By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, Aug. 11, GNA- Dr. Daniel Appiah, of the Department of Public Administration and Health has called on men to give full support to women and allow them a space in the decision-making processes both at home and public service.
He said, women since 1831 had been key figures in the socio-political discourse of the country and had carried out amazing functions that brought great victories to their immediate families and the country.
Dr. Appiah was speaking during a day’s capacity building workshop organized by the National Association of Local Authorities (NALAG) in Ghana for Women assembly members drawn from the various Districts of the Western Region to encourage effective participation in the local governance processes.
He mentioned the distinguished role of women in the drafting of the 1831 constitution of Ghana, Theodocia Okoh for the Ghana Flag, Esther Ocloo-Nkulenu, Yaa Asantewaa and present-day women who were doing well and thus the need for society to support the agenda for women participation in leadership for the betterment of society.
Dr. Appiah added that, the selflessness of women coupled with their love and compassion for humanity had always made them rule well adding, “look at countries with women Presidents and women majority in leadership and see if you can find corruption in its excess rather than development”.
It is, however, sad that though women constitute 50.7 percent of the country’s population only a few are in public life and in decision making levels across the country.
Dr. Appiah therefore admonished the men saying, “men should not think that they can make better policies for the women when we don’t really understand their physiological make-up…. if We want to improve with accurate information on women…then we cannot also afford to leave them behind”.
“As a country, we need One Male: One Female initiative that is ‘IMIF’ just like other government initiatives to help realize the United Nations goal five on gender equality.”
The UN goal five indicates that most women would be given full participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life.
Ms. Gladys Otae Addo, National Executive Member of NALAG for the Women group said women were versatile and could shoulder more responsibility and carry them out effectively.
Ms Addo entreated society not to tag women who aspired higher in leadership or political life as lioness, witches or people who want to fight the male race but as equal partners in development.
“The negative perception is so much. If you want to contest, they tell you, women power, boss woman, a woman lion, you know, a whole lot of negative perceptions, but these should not stop us as women who want to make the change in our communities”.
Ms. Addo therefore called on women leaders to also mentor young ones in their various communities in the quest to improve upon women participation in the decision-making processes in politics, economic and public life.
GNA