Monday, September 28, 2009

How Nkrumah empowered Ghanaian women

Article: Salome Donkor
THE role of women in politics and other public offices is one of the burning governance issues, largely because of the perceived and acknowledged potential and contribution of women to governance.
A recent study by Dr Beatrix Allah-Mensah of the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, Legon, on Women in Politics and Public Life indicated that there was ample evidence to substantiate the indispensable role women played in the prelude to independence and immediately after it.
The study revealed that the role of women was evident in the support they gave to the main political party of the time, the Convention People’s Party (CPP), and it is also on record that women traders were keen supporters of the CPP government and also offered financial assistance and supportive services.
Soon after the formation of the CPP in 1949, for instance, some of them, notably Akua Asabea, stood shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts like Kofi Baako and Sacki Scheck as they toured the country and addressed large rallies to spread the message of ‘Independence Now’ for Ghana.
Hanna Cudjoe, for instance, did not only heroically rally the people behind the independent struggle, but also went a step ahead in establishing day care centres and day nurseries.
She worked extensively in the northern Ghana under the direction of Dr Nkrumah, who gave her the task of convincing women in certain parts of northern Ghana to discard some outmoded culture in the area .
During the early period of the struggle in May 1951, the CPP appointed Hanna Cudjoe, Ama Nkrumah, Letitia Quaye and Sophia Doku as propaganda secretaries with the responsibility of organising the CPP Women’s League.
Under the league, the women were divided into subsections at branch and ward levels. They organised rallies, dances and picnics as strategies to mobilise more people for early independence delayed by the colonialists for about a century.
Hanna Cudjoe was the Head of the Ghana Women’s League, and in 1960, the Women’s League and the Ghana Federation of Women, led by Evelyn Amarteifio, were merged to form the National Council of Ghana Women (NCGW) to replace the women’s section of the CPP.
The women’s movement was inaugurated by Dr Nkrumah on September 10, 1960 as the only organisation under which all Ghanaian women were to be organised to help achieve government post-independent political, social, economic and educational development of Ghana. The party leadership, therefore, institutionalised the initiative by making constitutional provisions for women’s league at the branch and ward levels as the main organising framework for women in the party. It was, therefore, not surprising that the party gave credit to women for the internal solidarity, cohesion and success of the CPP.
Mention could also be made of the role of Dr Mrs Letitia Obeng, an educationist, and other women who were nurses, broadcasters, judges and lawyers, who became part and parcel of the independence struggle.
Though not very visible like their male counterparts in the frontline, the female politicians, nonetheless, provided a vanguard force, rallying their families, communities, trade and various interest groups to join the struggle for national independence.
Allah-Mensah’s writing on ‘Women and politics in Ghana, 1993-2003’, cited in a book titled “One Decade of the Liberal State”, and edited by Kwame Boafo-Arthur (2007), states that the action was largely responsible for the development of the women’s wing of the party and also for the youth organisation. She records that women were efficient organisers who could bring thousands of people together for a rally at very short notice.
Indeed, it is noted that the NCGW and other groups were systematically and strategically co-opted into the CPP and given party membership cards as the only valid membership cards.
A paper written by Ms Joyce Rosalind Aryee, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, on the “Contributions of Women to Ghana’s Independence and Democratic Governance”, dated March 2007 and quoted in the study by Dr Allah-Mensah, pointed out that Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s political success was based on the foundation set for women by the CPP.
It said in 1949, many benevolent and mutual associations, credit unions and market women’s voluntary groups sprang up and became staunch supporters of Dr Nkrumah and the CPP in general. It said those associations, though were not at the forefront of the independence struggle, were involved in activities which were politically significant.
The contribution of women to the political struggle caught the eyes of the leadership of the CPP and by May 1951, the party had appointed four women, namely Letitia Quaye, Miss Sophia Doku, Hannah Cudjoe and Ama Nkrumah as propaganda secretaries charged with the duty of organising women.
In spite of the role of women in the political struggle, there was no woman in Cabinet when Ghana attained republican status, but the contribution of women to Ghanaian politics after independence, resulting in the introduction of the Representation of the People (Women Members) Bill in 1960. The bill was passed and it received the Governor-general’s assent on June 16, 1960.
Through that act, 10 women were elected unopposed as Members of Parliament (MPs) in June 1960. They were Susana Al-Hassan, Ayanori Bukari and Victoria Nyarko, all representing the Northern Region, Sophia Doku and Mary Koranteng, Eastern Region and Regina Asamany, Volta Region.
The rest were Grace Ayensu and Christiana Wilmot, Western Region, Comfort Asamoah, Ashanti Region, and Lucy Anim, Brong Ahafo. That made Ghana one of the first African countries to introduce a quota system for women.
In 1965, Dr Nkrumah appointed Madam Susan Al-Hassan as the Minister of Social Welfare and Community Development, while others were appointed as district commissioners.
Over the past five decades after Ghana’s independence, the representation of women in local and national level politics, as well as in other areas of decision-making indicate that there was still much more to be done to ensure an effective representation of women in politics and other equally important sectors.

