Government will enact and enforce laws on gender equality – MP

Women in the country have been given full assurance that government will ensure laws that promote gender parity are enacted and enforced.

Deputy minister-designate for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Madam Patricia Appiagyei who gave the assurance was interacting with 3FM on the sidelines of the 61st session of the Commission on the Status of Women currently underway in New York.

Madam Appiagyei who is also Member of Parliament for the Asokwa constituency and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government said, for instance, most of the challenges confronting Ghanaian women in their quest for equity “would be addressed by the proposed Affirmative Action Bill”.

She maintains MPs have to “do some lobbying and talking to the right people to ensure the Bills that ensure gender parity, particularly the Affirmative Action Bill are passed into Acts (of Parliament) for full implementation because such laws will facilitate the attainment of gender parity”.

Asked of initiatives that would be implemented to ensure that Ghanaian women and farmers are not left behind with respect to innovation, the MP admitted legislative must supersede social norms.

“First of all if the woman farmer doesn’t own the land but is only supporting the husband as pertains in the social practice, it becomes very difficult for them becoming financially empowered so there is the need to re-look at that aspect where the women can own their own lands, to increase their yields through reviewed legislative.

“We know they are also faced with financial challenges therefore we are looking at the enactment of laws that can help them access funding”. Patricia Appiagyei also acknowledged critical roles played by education and technology.

“If our children are well educated they can be directed as to the areas they can make impact especially with technology. We are also looking at mechanized farming with respect to ICT so that our women can increase their productivity. This year marks the 61st session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

The conference is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The focus this year is on Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work.