‘Use multidisciplinary approach to address gender inequality’
A Gender specialist, Mr Samuel Essah, has called for a multidisciplinary approach to addressing gender inequality and discrimination issues in the country.
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According to him, a law without a corresponding shift in paradigms was an attempt to cause an upheaval in the society, and added that community and religious leaders must focus on social norms at family, community and national levels.
He stated that understanding the role of women in the society was very important because it would engage the diversity of voices to support developed policies and legislation to address those issues.
Occasion
Mr Essah, who was speaking at a ceremony to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD) on Monday in Accra expressed the belief that when social norms that were identified as fundamentals to gender inequality in the society were addressed, there would be gender equality in the society.
The ceremony, which was organised by the Hope for Future Generation (HFFG), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), as part of the celebrations to mark the IWD, which took place on March 8, was on the theme: “Empowering women, Empowering Humanity, Picture it.”
It brought together queenmothers in the Greater Accra Region, women’s groups and the youth to sensitise them to the need to improve on their health, education and socio-economic status.
Mr Essah said there was the need to focus on the theme to work towards a productive transformation in the lives of women and girls to achieve their potential through increased awareness and sensitisation programmes in the communities.
Appreciation
The queenmother for the Kokomlemle Traditional Area, Naa Deide Awula, commended non-governmental organisations (NGO’s), especially HFFG, for their effort to support women in national development.
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She urged women to invest in their children and give them the necessary attention to ensure that they were always protected.
Effective implementation
The Executive Director of HFFG, Mrs Cecilia Senoo, advised traditional and religious leaders to work collectively to abolish traditional, cultural and religious practices that were detrimental to the wellbeing of women.
She also called on politicians and policy makers to enact and ensure effective implementation of policies that sought to empower women and guaranteed them equality in the society.
“Affirmative action is key to women’s participation in decision making processes at all levels, let us embrace and operationalise it in a visible way,” she said.
While advising health institutions to widen women’s access to affordable and quality sexual health services, she urged civil society organisations to continue to deliver pro-poor interventions to women, especially those in deprived communities.
The Registrar of Regent University, Ms Nancy Ansah, said women played vital roles at home and in the country, hence, the need to celebrate them.