Challenge to enforcement of domestic violence laws

Article: Salome Donkor
Countries that have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) are legally bound to put its provisions into practice. By accepting the Convention, which was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, member states commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to end all forms of discrimination against women.
These states are enjoined by the Convention to incorporate the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system, abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women; establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination; and to ensure elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organisations or enterprises.
They are also committed to submit national reports, at least every four years, on measures they have taken to comply with their treaty obligations.
The Convention, often described as an international bill of rights for women consisting of a preamble and 30 articles, defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.
It defines discrimination against women as "...Any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field."
Ghana ratified CEDAW in 1986, and currently, 185 countries, constituting over ninety per cent of the members of the United Nations are party to the Convention. The latest country to append its signature is San Marino, on September 26, 2003, while Cook Islands assented the treaty on August 11, 2006.
The United States of America (USA) is among eight countries yet to ratify CEDAW, alongside Sudan, Somalia, Qatar, Iran, Nauru, Palau and Tonga.
States that have ratified the Convention are obligated to create laws that protect women on an equal basis with men, and to modify or abolish existing laws or customs that discriminate against women.
CEDAW is the only human rights treaty which affirms the reproductive rights of women, and targets culture and tradition as influential forces shaping gender roles and family relations. It affirms women's rights to acquire, change or retain their nationality and the nationality of their children. State parties also agree to take appropriate measures against all forms of traffic in women and their exploitation.
The Convention provides the basis for realising equality between women and men by ensuring women's equal access to, and equal opportunities in political and public life, including the right to vote and to stand for election, as well as education, health and employment.
Agencies of the state agree to take all appropriate measures, including legislation and temporary special measures, so that women can enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Despite the promising purposes of such statements, in reality the international convention that Ghana and other countries in the region have ratified have made little impact on a number of African countries.
According to Amnesty International, discrimination is the root cause of violence, and that impunity perpetuates violations and abuses. Violence against women is pervasive throughout the world. Approximately, one in three of the world’s women will experience violence at some point in their lives, with rates reaching 70 per cent in some countries.
Millions of women are abused each year, often in countries where they face discriminatory laws preventing them from seeking meaningful legal resource against such violence. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that globally, one woman in five will be a victim of rape or attempted rape during their lives. Within Africa, the estimate is one in three.
In Ghana, for example, bills that have clashed with cultural norms and religious beliefs have proven difficult to enforce. Individuals not widely in support of such laws may continue to deal with violence through traditional means, rather than turning to the protections of the law.
Numerous factors combine to limit women’s access to justice. Women’s lack of education about their legal rights may also inhibit some women from using laws once they are in place to protect them. For instance, a lack of access to formal education, limited legal literacy, and a lack of familiarity with the language of the courts may make court navigation difficult.
A research conducted by Action Aid Ghana, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and launched in 2007 to engender advocacy towards the implementation of the recommendations contained in the study on violence against women (VAW) in northern Ghana came up with certain revelations.
The study showed, among other things, that physical violence, denial of basic necessities, arbitrary dissolution of marriage, forced marriages and unnecessary reprimanding of women constituted acts of violence against women that were prevalent in northern Ghana.
The Network of Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), a coalition of organisations and individuals advocating gender equity, which made an assessment on issues of concern to women in Africa in 2008, established that discriminatory practices against women in the name of culture still prevailed in Africa with increasing efforts being made to address them.
A paper presented by Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, the NETRIGHT Convenor, during the organisation’s end-of-year event in Accra last year, indicated that an estimated three million girls a year are said to be at risk from the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) and many of them are in Africa.
She indicated that within the Ghanaian context , stories published on women during the period featured a range of themes and more than half of all the stories were on women, politics and decision-making, with a specific focus on the 2008 elections.
According to Dr Mensah-Kutin, other stories could be located within the general themes of violence against women, women's health, beauty and entertainment, women and the economy, as well as discriminatory practices against women.
Ghana has incorporated the Convention’s provisions into the laws and practices of the country, resulting in the enactment of laws such as the Domestic Violence (DV) Act, 2000 (Act 732) Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694), and provisions in the 1992 Constitution to reduce violence against women and other human rights abuses by reversing discrimination and providing equal protection before the law.
However, the reality of the situation is that significant challenges affect the enforcement of domestic violence laws. Reports from the police indicate that it is often difficult to collect medical evidence to support domestic violence cases in the country, since there are a few medical facilities in rural areas where many women live, and even urban facilities may have inadequate resources to collect medical evidence. Many victims may also be unable to afford expensive medical tests, even if they are available.
At its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Accra recently, the Society of Ghana Women Medical and Dental Practitioners (SGWMDP) urged the government, as a State Party to CEDAW, to ensure the full implementation of all the Provisions and General Recommendations of the Convention.
The association congratulated Ghanaian women, women of the world and the United Nations for the entering into force 30 years ago of CEDAW, and pledged its full support to the realisation of the aims and principles of the CEDAW.
By ratifying the Convention, Ghana has the obligation to protect certain groups and provide the special care and assistance required for the physical and mental well-being of women and children, among others.
Women rights advocates have recommended that the government should provide skills training and free medical care for women who are victims of violence, as well as provide logistics to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the police to strengthen their work.
They also suggest that non-governmental and civil society organisations should institute legal aid schemes to support victims of violence and also strengthen women’s pressure groups to fight for the rights of women.
Advocates must continue to engage in targeted outreach and education in order to ensure that communities understand and support the protections that domestic violence laws can provide so that victims can choose to make use of such laws.

