Yirenkyi Opare-Akuffo
The Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) has organized a seminar to brief and sensitize media practitioners on Ghana’s 3rd, 4th and 5th Periodic Reports to the United Nations Committee on the eradication of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and recommended actions.
The seminar which was held at the Coconut Groove Hotel in Accra forms part of Ghana’s obligation to coordinate and ensure implementation of recommended actions by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other stake holders.
In an opening address delivered by Mr. V. T. Kuzuume, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs on behalf of the Deputy Minister, he said, Ghana has come very far as a country in addressing issues relating to women and children’s survival, protection and development and is still moving forward. A number of giant strides have been taken by Ghana in fulfillment of its national, regional and international communities, he said.
At the international level in particular, Mr Kuuzume said, Ghana demonstrated its commitment and political will by not only signing, ratifying various conventions, treaties, protocols, and resolutions but also through promulgation of laws and implementation of various strategies with the view to creating a society in which women enjoy full equality with men and the full realization of their rights as guaranteed under the Constitution and the laws of Ghana.
Mr.Kuzuune urged media practitioners to assist MOWAC and other stakeholders by actively participating by giving innovative and implementable strategies on how to communicate effectively to move the gender agenda forward to address issues of subtle discrimination against women and girls in the Ghanaian society.
Mrs. Doris Mawuse Aglobitse, The National Professional Officer, Advocacy and Resource Mobilization, representing the United Nations (UN) System said, Ghana ratified the United Nations Conventions on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against women without reservation in July 1986 and consequently submitted its initial and second Periodic reports in 1991, as required. In 2005, she said, Ghana further submitted its 3rd, 4th and 5th Periodic reports to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and defended these reports in August 2007.
Mrs. Aglobitse said the role of the UN in Ghana has been in the area of providing technical assistance as well as some funding to the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs and other NGOs in implementing programmes that are of benefit to women and girls. Currently, she said, the UN System has a joint programme with MOWAC on the implementation of the Domestic Violence law which was passed last year. Aspects of the programme dowel on awareness creation, capacity building for law enforcers and rehabilitation of abused victims.
Mrs. Aglobitse said, the UN System in Ghana will continue to provide support in these areas based on what the government presents as its area of priority.
Mrs. Marian .A. Tackie, Director of MOWAC in presenting the overview of the United Nations conventions on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and status of implementation said, CEDAW was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979 to reinforce the provisions of existing international instruments designed to combat the continuing discrimination against women. She said, CEDAW identifies many specific areas where there has been discrimination against women such as political rights, marriage and family employment. Mrs. Tackie continued that CEDAW spells out specific goals and measures that are to be taken to facilitate the creation of a global society in which women enjoy full equality with men and the full realization of their guaranteed human rights.
On Implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Mrs. Tackie said, Ghana ratified the CEDAW without reservation in July 1886. Ghana follows a dualistic approach towards the incorporation of treaties into domestic law. This means that international conventions need to be incorporated into domestic laws by legislation to give them full legal effect. She said, other provisions of CEDAW were complied with through review or amendment of existing legislations or promulgation of new legislations. Examples are the Domestic Violence Act and the Human Trafficking Acts which are in incompliance with UN Declaration on Elimination of all Forms of Violence against Women. Ghana has complied with its reporting obligation under the convention and submitted five periodic reports to the UN Committee on CEDAW. She said Ghana’s 6th and 7th reports are due in 2011.
Mrs. Tackie said, further action taken since the submission of its 3rd, 4th and 5th reports include, press reporting on Ghana’s presentation of it’s CEDAW reports to CEDAW Committee, printing of 3rd, 4th and 5th periodic reports and the other related document for dissemination to all stakeholders among many others. Mrs. Tackie further stated that certain measures have been taken in line with CEDAW periodic reports to increase women’s participation in politics and decision-making. She stated some of them as sensitization of and capacity building programmes for women to run for office are organized periodically. Also, a high level of consultative dialogue was organized as part of Ghana’s 50th anniversary under theme: “Enhancing participation of women in decision-making positions”. She added that political parties have also been urged to incorporate gender issues in their political agenda and to ensure that women participate in leadership on equal basis with men.
