By Rosemary Wayo
Tamale, Oct 26, GNA – Media practitioners have been urged to project women enough in their reportage to help promote their participation in this year’s District Assembly Elections, scheduled for December 19.
They were further urged to highlight the successes of women in politics as a way of empowering them to take up leadership roles.
Stakeholders, who led discussions on gender issues, made the call at a public forum on the 2023 District Assembly Elections in Tamale.
The event was organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in partnership with Norsaac and funded by OXFAM in Ghana.
It was to inspire women to embrace leadership positions, particularly to contest in the District Assembly Elections.
It was on the theme: “Improving Women’s Participation in the 2023 District Assembly Elections in Ghana: The Role of the Media.”
The forum was chaired by Prof Yakubu Nantogmah, Chief of Zugu, and attended by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), political party representatives, traditional leaders as well as students.
Madam Bushira Alhassan, Northern Regional Director of the Department of Gender, who was the keynote speaker at the event, said the media must take affirmative action in favour of women in showcasing their pivotal role in changing narratives to ensure that women secured slots in the 2023 elections.
She said, “The media has a unique opportunity to educate the public on the importance of choosing competent women as leaders, by showcasing stories of Assembly women, who have exceled at their roles.”
Mr Mohammed Awal Alhassan, Executive Director of Norsaac, said the media empanelled people to discuss development issues in a way that excluded women.
He said the media generalised shortcomings of some women, who failed at their positions, in an unacceptable way, adding it repressed women’s ability and public trust in putting women at the forefront.
He urged media outlets to create platforms that would build the confidence of women to enable them to contribute meaningfully to development issues.
The event featured a panel discussion on the subject of setting a roadmap for implementation.
The panelists were Hajia Mariam Iddrisu, Executive Director of Girls to Women Foundation, Hajia Lamnatu Adam, Executive Director of Songtaba, Miss Ewurama Attoh, Journalist and Founder of Ewurama Foundation and Mr Benjamin Kafari, Director of ASERD.
Mr Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of MFWA, expressed the need to increase women’s participation at decision-making positions.
GNA