Business Women’s Summit opens in October

Article: Salome Donkor
THE United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), in its 2008 report on Progress of the World’s Women, says that gender bias has meant that “women have been more concentrated than men in informal, subsistence and ‘vulnerable’ employment”. According to the report, ‘vulnerable’ employment referred to self-employment and jobs without salaries in family-owned businesses.
Global reports indicate that women constitute more than half of the world’s population. However, the fact remains that advances have been limited in the economic realm and for poor women in particular, as a result of disadvantanges that are often entrenched in social institutions, economic policies and development strategies that have not adequately recognised the important role of women in economic development and poverty reduction, and as important agents of change.
According to the International labour Organisation (ILO) fewer than 1 in 5 working women in sub-Saharan Africa received regular wages or salaries, compared to a third of employed African men and almost 93 per cent of women in the developed countries.
Looking ahead to 2015 and beyond, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon observes that although it is possible to achieve the overarching goal of ending poverty by 2015, “it requires an unswerving, collective, long-term effort."
In this respect, greater global co-operation is required to resolve the current challenges confronting women, to enable them play their respective roles towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that relate to providing basic human rights to each person on the planet to, namely health, education, shelter, and security.
Concerned with how women, particularly Ghanaian women, can contribute to redesigning global systems and practises in the quest to create a better world, the Eagle Women Empowerment Club (EWEC), in collaboration with the African Business Women’s Network, is organising an international business women’s summit from October 21 - 22 at the National Theatre, in Accra.
The summit is being facilitated by Vital Voices, Exxon Mobil and Fortune 500 Companies, “Synchronising Global Business – A new orientation for the African woman”. Advocacy will also be around high interest rates in many African countries- a major threat to SMEs.
Participants include leading Fortune 500 women, representation from the World Economic Forum, government representatives, business women and women leaders in organisations from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon, Liberia, and other African countries.
Launched in 2008 as a networking platform for women, EWEC is the local chapter of the Africa Businesswomen’s Network (ABWN), an association of businesswomen’s organisation throughout Africa. ABWN is powered by Vital Voices, Exxon Mobil and supported by Fortune 500.
The goal of the club is to build a network of businesswomen’s organisation in Africa in order to expand the number of women suceeding as entrepreneurs and leaders in the corporate world; to raise the profile and credibility of women in business; to foster global networking opportunities among businesswomen; and to advocate policies that expand economic opportunities for women.
The President of EWEC, Ms Juliet Asante said the number of women performing roles as bread winners continued to increase every year, adding that research shows that women-led companies survived better than alternatives.
She said the back bone of every economy is its SMEs, and especially, in Africa, the majority of SMEs were owned or run by women and as a result, woman obviously had the main responsibility of the home.
She pointed out that it was obvious that any developing country that was serious about closing the poverty gap, cannot continue to ignore the real threat of disempowering such a powerful part of its society and economy, stressing that it is a fact that the world cannot continue to ignore the importance of including women in the decision-making process at all levels.
She said the summit would explore the unique contributions that women could make towards achieving a better world culture. The focus will be the awakening of the woman to see the current world situation as an opportunity to fine-tune and emerge from the world crisis as better business people, through best practices and advocacy aimed at ensuring a better future for all peoples.
She said during the summit, participants will dialogue with Fortune 500 women, through panel discussions and Workshops.
Another important part of the summit will also be a discussion on the Global Re-design Project put forward by the World Economic Forum, and how women can add their voices to the ongoing dialogue.
Some key presentations will be on: branding/ visionary leadership/ the questions of succession/ women transcending cultural limitations/ entering new markets/ corporate social responsibility, etc. all of which is aimed at better positioning the Woman leader to fearlessly improve her environment for the betterment of society.

Negative aspects of widowhood rites

Story: Salome Donkor
Widowhood practices vary among various ethnic groups in the country, some impacting negatively on widows and orphans. Among some ethnic groups, widows are forced to strip naked in public and undergo other unpleasant exercises that abuse their right to dignity.
In a report on violence against women in Ghana, the United Nations (UN) Division for the Advancement of Women indicated that widowhood rites included confining the widow to a room, shaving her head, having her wear a rope around her neck and making her go through a ritual bath.
The Widows and Orphans Ministry (WOM), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 1993 and based in Bolgatanga, whose mission is to fight for the interest of widows and orphans conducted research on inheritance in the Upper East Region and found that widowhood rites are considered dehumanising by many widows.
The organisation identified the following widowhood rites that include stripping a widow naked and having her wear only shea tree leaves; having the widow bathe naked in public; forcing the widow to marry a man from her late husband's family; having the widow feed the ritualist during and after the funeral; and isolating the widow and exposing her to black ants.
Compelling women to observe some of these cultural rites like compelling the widow to marry a man from her late husband's family, seem to increase their susceptibility to HIV transmission and endanger their lives.
Reports from the Upper West Region indicate that this practice nicknamed “Bye Election”, is prevalent in the area.
When reached on phone by this reporter to find more about the customary rite, the Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Women of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, Mrs Catherine Bob-Milliar, said widowhood inheritance that involved the remarriage of a widow to an elder brother of her late husband, was prevalent in parts of the region.
Explaining how the system operates, she said when a man died, the widow had to go through the traditional rite or pay the dowry, which sometimes involved four cows, to the relatives of her deceased husband and move out of her late husband’s compound, adding that the relatives of the deceased tended to be very unsympathetic to a widow who has no child with her late husband and refuses to perform the rite.
She said although the practice had some significance some years back, since it was seen as providing the widow and her children with some form of social security, it now needed a second look, considering the risk involved in the possible spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS.
Touching on other negative aspects of the practice, she said it sometimes resulted in domestic feud, considering the fact that the senior wife of the man, who is re-marrying a new wife, gets peeved.
According to Mrs Bob-Milliar, her department registered 7,000 widows, comprising young ones, as of 2002, and pointed out that the surprising thing is that these days most young girls who are widows, are not interested in the widowhood inheritance.
She said since the dowry was very high, particularly in Lawra, coupled with the high illiteracy rate among women, compared to men, women who found themselves in that condition had no option but to go through the practice.
She, however said, a few enlightened ones, who were economically empowered, preferred to refund the dowry to the family of the deceased to remarrying an elder brother of her deceased husband.
She said the Department of Women had intensified sensitisation programmes through dialogue with chiefs, opinion leaders and women leaders to enlighten them on the need to revise the customary rite in order to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and safeguard the health of the people.
When asked whether the affected women were not aware of PNDC Law 111 that protected a widow or widower, whose spouse died Intestate, Mrs Bob-Milliar said because of the payment of high dowry by husbands, women were seen as the ‘property’ of their husbands, adding that although widowhood rites were prohibited under Ghana's penal code many widows were not aware of this legislation.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Women need to be weary of self-styled pastors