Ghana, Mrs. Tackie said, has taken concrete measures to translate various conventions, treaties and protocols Declarations and Resolutions relating to Gender Equality and Women and Children’s Rights to development into implementation policies, programmes. She said, a major constraint however, is the lack of adequate financial resources to translate all its commitment into desired measurable results. Mrs. Tackie said, with the injection of more financial inflows especially from the UN System funding agencies, Ghana would be able to achieve its development goals targets relating to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
ISHMAEL TAKES OVER
Yirenkyi Opare-Akuffo
Ishmael won the Presidency in a fiercely contested elections held at the University of Development Studies, Nyankpala Campus during the 42nd annual delegates congress a month ago. He took over from Mr. Kweku Tuoho-Bombason. The other national officers sworn-in include Billy Jones Owusu, the General Secretary, Gabriel Adomako-the Financial Controller and Patrick Ayittah- the Coordinating Secretary. Also sworn-in are Daniel Thompson for the position of the Programs and Projects Secretary, Bahiratu Kamal as the Women’s Commissioner and Delali Pearce-Kporha sworn-in as the International Relations Officer. The rest are Banning Ahmed and Malik Abass Daabu sworn-in as Education and Democratization Secretary and Press & Information Secretary respectively. Simon Amanor, Kwaku Mensah John and Abdul Karim were also sworn-in by the new NUGS President to represent NUGS on the National Youth Council, GETFund and the All African Students Union respectively.
Mr. Kweku Tuoho-Bombason the out-gone NUGS President in his farewell speech paid a glowing tribute to the late Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu saying, the late Minister had been very supportive to his administration and NUGS in general.
Mr. Bombason said, the past NUGS year has been eventful, one carrying with it both memorable and regrettable ones. He said, “regrettable as some of those moments may be, they provided us with great learning opportunities that guided us in our resolve to ensure that the interests of our constituents were adequately protected”.
Mr. Bombason enumerated some of the successes chalked by his administration. He said, primary among them was the redefining of NUGS, which meant having a united student front capable of bargaining and lobbying strongly for its needs, a student front which will allow its internal structures to work, and one that will resolve its disputes without having to resort to media war thereby ridiculing its own leaders. He said it was through the hard work of his administration that NUGS now have a seven year strategic development plan that will serve as a blue print for the Union’s development, a new Constitution, and financial procedures manual to regulate the management of the Union’s finance.
Mr. Bombason said, it was under his leadership that NUGS got the international recognition that it deserved. He said, this was evident in the Union’s invitation and participation in a United Nations programme in the United States, a youth leadership programme at the Liverpool University in the United Kingdom, and Global University Network for Innovation –Africa programme in Nigeria. He also touched on the successful organization of the 42nd National Delegates Congress which was recently held at the University for Development Studies on the theme; “Ensuring Peaceful, Free and Fair Election 2008; the Role of the Student”. He said all these and many more successes could not have been possible if not for teamwork and discipline on the part of national officers against the background that "I and my colleagues inherited a suspicious, image battered union", he said.
The out-gone NUGS President seized the opportunity to advise the in-coming national officers to make teamwork their habit, and to be wholly committed to the struggle for the students of Ghana. He reminded them of the need to leave above partisan politics as that some few years ago was the waterloo of the union but rather place the interest of the students of Ghana as their core business.
Mr. Bombason advised politicians to be more tolerant of each other and dissenting opinions, for he said, these are fundamental elements of a true democracy. He reiterated NUGS call on all well-meaning Ghanaians to put their hands on deck to ensure a successful election come December 7.
Ishmael Tweneboah-Kodua in his acceptance speech said, he and his colleagues are aware of the task ahead of them. He said moving the union forward in historic strides on her progressive path as the champion of students’ unity and freedom shall be a non-negotiable agenda. “Fellow students, he said, to respond is positive but to react is negative and so NUGS under my tutelage will not be a reactionary organization and will not take adhoc decisions.
Mr. Tweneboah-Kodua said, “the unprecedented overwhelming endorsement I received from students across Ghana at Nyankpala during our congress speaks volumes of the level of confidence my colleagues have in me. I cannot betray that trust and confidence reposed in me as well as my colleagues”.
He called on all other stakeholders to partner his administration because every support extended to us will be applied only to the benefit of the Ghanaian student in particular and Ghanaians in general. He said.
The Chairman for the occasion, Professor Nana Steve Sobotie advised the new executives to live above reproach and let their lives reflect their new responsibilities. He said they should first and foremost remember that they are students, and must therefore combine effectively their new roles as student leaders and their academic work. He said there is the need for them to change a lot of things about them especially the way they talk and relate to people.
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