Ghana: African Leaders Accused of Stalling Advancement of Gender Equity
By Frederick Asiamah

May 18, 2007 – (Accra) Gender-sensitive civil society groups have criticized African leaders for lacking the requisite political will and commitment needed to advance gender evenhandedness.

Political leaders on the continent are very good at formulating pro-gender laws and policies, but they resort to feet-dragging when it comes to implementation, the groups concluded at a day's roundtable held in Accra last Tuesday.

The Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) organised the forum to assess progress being made in the implementation of the "Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa." Participants were drawn from Ghana, Benin, Togo, Gambia, DR Congo, etc.

With specific reference to the implementation of the protocol, the participants were of the view that various African governments have failed to achieve measurable success because they have demonstrated little or no political commitment towards the instrument's implementation although many of them have ratified it.

The Protocol, which offers adequate protection for the rights of women was adopted in July 2003, eight years after the commencement of the drafting process in Lome, Togo in March 1995. However, before entering into force, the protocol required ratification in 15 member countries in accordance with Article 29 of the Protocol. In October 2005, Togo became the 15th member country to ratify and deposit the Protocol before the Commission of the African Union.

Ghana on its part ratified the Protocol last March, but beyond that no concrete progress has been made. Generally, political leaders are said to have blamed their inactions on the lack of funds.
On the other hand, the participants think the excuse is a 'big joke,' especially because these same leaders always find money to pursue other interests- buying of arms, financing elections and expensive trips abroad etc.

They therefore registered their discontent at the state of progress with respect to the setting up of structures that will facilitate the execution of the Protocol, and urged continental and sub-regional governments to exhibit more commitment to the process.

Sharing her views in an interview with Public Agenda, Mrs. Joana Opare, a Gender and Development Consultant said perhaps, many political leaders demonstrate indifference towards gender issues because they lack passion for such issues.

According to her, if African leaders, prior to entering politics, were to involve themselves in the struggle for gender equity, they would better appreciate the efforts being made and push for more gender-sensitive policies.

However, Madam Elizabeth Akpalu, also a Gender and Development Consultant holds a different view. She believes that many politicians, including those who were very active in gender advocacy have had their thoughts clouded by selfish and parochial interests.

She argued that some well-known gender advocates, including women, once they entered the political arena have developed new aspirations, hence they have relegated the collective interest of women to the background.

Presenting a paper on the "Post Ratification Actions/Strategies by Civil Society - Experience from other Countries," Madam Kafui Kuwonu, Programme Officer, WiLDAF West Africa Office, Togo called for strategies that would assist in increasing the number of women who will participate in future elections on the continent.

To achieve this civil society and gender activists need to exert continuous pressure on governments, she suggested. Madam Kuwonu lamented the precarious state of women participation in decision- making in countries such as Benin, Togo and Senegal.

Earlier, Miss Efua Brown Eyeson, Secretary to the Executive Chair of WiLDAF Ghana Chapter in a presentation on "Ghana's commitment to the implementation of the Protocol," noted that apart from ratifying the Protocol, Ghana has also promulgated a number of laws and adopted policies, all aimed at empowering women.

However, she observed that there are capacity constraints in terms of logistics, which are affecting the effective implementation of laws by the appropriate implementing agencies.

From:http://allafrica.com/stories/200705211284.html