Article: Salome Donkor
Recent reports of the spate of abuse of women by self-styled pastors and spiritualists amply demonstrate the extent to which frustration, anxiety and depression suffered by these women can drive them to do things that cannot be justified.
Some of these self-styled pastors and spiritualists, who take advantage of the ignorance and vulnerability of some of the female members of their congregation, subject them to all manner of degrading treatment and sometimes, life threatening acts in the name of “spiritual cleansing”.
This issue generated a strong argument among a group of public office staff, who expressed divided opinions.
While some sympathised with the women and tried to appreciate their vulnerability, others could not readily assign reasons to what may have driven them to allow these pastors and spiritualists to take advantage of their situations to take them through those exercises, and sexually abuse them in the process.
Whatever the case may be, it is true that certain conditions may compel some women to become victims of these pastors and spiritualists, although it may seem unjustifiable.
Although it may seem unjustifiable, most African societies detest childlessness in marriage, and married women who find themselves in this situation, are compelled to move heaven and earth to get a child. In most cases, these women fall prey to self-styled pastors and spiritualists who subject them to all kinds of inhuman and degrading treatment.
In other instances too, some old women are branded witches and are accused of being the cause of all evils in the family.In parts of Ghana, such suspected witches are confined to witches camps, while those who are dragged to churches are subjected to all kinds of inhuman treatment to make them confess.
In parts of the country, women who go through prolonged labour are accused of infidelity and are subjected to all kinds of treatment to make them ‘confess their sins’. These are thought to be justified and the perpetrators see nothing wrong with it.
These, among other issues confronting women, prompted the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC) to issue a statement condemning the practice, which it described as disheartening.
In a release signed by its Public Relations Officer (PRO),Mrs Adiza Ofori-Adu, the ministry cited the case of one Kojo Addai, a 30 year old pastor of God's True Church at Teshie, who allegedly washed the genital organs of some of the female members of his followers.
The ministry further stated that reports also alleged that Addai deceived his female followers to believe that the best way of protecting them against spiritual forces was to take them through some rituals, one of which was for him to wash their genital organs.
It cited another case involving one Odartey Lamptey, who was being investigated by the Adenta Police for allegedly fondling the private parts of two women who went to him to seek treatment.
In another instance, the Ministry, said a 40-year-old woman, Esther Ayeley, was alleged to have been whipped to death by Pastor Kwame Kusi of Warriors Zion Prayer Camp at Asante Kwaku, a village near Nsawam.
The release said Kusi was alleged to have testified during a deliverance service that the deceased and her two daughters were witches and with the help of some members of the congregation, stretched out the woman and caned her until she collapsed and died the following day.
The ministry strongly condemned those acts and called on the security and law enforcement agencies to ensure that those self-styled pastors and spiritualists were brought to book in line with the country's laws.
To reflect on the role of the continent’s females in the society and celebrate African women’s accomplishments vis-à-vis gender equality at all levels of African politics, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now transformed into the African Union (AU), designated July 31 as Pan-African Women’s Day in 1962 in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Currently, the date continues to be remembered in the African continent as the situation of women remains bleak, despite the fact that gradually they are starting to reach a comfortable economic independence and decision-making positions.
The first world conference on the status of women was held in Mexico City to coincide with the 1975 International Women's Year, to remind the international community that discrimination against women continued to be a persistent problem in most parts of the world.
