Gender equality isn’t about pitting girls against boys - Bono Minister

The Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene, has suggested that the advocacy for women's advancement should not come at the expense of men nor pitting girls against boys.

Speaking to a Sunyani-based radio station to mark International Women's Day, she stated that she always wants women to rise but does not want to see women rise only on the basis of others doing worse.

She said the long advocacy is never about setting Ghanaians against each other, trying to push some down to lift others up.

The Minister, however, rejected the notion that girls doing well must mean that boys do badly, adding that the advocate is that gender equality isn't about pitting girls against boys.

According to her, "it is an absolutely liberal value that you don't push some people down to lift some people up. We want everybody to do better, and we want to see the rise of women in this country be accelerated to ensure that their overall place is maintained, which is good for both women and men".

She said Justina Owusu Banahene reiterated that gender equality gives all sexes more freedom and choice at work, at home, and in their relationships.

She added that "women's advancement is not about conflict. It's about recognising that girls and women deserve an equal stake in the economy and society".

She said a change in mindset and behaviour is imperative to uphold gender equality and empower women's equal participation in all spheres for a fairer and more equitable society.

According to Justina Owusu Banahene, Ghana has, over time, made significant progress with regard to improving women's standards of living and quality of life.

Bono Minister was grateful to Sunyani Technical University (STU) for recently introducing a project to advance women in engineering programs at the university by offering a 20% discount on school fees for all female engineering students, beginning from the next academic year.

She also lauded the efforts of every stakeholder who has contributed to women's emancipation and gender equality. Yet regrettably, she said, domestic violence is still prevailing in Ghanaian society, especially Bono region.

She, therefore, urged parents and families to educate their children right from an early age on women as equal to men and to imbue in them the right value; the fight for women's rights demands equal participation of women.

She noted that the NPP government is committed to addressing the most pressing barriers for women, issues such as increasing investment in gender equality, reaching parity for women at all levels of decision-making and disavowing and changing social norms that perpetuate discrimination and violence against women.

The term gender equality does not just apply to women in the boardroom; it reaches into our classrooms and onto our playgrounds. It belongs to little girls and young women who want to pursue careers in science, math, engineering, politics, construction, and computer technology in a society that largely still contends that these are fields to be pursued by males.

By the same token, it also relates to a growing number of men taking on the responsibility of caring for children as their female partners work and breaking down other traditional gender stereotypes that have dictated the specific roles of men and women in the home.

International Women's Day provides the opportunity to celebrate the social, political, and economic achievements of women while at the same time focusing the world's attention on areas requiring further action.

Celebrated annually on March 8, International Women's Day is one of the most important days of the year to celebrate women's achievements, raise awareness about women's equality, lobby for accelerated gender parity, and fundraise for female-focused charities.

Furthermore, International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality.