Traditions, norms reinforce gender disparity - forum
Discussants at a forum have identified some traditional, socio-cultural norms and perceptions about women as reinforcing gender disparity in the country.
Advertisement
According to them, the gender cultural stereotypes about the role of women in society had limited them from accessing adequate opportunities to play leadership roles in governance.
The discussants were speaking at a roundtable forum organised by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to mark this year’s International Women’s Day.
While the international theme for the celebration is “Equality for women is progress for all,” CHRAJ’s theme was “Inspiring change through Affirmative Action in women’s representation in governance”.
Socialisation institutions
A Gender Advisor of the Canada Programme Support Unit, Mrs Francesca Pobee- Hayford, said socialisation institutions such as traditions, society, family and religion constituted variables that undermined women’s access to public office.
For instance, she said, most girls dropped out of school because they could not combine schoolwork with house chores, which are perceived to be a woman’s work.
A Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) in 2011, she said, indicated that 64 per cent of women as against 19 per cent of men were involved in household water provision as an activity.
“Unsupportive family environments for sharing household work and dismantling stereotypes have led to lower levels of educational participation and attainment in higher education levels among girls,” Mrs Pobee- Hayford stated.
Other Trending Stories
She added that gender disparity needed to be tackled from the roots by ensuring that socialisation institutions nurtured children to eradicate perceptions and traditions which stereotyped women.
She urged policy makers to implement effective public policies to address gender disparities and also create gender-friendly environment such as baby/child facilities.
Male role models, mentors and supporters, she said, were also needed for executing the agenda on gender equality.
Affirmative action
In her presentation, a gender advocate, Mrs Sheila Minka- Premoh, said women constituted more than half of the population of Ghana, yet they were under- represented in governance and decisionmaking positions as well as other areas of the economy.
She said that state of affairs had deprived women of adequate opportunities to play leadership roles in governance.
She recommended that legislation on affirmative action was the best strategy to enforce good governance through equitable benefits and participation in national development.
While acknowledging the fact that opportunities given to women in governance had enabled some of them to have a voice in nation building, Mrs Minka -Premoh said the Affirmative Action Bill should be supported to correct the historical wrong.
According to the Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mrs Lauretta Vivian Lamptey, affirmative action with respect to women’s representation had not been prioritised at the governance level as it should.
“Equality for women to and in governance is not only a progress for all but human rights issues,” she said.
She gave the assurance of the commission’s support to serve as a model for other public institutions in ensuring that a friendly environment was created for women, especially nursing mothers.