The conference led to the declaration of the United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985) proclaimed by the General Assembly which launched a new era in global efforts to promote the advancement of women by opening a world-wide dialogue on gender equality.
A process was set in motion to involve deliberation, negotiation, setting objectives, identifying obstacles and reviewing the progress made.
Despite these efforts, many women around the world continue to suffer discrimination and challenges posed by social attitudes and policies that continue to condone and perpetuate violence against women and girls.
The Declaration of the Elimination of Violence Against Women adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 defines violence against women as “any act of gender based violence that results in or likely to result in physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life”.
It includes sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, such as battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non spousal abuse and violence related exploitation.
Last year, Ghana launched the 3rd, 4th and 5th Combined Reports on the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Accra.
The ceremony provided a forum for the enumeration of measures taken over the years to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in the country.
The reports covered the period 1993 to 2003 and highlighted progress made over the decade in achieving gender equality, as well as challenges and efforts being made by the government towards the realisation of women’s empowerment, equality, equity and sustainable development.
State parties are enjoined under provisions of CEDAW to submit periodic reports to the committee on the elimination of discrimination against women and the three reports provided additional information on questions and issues raised in the report and offers a lot of issues for discussion.
The Network of Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), a coalition of organisations and individuals advocating gender equity, which made an assessment on issues of concern to women in Africa in 2008 established that discriminatory practices against women in the name of culture still prevail in Africa with increasing efforts being made to address them.
A paper presented by Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, the NETRIGHT Convenor, during the organisation’s end-of-year event in Accra, indicated that an estimated three million girls a year are said to be at risk from the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) and many of them are in Africa.
She indicated that within the Ghanaian context , stories published on women during the period featured a range of themes and more than half of all the stories were on women, politics and decision-making with a specific focus on the 2008 elections.
According to Dr Mensah-Kutin, other stories could be located within the general themes of violence against women, women's health, beauty and entertainment, women and the economy, as well as discriminatory practices against women.
Some studies have found strong association between low socio-economic status and violence against women. However, in some settings women with high autonomy may actually be at risk of violence.
Unless women are asked directly about violence, many will not disclose it. This is mainly due to the shame and fear of reprisals from the perpetrators.
Another statement issued by MOWAC urged the media to devote more attention to issues confronting women and children.
The release said, in addition to facing all forms of discrimination and abuses, women were raped and violently assaulted by their spouses and partners.
It also said, parents were increasingly shirking their responsibilities towards their children, resulting in streetism, child trafficking, child prostitution, teenage pregnancy and the use of narcotic drugs, as well as other social vices which threatened the well being and survival of children in the country.
As was referred to in the release, Ghana will,next year, take part in the Beijing+15 review meeting on the implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action. The media was reminded of its critical role in the implementation process.
It behoves social workers, marriage counsellors and dedicated pastors committed to the work of God (not self-styled pastors and spiritualists) to help women in need to overcome their agony and tribulations. Women also need to refrain from seeking the services of these self-styled pastors and spiritualists, and pray to God, guided by the scriptures that “In nothing be anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known unto God” Philippians 4:6.

‘Let’s demystify breast cancer’

Story: Salome Donkor
The President of Breast Care International (BCI), Dr (Mrs) Beatrice Wiafe-Adae, has called for a concerted effort and intensive education to highlight the world-wide growing breast cancer crisis and its effect on women in particular.
She said it was necessary to demystify breast cancer to disabuse the minds of patients of the fear, misconception and myths surrounding the disease and encourage women to go for regular, medical examination of their breasts.
Speaking in an interview, she said because of the stigmatisation, myth and fear surrounding the disease, nobody wanted to be associated with it, stressing that, that was affecting fight against breast cancer.
Dr (Mrs) Wiafe-Adae, who is a breast cancer specialist and a surgeon in charge of the Peace and Love Hospital at Kumasi and Accra, said the cause of the disease was unknown but women with breast cancer-positive family histories should have regular breast examinations, and mammogram (breast x-ray), since they are at risk.
She said because the disease was not painful at the initial stages, people with breast cancer did not see the need to seek medical care when they developed the disease but waited till the advanced stage, when it was difficult to manage the disease.
She said all hands must be on deck to equip women with knowledge of the disease, since the lack of it made some victims seek support from herbalists and pastors, instead of visiting a health facility.
Dr (Mrs) Wiafe-Addae expressed concern about the stigmatisation of breast cancer patients and pointed out that “going round to educate people on the disease to ensure early detection and treatment can save the woman’s breast and her life as well”. She stressed “ignorance is killing our women and we have to fight it by empowering them with knowledge of the disease”.
She said for that reason, BCI continued to embark on education and clinical examination in churches, communities and other public areas to counsel women to go for breast screening and encourage those who have developed the cancer to seek treatment.
She added that since the organisation started its programme in 2002, over 150,000 women had been reached, adding that out of 100 people examined every year, “you are likely to get at least one case of breast cancer among the group”.
She advised patients not to be afraid of mastectomy (surgical operation to remove the breast) and other breast cancer treatment, and pointed out that breast cancer was 95 per cent curable when it is detected early.
She advised women not to take any lump in their breast for granted but to seek medical care.

Media urged to respect children’s rights

Story: Salome Donkor
The Executive Director of Child’s Rights International, Mr Bright Appiah, has urged the media to respect provisions of the 1992 Constitution and other child protection policies that protect the rights of the child.
He said inasmuch as the media need to perform their duties such as exposing wrongdoing in the society, they must also be mindful of the rights of children, as stipulated in the Children’s Act of 1998 (Act 560), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC),
ratified by Ghana in 1989, as well as other national and international conventions that offer adequate protection for children.
Reacting to a photograph accompanying a story on the operations of a paedophile obtained from a video clip published in the September 10 edition of an Accra daily, that showed the pictures of children engaged in oral sex with the suspect, Mr Bright Appiah said “the publication violated the fundamental principles of the country’s child protection policies”.
He quoted Section 2 (1) of the Children’s Act, which states “The best interest of the child shall be paramount in any matter concerning a child” and Section 2 (2), which states that “The best interest of the child shall be the primary consideration by any court, person, institution or other body in any matter concerned with a child” and said the publication contravened these provisions.
He said Ghana was the first country to ratify the CRC, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on November 20, 1989, which spells out the basic human rights which children everywhere are entitled to.
Article 17 of the CRC recognises "the important function performed by the mass media," and calls on governments who have signed the convention to "ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources. " It also encourages the media "to disseminate information and material of social and cultural benefit to the child," and calls on governments to encourage the development of guidelines to protect children from harmful material.
Mr Appiah said the victims had already suffered serious emotional and psychological trauma and needed to be rehabilitated but coverage approach by the paper, which prominently featured the victims, who are minors, with the sexually offensive photographs “promoted obscenity” and grossly violated their rights.
The Daily Guide in its September 10, 2009 edition, published the story and accompanying pictures of victims having oral sex with an alleged American paedophile, Patrick Ken Larbash, 65, who was said to have lured the children, some as young as three, to his house.