Stakeholders review post-2015 development agenda
A stakeholders review meeting has taken place in Accra to provide a platform for participants to contribute to discussions on the ongoing global post-2015 development agenda.
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The forum, organised by ABANTU for Development and Christian Aid, brought together women’s groups, policy makers and civil society organisations such as Network for Women’s Right (NETRIGHT).
It was aimed at creating greater awareness among the participants to enhance their efforts in working towards the attainment of gender equality in Ghana.
Women and youth in public life
Participants also discussed topics on the inclusion of women and the youth in public life and the need to enhance women’s involvement in development processes, ahead of the Post-2015 Development Agenda Summit scheduled for September.
Other topics discussed also included progress made so far towards the attainment of gender equality goals stipulated under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the way forward for Ghanaian women towards the post-2015 development agenda.
The Programme Manager of NETRIGHT, Ms Patricia Blankson Akakpo, said women in Ghana continued to face discrimination, which affected their participation in public life and the decision-making process, pointing out that the forum provided participants with the opportunity to discuss those challenges.
Challenges
She called for greater opportunities for women to enhance their access to resources, so as to empower them economically, and also improve their skills and capabilities.
Christiana Amevegbe, a participant, said some traditional practices affected women’s involvement in political participation and decision-making process, explaining that some people misinterpreted the phrase ‘the man is the head of the house,’ and had always discriminated against women.
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She said the empowerment of women led to the economic, political and social development of developing countries, and Ghana must take advantage of this opportunity.
Background
The current UN post-2015 development agenda is centred on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that were officially established following the Millennium Summit of the UN in 2000.
The MDGs capture eight globally agreed goals in the areas of poverty alleviation, education, gender equality and empowerment of women, child and maternal health, environmental sustainability, reducing HIV and AIDS and communicable diseases, and building a global partnership for development. The target date for the attainment of the MDGs is 2015.
At the 2010 High Level Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly to review progress towards the MDGs, UN member states called for accelerated efforts to advance the development agenda beyond 2015.