'How The CPP Will Do It

STATEMENT BY MRS.

ELIZABETH QUARCOR AKPALU, CPP SHADOW

CABINET MEMBER FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

AFFAIRS, AT THE SIXTH IN THE SERIES OF

“HOW CPP WILL DO IT” HELD AT

PARTY HEADQUARTERS, ASYLUM DOWN

ACCRA, ON WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 27, 2010 AT 10:00AM.

INTRODUCTION:

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MOWAC) was

established in 2001 to promote gender equitable policies and programmes for

Women and Children in Ghana. Since its establishment a lot has been done but a

lot still needs to be done.

The growing poverty, deprivation and exclusion of the rural

and urban poor have disproportionately affected women and children in Ghana.

There is also high incidence of maternal and infant mortality and deaths from

illegal and unsafe abortions as a consequence of inadequacies in reproductive

health facilities and practices. Irrespective of the fact that women constitute

more than 50 % of the population and make meaningful contributions to society,

their voices are not heard.

This is due to the persisting undemocratic political cultures

and processes. Ghana has failed to honour its obligations to the International

Instruments signed such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), The Beijing Platform for Action and its Outcome

Documents (Beijing +5, 10 and15) and other International instruments to promote

gender equality. The results are that decades of efforts at achieving gender

equality and equity have yielded very little.

CURRENT SITUATION:

One in three household s in Ghana (33.6%) has a female head

(GLSS2000).

Though female headship is not synonymous with poverty,

certain characteristics of some female headed households are predisposing

factors to poverty. The quality of employment of the household head appears to

be more important than other households’ characteristics.

According to the World Bank, gender disparities in education

and health are greater among the poor (World Bank 2001).41 % of women as

opposed to 21.1% of men, as ratio of 2:1 has no formal education. Given that

access to most positions in the formal employment sector now require Secondary

or higher formal education, female apprentices have a much narrower range of

training options than men because of gender segregation in artisanal

occupations.

Almost all the apprentices training to be carpenters, masons,

blacksmiths, mechanics, repairs of electrical and electronic appliances,

painters, upholsterer’s car body workers and sprayers, metal workers and

drivers are male. The earning capacities of most of these occupations are

higher than for sewing hairdressing and catering, the three (3) most popular

options for women.

“The biggest enemy of health is poverty” as the UN Secretary

General, Mr. Kofi Annan urged in his address to 2001 World Health Assembly.

Poor women bear an increased burden of disease because of

their lower social status, poor access to education, health and other resources

and harmful cultural practices. Women in Ghana are at a higher risk of dying

from pregnancy related causes of maternal mortality. It is estimated at 214 maternal

deaths per 100,000 live births as compared with 10 maternal deaths per 100,000 live

births in developed countries. The picture is even grimmer for regions with

high levels of poverty in Ghana. In parts of the Northern region it is between

500 maternal deaths to 800 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The

prevalence of HIV&AIDS in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa throw gender

inequalities into sharp focus.

Apart from physiological factors, socio-economic conditions including

gender inequalities are central to the women greater vulnerability to the virus

than men.

Women are often unable to protect themselves from infections and

one of the main reasons associated with this is their inability to negotiate

for safe sex, particularly when economically or socially dependent on their

partners.

Male behaviour arising from their social superiority such as

their ability to have multiple sexual partners across a wide range of age

groups without suffering opprobrium makes them vectors in the spread of

HIV&AIDS (World Population Monitoring, 2001).

In Ghana more than 90% of all AIDS cases are found in people

between the ages of 15-49 and 2/3 of the cases are female (Ministry of Health

2001). The lessons from other countries such as Malaysia and Thailand suggest

that distribution programmes instituted and implemented by the state have been

a critical factor in comprehensive poverty reduction.

It is clear from the foregoing that there are important

gender and regional inequalities in poverty in Ghana. More is needed for

poverty reduction and gender equality,

What the CPP will do to

move the current to the desirable state

In 2007 the NPP government began to implement gender equality

by starting gender responsive budgeting in three sector ministries;

Agriculture, Health and Education. To date, no evaluation of the impact has

been documented. MOWAC under the NDC

government stated that the three sector ministries will be increased to eleven.

The budget is the most important policy tool of every

government that can be used to raise the living standards of the disadvantaged

in society, including women. Increased resource allocation can only be obtained

through the budget process to design policies and implement programmes to

address gaps and inequities that have been identified in various gender

assessments to be the most pertinent issues.

Gender responsive budgeting calls for gender disaggregated

statistical data and information needed for effective programme design and

implementation.

Availability of disaggregated data will facilitate targeting

of programmes to ensure maximum results.

Gender Budgeting at

Sectoral /Departmental level

It is at this level that most of the work of mainstreaming

gender budgeting takes place. From this level influence can be brought to bear

on annual budget decisions taken by the Ministry of Finance.

The CPP will therefore establish Gender Desk Officers (GDOs) as

part of the District Planning Coordinating Unit (DPCU) and the Regional

Planning Coordinating Units (RPCUs). The GDOs working together with the DPCUs

and the RPCUs will collect gender disaggregated data which will help to

identify the inequalities and allow for budgets to be allocated supporting

gender responsive activities and programmes. Currently there are no formal

directives from the Ministries of Local Government and Rural Development and of

Women and Children Affairs making them part of the DPCU.

