates, only 196 were women while 4,624 were men.
There has been no significant increase in women’s participation in 2002
election since out of a total of 4,583 candidates elected, only 341 were women
whilst 4,241 were men.
Though there were small increases in the number of women from 3 per cent in
1994 to 5 per cent in 1998 to 7 per cent in 2002, women’s participation
continues to be extremely low.
Since there is no affirmative action policy to promote women’s political
participation, individual women are left on their own to compete in the
aggressive male dominated world.
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•
Women’s Participation in the Ho Municipal Assembly
In 2002, there were only 5 female councilors (2 elected) against 49 male
councilors making 9.3 %.
In 2006, the figure increased to 20 female councilors against 36 male
councilors making 35.7%. (From 2002 to 2006, increase of 84%)
In 2009, there is a further increase to 24 female councilors against 38 male
councilors making 38.7%. (From 2006 to 2009, only 8.4% increase)
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• Low Representation of Women in Ghana Parliament
In the 1st Republic of Ghana (1960), 10 extra seats were created purposely
for women in Parliament by the then 1st President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame
Nkrumah.
In the 2nd Republic in 1969, only two women were elected into Parliament.
In the 3rd Republic in 1979, six women were elected into a 140 member
House.
In the first Parliament of the 4th Republic (1992) 10 women out of 200
members were elected.
In the 2nd Parliament of the 4th Republic (1996) 19 women out of 200
members were elected.
In the 3rd Parliament of the 4th Republic (2002), 18 women out of 200
members were elected.
In the 4th Parliament of the 4th Republic (2004) 25 women out of 230
members were elected.
Currently, in the 5th Parliament of the 4th Republic (2008) the number of
women has reduced to 20 from the previous 25 out of a 230 members of
Parliament.
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• Inadequate Resources
Women have limited access to resources compared with men. They have
been constrained from entering local politics by the lack of finances for
campaigning, limited access to information, time constraints needed to
manage domestic responsibilities, income-generation activities and political
work.
• Low Education Levels / Timidity
The literacy level of women councilors affects their capacity to comprehend
and engage in technical processes which the council engages in. In spite of
good government policies to promote education for all, a good number of
women of leadership age are still of low education especially in the rural
areas. Hence, they are shy, lack confidence and have low self-esteem.
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• Domination of Political Parties by Men
Political parties are dominated by men who tend to resist greater
participation of women. Despite the provision in the Party Manifestoes to
provide at least 40% participation of women in the governance of the
country, the parties are not pro-active in changing their own nature and
supporting more women to engage in local politics.
The electoral process is fraught with corruption, violence, bribery and
attacks on the dignity and private lives of individual candidates. Husbands
and families are therefore reluctant to have their women in the public eye.
This is a major deterrent to women’s involvement in politics and gender
equality.
• Lack of Skills and Exposure
Most female leaders lack negotiation and lobbying skills. This undermines
their capacity to compete objectively with their male counter parts.
They also lack networking skills and exposure.
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• Women’s Biological Roles
Most men feel that by the biological role of women as mothers,
female leaders can not serve well in leadership positions. Due to
excessive domestic roles, women leaders find it hard to keep time or
hit deadlines at the work places and this results in poor participation
in the decision making process. Some women even risk loosing their
jobs when they get pregnant.
Political parties and local governments do not take account of the
reality of women’s role in social reproduction when organizing
meetings and political events, or developing election campaigns.
• Women’s Excessive Work Load at Home
There is little if any recognition of the unequal division of labour
between women and men within households. Women have
numerous responsibilities in the family and these consume a lot of
their time, energy and resources.
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A WOMAN’S DAILY ACTIVITIES
WORK LOAD ON WOMEN IN GHANA
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5.
LAWS / LEGISLATIONS TO PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY
1.
The Constitution of Ghana
Laws are meant to regulate society and protect the human rights of all
citizens. The 1992 Constitution has clear provisions guaranteeing the
fundamental human rights of all citizens and prohibits discrimination on the
basis of gender. Article 35 (5 and 6) enjoins the state to end all forms of
discrimination through law reform and affirmative action.
Recent achievements include Gender Budgeting (2009), the approval of the
Domestic Violence Act (2007) and the Trafficking in Human Law (2006). The
criminalization of harmful traditional practices such as Trokosi (ritual
servitude) and Female Genital Cutting or Mutilation (FGC/M), and the 1998
Children’s Act (criminalizing under age and forced marriage) provide strong
legal foundation to protect women and children.
