Rebecca Akufo-Addo (2nd left) with Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and special guests at the event
Isn’t it true that we always make gains when we are bold? This question by the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, caught my attention at the International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration a few days ago.
I, together with other female journalists, were privileged to be part of a gathering of women from all walks of life to share ideas on how together women can empower other women, change their lives and that of their families and society at large.
The meeting was also to celebrate outstanding women who had broken barriers and overcome challenges and myths society had about women and what they can or cannot do.
As I sat waiting in one of the chairs placed beneath the canopies in the beautifully decorated garden for the special guests, I observed one after the other the bold women who are making significant contributions, from politics to finance, business to agriculture, education to the arts, medicine to social service, and diplomatic service to engineering, walking through the aisle to their seats.
These women, majority of who are the first to break barriers in male-dominated fields, although having different backgrounds had one thing on common; they exhibited boldness.
Boldness to dream and work towards that dream; boldness to challenge the status-quo and unconscious bias society had for females and the boldness to be leaders in male-dominated fields.
For many young ladies, these women have become their torchbearers.
The theme for the 2017 International Women’s Day for which we were gathered was ‘Be Bold For Change’ and the first lady did not mince words when she took the podium to address the august gathering.
“What a delight it is for me to have all of you bold women here today…Women making a difference in the lives of other women,” was the hostess’ opening remarks.
Trailblazers
She highlighted that Ghanaian women, both present and past, had and are making great contributions to get the country closer to gender parity through their courageous efforts they exhibit on daily activities they undertake.
A few women worthy of remembering include Nana Yaa Asantewaa who taught women that gender, size or circumstances should not stop them, women members of parliament in the First Republic like Susana Al-Hassan, Sophia Doku, Grace Ayensu and seven others who taught women that politics is not for men, but for humanity.
Esther Ocloo, Ghana’s first chairwoman of the Women’s World Bank, one of the pioneers of micro-lending to women, who taught women that they deserved equal access to financing and air force pilot Melody Millicent Danquah who flew the ‘blue skies’ in a male-dominated space.
The first lady also saluted Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings who led the fight for women’s economic empowerment, Honourable Chief Justice Theodora Georgina Wood, the country’s first female chief justice, Ghana’s first female Speaker of Parliament, Joyce Adeline Bamford Addo, Madam Frema Opare, the first female chief of staff, and many others who have been trailblazers in empowering other women.
Bold for Change
Despite the country’s strides in attaining gender parity, it is clear the pace at which the gender gap is being closed is too slow.
Inasmuch as the country saw a rise in women participants in the country’s parliamentary elections last year, it remains an incremental increase which is disproportionate to the male to female population ratio Ghana.
Thus, with the 50 plus percentage of female population, the country should have more women participating and winning elections in Ghana than it is currently recording.
Some barriers, including customary laws that discriminate against women in ownership of land, lack of financing and necessary support to participate in politics, still represent the glass ceiling for many women.
The World Bank had predicted that the gender gap won’t close entirely until 2186 if countries keep doing the same things.
“We cannot wait that long,” Mrs Akufo-Addo said, adding, “This is why the idea of being bold for change is so important.”
She encouraged the women present to join forces to break the barriers that limit the realisation of their dreams, indicating that others have set the pace.
Although acknowledging the task was not easy, Mrs Akufo-Addo was optimistic Ghanaian women are up to it.
“We should be the shoulders that other women stand on, we should be the voices for those who have no voice, we should be the army that fights to save other women,” she said.
Mrs Agyemang-Rawlings who was the special guest at the function, encouraging the women to be bold, touted the ability of women to bring about a paradigm shift in the country’s politics when given the opportunity, highlighting the need for such opportunities to be given to women.
“Empowerment of women and equality between women and men are prerequisites for achieving political, social, economic, cultural and environmental security among all people,” she quoted the Beijing Declaration.
“Attaining parity in decision-making is not only a right women deserve, but more importantly it will provide a balance that more accurately reflects the composition of society and is needed in order to strengthen democracy and promote its proper functioning,” she added.
The Pledge
The first lady took the first step by pledging to push for the progress of women in political decision-making process.
“I will advocate for more political inclusiveness of women,” she pledged.
She said more female voices were needed in decision-making for women to achieve gender parity and economic independence in the country.
Mrs Akufo-Addo pointed out that the country can achieve gender parity when women speak up and share ideas on how to empower women, change their lives and that of their families and society.
“We cannot exclude the group that is more than half of Ghana’s population from political decision-making. That is no way for us to develop,” she mentioned.
Urging the participants to also pledge, Mrs Akufo-Addo said, “We should be the army that fights to save other women. Achieving gender parity and giving other women the dignity of economic independence is our responsibility. It takes me and you, we can do it.”
Girls Empowerment
In furtherance of the empowerment of women, an international programme aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination against girls who will be women in future was also rolled out in commemoration of the International Women’s Day in a separate event.
‘Girls Alliance Advocacy Programme’ will offer the unique opportunity for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to partner government and work towards the country’s attainment of gender parity.
The programme, to be piloted in five regions of the country, has already been rolled out in 10 countries in Africa and Asia. It will cover topics such as child marriage, violence against girls and women, vocational and technical training of girls.
Madam Fatimata Alainchar, Country Director of Plan Ghana, said it is the hope of the funding partners that through the Girls Alliance Advocacy Programme, there will be an increased public support for girl-child empowerment.
“We hope that the capacity of the girl-child will be built and that civil society organisations, policy makers will be enlightened to take up actions in support of anti-gender based violence and improve participation of government agencies in ending gender based discrimination,” she said.
Susan Namondo Ngongi, UNICEF Ghana Country Representative, added that history has shown that women are the backbone of strong communities, urging stakeholders to invest in girls if the country wishes to create a stronger and more sustainable future.
“So I am not advocating more investment in girls that will lead to them enjoying greater development outcomes than boys… but we need to ensure investment in both girls and boys that will lead to equal development outcomes,” she stated.
As the curtains of the various ceremonies in commemoration of the International Women’s Day were closed, I made a pledge to continue writing articles that will promote the socio-economic development and fundamental human rights of Ghanaian girls and women, and as the first lady said, the most important thing is that I follow through on my pledge.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri