Workshop on Women in Governance opened in Tema

Tema, Jan 08, GNA- Women in Law and Development in Africa WiLDAF, has organised a workshop on Good Governance and women's participation for female assembly members and women's group in Tema. The workshop is the first of a ten-day programme supported by the European Union (EU), to enhance women's participation in Good Governance.

In an address, the Programme Co-coordinator of WiLDAF Ghana, Ms Bernice Sam said the project is being implemented in seven West African states with a total number of 455 beneficiaries.

She said WiLDAF has identified that development policies, plans and programmes adopted at national and decentralized levels do not take into consideration the needs and interests of women.

She said for instance statistics available to them indicates that the number of women in parliament in the sub-region is 11.3 percent, whiles that of Ghana is 10.9 percent with only 7 percent at the decentralized level.

The workshop, she said is therefore one of the many efforts of WiLDAF Ghana in collaboration with its sub-Regional Office (WASRO), in Togo to redefine priorities during adoption of policies and programmes that will take into consideration women's view points, needs and interest.

Participants at the workshop would be taken through the basic Human rights of women, Decentralization, Budget and Gender Budgeting, Planning and Programming as well as Lobbying and Advocacy. In a brief statement the Ankobea Atukpai of Accra, Naa Akuye the First condemned the practice of widowhood rights in some parts of the country, which she said goes against the human rights of women. This is because some women do not have enough education on their rights and expressed the hope that such workshops would be carried out through the country to empower women on their rights.