However, the full implementations of existing laws are constrained by
challenges of capacity and lack of resources.
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2.
Ministry of Women and Children Affairs
In 2001, the government of Ghana established the Ministry of Women and
Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) to promote gender equality and children’ affairs
but the effectiveness of the gender machinery suffers from weak institutional
capacity and budgetary constraints. MOWAC is mandated to coordinate
policymaking, planning and monitoring progress.
MOWAC’s regional offices coordinate program implementation, but the
representation does not reach the districts. Most of the responsibility of
gender mainstreaming in line ministries is designated to individual staff –
Gender Desk Officers (GDOs) who are not working on gender on full time
basis and have little training and preparation. The fact that only a few
District Assemblies (DAs) have recruited gender focal persons suggests that
gender planning and monitoring is weak at the local level.
3.
National Gender and Children’s Policy
The National Gender and Children’s Policy (2004) is an integral part of the
National Development Process and Objectives of the Country. The overall
goal of the policy is to mainstream gender concerns into the National
Development Process in order to improve the social, legal / civic, political,
economic and cultural conditions of the people of Ghana, particularly
women and children. However, the Policy has yet to be widely circulated
and understood among key stakeholders.
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4.
Affirmative Action for Women Councilors
The Government instituted affirmative action policy to reserve 30% of the
appointed membership at the district level for women. While this has
increased their numbers, they must be assisted to use the opportunity
effectively through regular training.
5.
Vision 2020 Development Policy Framework
Ghana’s Development Policy Framework Vision 2020 requires District
Assemblies to protect and promote the interests of Women, Children and
the Vulnerable, especially in the areas of Income Generation Activities,
Education, Nutrition and access to Health Care. This gives women a
legitimate basis to require support from Assemblies. It also puts the onus on
assemblies to plan how to achieve this in a sustainable manner.
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6.
International Human Rights Instruments
Ghana also has obligations under international human rights instrument s
such as the UN Charter of 1095 and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights of 1948, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights of 1966 and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) of 1979. Ghana also has
obligations under regional instruments such as the African Charter on
Human and Peoples Rights. The State is required to incorporate the
provisions of these instruments into national laws.
7.
United Nations Commitments on Women
Ghana also has commitments arising from various UN conferences on
women. The 1985 Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (NLS), the 1995
Beijing Platform for Action (PfA) and the 2000 review of the Beijing
commitments, known as Beijing +5. The Vienna Human Rights Conference,
the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) 1994,
the Social Summit (1994) and more recently, the 2000 Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) have clear provisions for improving the status
of women and promote gender equality.
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6.
CONCLUSION
In spite of these laws, conventions and commitments, women continue to
suffer bias and discrimination in Ghana.
Ghanaian women remain on the fringes of local and national affairs and are
confronted by limited options and formidable social, economic and cultural
barriers that place them at great disadvantage.
Power and influence in the management of political and economic
processes for development has continued to be exercised in favour of men.
Women are therefore disadvantaged. Gender equality is not being
achieved.
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7. RECOMMENDATIONS
That Government should initiate a constitutional review process to be
completed by the year 2015 to ensure that all constitutional provisions,
promote the principles of fundamental human rights, freedoms, economic
and social rights for all women and men on equal basis.
That all arms of government and political parties take action to promote the
transformation of the political culture to make it more transparent,
accountable and sensitive to the needs and concerns of women.
That the government make and implement an affirmative action policy with
legal backing to progressively increase the number of women candidates for
parliament and district assemblies to at least 50 per cent by the year 2015
That the government ensures that by 2015, 50 per cent of appointees to
District Assemblies and to the offices of District Chief Executive and Coordinating Director are women.
That regular budgetary provision is made for capacity building of District
Assembly Members, especially women.
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That women and men in district assemblies should have equal access to
resources and funds for development work.
That government should institute measures which promote shared
responsibilities of life for both women and men as a means of creating
balance in family and work responsibilities thus facilitating women’s active
participation in public life.
That constitutional provision and the sections of the CEDAW and Platform
for Action regarding women’s equal participation in decision making are
implemented by the government of Ghana by the year 2015.
That by 2015, the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) and
MOWAC develops and implements a comprehensive Programme to create
awareness about the provisions of International, Regional and National
Women’s Rights Laws and Instruments and inculcate in the general public,
respect for the rights of women.
That law enforcement institutions vigorously implement laws passed to
protect women’s rights including the prosecution of violations of such laws.
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THANK
YOU
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