National Gender Policy to be reviewed this year – Gender Ministry

Dr Comfort Asare, Director, Department of Gender of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has said the ministry would review the National Gender Policy this year.

She said the new policy would be crafted to keep abreast with the current state of gender matters, including issues of gender equality in technology, employment and remuneration, climate change, among others.

Mrs Asare said these at the International Women’s Day Dialogue organised by Developers in Vogue, a non-governmental organisation championing gender empowerment and equality.

The event was held under the theme: “Closing the Gap for Women in Tech.” Mrs Asare said it has become important for the policy, which was developed in 2015, to be looked at again to meet contemporary demands in achieving gender equality.

“We are going to review the policy to ensure it captures all the important things that we need to do as a ministry to lead and to guide our drive for gender equality,” she said.

She said the ministry has plans to integrate all groups and bodies that are advocates for gender equality and empowerment towards its national strategy policy on gender.

The Director said they are developing a guide to restructure appointments of focal persons to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the country to ensure that people are well equipped and knowledgeable to champion gender empowerment in those areas.

Mr Andrew Barnes, Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, said the economic empowerment of women is significant to national economic growth and prosperity.

He said an increase in female labour force participation or reduction in the gap between women and men labour force participation would result in faster economic growth, adding that, it is estimated that $12 trillion could be added to global GDP by 2025 by advancing gender equality.

“There are, to be sure, multiple barriers that prevent women from entering the formal economy. This is particularly evident in non-traditional career fields, where women make up 25 per cent or less of the workforce, such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM),” he said.

He urged local businesses to hire more women into roles traditionally taken by men saying studies show that gender balance at the workplace improves productivity and drives creativity.

Ms Janet Boakye, Partnership Manager of Developers in Vogue, said it is important for stakeholders and policymakers of women’s empowerment to develop deliberate and intentional action plans to achieve the target.

She said making deliberate decisions on improving the participation of women in areas such as technology, politics and governance among others was important to ensure gender equality.

“We have to draw intentional strategies like getting a quota for women in parliament or in public sector and stay committed to achieving that target in the country,” she said.