The bulk of the poor, especially women are engaged in

agriculture food crops, livestock and fisheries. These areas require serious

attention from the state if there is a real commitment to poverty reduction and

gender equality.

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs in its Strategic

Implementation Plan of 2005-2008 stated as its strategic objective to advocate

the passage of the Affirmative Policy of 1998 and operationalize it. Among

MOWAC’s priorities was to formalize and replicate the gender desk officers at

the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembles and provide guidelines for

setting them up in collaboration with district assembles.

Women political participation is central to the democratic

governance. Women constitute half of the world’s population and cannot be

excluded from either participation or representation. Equal participation of

men and women in making decisions is the only way through which women can enjoy

their rights as citizens of a country. Ghana as a country has signed documents

that make it obligatory for government to introduce measures that will increase

the number of women in politics.

Yet, the only form of quota that has ever been introduced in

Ghana is the quota for 10 women the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in 1960 by

Dr Kwame Nkrumah who were elected to special women’s seats. They are Susanna

Alhassan, Ayanori Bukari and Victoria Nyarku (Northern region); Sophia Doku and

Mary Koranteng – (Eastern region); Lucy Anin (Brong –Ahafo region); Regina

Asamany (Volta region); Comfort Asamoah (Ashanti region); Grace Ayensu and

Christiana Wilmot (Western region).

The absence of a legal framework to validate and enforce an

Affirmation Action (AA) Policy as well as the lack of properly thought out,

well coordinated strategy for promoting women participation in public life has

been a major challenge.

The CPP government

will intensify advocacy on AA and push for legislation to make it mandatory for

political parties to implement AA progressively. This will increase the number

of women candidates for district and parliamentary elections as well as all

structures in 2012 and progressively reach the 50 percent required by the AU.

The CPP government will consider electoral reforms and

constitutional amendments to address the gender imbalance. It will also build

consensus between political parties, women themselves, important agencies like

the Electoral Commission and think tanks such as the CDD, IDEG and IEA among

others in preparation for 2012 and beyond.

The winner takes all or the majoritarian electoral system is

a major impediment for women gaining political positions, especially when

compared to proportional representation

systems used around the world.

A CPP government will focus on proposals that advocate

proportional representation with the view to improve the representation of

women across board. To ensure that proportional representation system succeeds

in Ghana, parties should be required by legislation to submit gender balanced

party list and fill seats won with an equal proportion of women. This is where

the political funding law should apply sanctions; my comrade for Political

Affairs will elaborate on this system fully.

Maternal Mortality

The Ghana Maternal Mortality Survey of2008 showed a slow

decline of maternal deaths from 503 per 100,000 live births in 2005 to 451 per

100,000 live births in 2008.With this trend, maternal mortality will reduce to

only 340 per 100,000 live births by 2015 which makes it unlikely for Ghana to

meet the MDG target of 185 per 100,000 live births.

A CPP government will take steps to accelerate the pace of

maternal health intervention. Delivery in all public hospitals across the

country is free to support the reduction of maternal mortality. Although this

is an important development, implementation of such policies has had serious

challenges. There are still issues of access and inadequate personnel in our health

facilities.

A CPP government will ensure that there are district

hospitals, well equipped with trained personnel especially midwives to ensure

safe delivery. More nurses, midwifery training institutions will be opened.

Education on Family Planning will be vigorously factored into the

implementation of this policy.

Protection of our

Children

As a country we have signed unto the United Nations

Convention on the Child, passed the Children’s Act of 1998, the Juvenile

Justice Act of 2003, and the Human Trafficking Act of 2005. A CPP government

will ensure that all these legal provisions and programmes designed to improve

the welfare of the Ghanaian child are implemented fully. A CPP government will

also introduce innovations to enhance protection and development of our

children. A CPP government will collaborate with the Ministry of Health and

other related institutions to improve the health status of children especially

in areas of nutrition, malaria among others. The state should invest not only in

children’s health needs but also in their educational and nutritional needs.

Categories of malnourishment in children aged 0-5 years should be fully

addressed in both urban and rural areas. Given the adverse impacts these have

on children’s physical and mental development urgent attention is required and

adequate resources must be provided. A CPP government will expand the School Feeding

Programme to cover all deprived areas to ensure that the average child is

assured of one balanced meal. Investing in our children is a must and a CPP

government will not over look this responsibility.

A CPP Government will put in place Formation Programmes for children

to train them as was done in the first Republic.

Amongst others, a CPP government will introduce a children’s Budget

to track public resources devoted to the welfare of the Ghanaian child

especially in education, skills development and sports, including those from

oil and gas.

Although the MDGs call for free basic education, a CPP government will go beyond

that to ensure that secondary education and tertiary

education are free and accessible to build the formidable workforce to

transform the economy. Education will be compulsory and continuous till the

attainment of 18 years.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen, rhetoric alone cannot bring about change

that is why policy is important. A CPP government will address gender

inequalities with policies to ensure sustainable development and transformation

of Ghana.

A CPP government will institutionalize gender analysis of

policies, plans and budgets as a pre- requisite for approval of all sector

ministries. Above all, a CPP government will endeavour to ensure that all

sections of the population, male and female will be effectively engaged in all

matters of policy making, governance and resource allocation.

We need a well resourced (technical, institutional and

financial) and focused MOWAC. What we need is a return to Nkrumah’s vision of

building a dynamic and confident nation with both men and women having a place

at the table.

THANK YOU.