The Canadian Acting High Commissioner to Ghana Her Excellency Kathleen Flynn-Dapaah has called for collaborative efforts at all levels to curb the issue of discrimination against women and girls.

According to her, the COVID-19 pandemic has wiped away all the gains with reports suggesting that women could suffer poorer mental and physical health for a long time due to the consequences of the pandemic.

The commissioner made this call at the opening ceremony of a national consultation forum on the Convention of the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) treaty in Ghana.

The two-day National Consultation on NGO Shadow to Ghana’s eighth and ninth periodic reports to the UN CEDAW committee and the review of alternate reports on Maputo protocol brought together various stakeholders.

The forum presents a unique opportunity and space for stakeholders to identify the challenges militating against the implementation of CEDAW.

Unique opportunity

Addressing the opening ceremony in Accra, the Acting High Commissioner of Canada to Ghana said the pandemic has exacerbated the existing inequalities and exposed the vulnerabilities in health, socio-economic and political space hence the need for all hands to be on deck.

“As we are all aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities – and further exposed vulnerabilities in health, socio-economic conditions, and political voice. It also has shone a light on existing injustices in our society,” she noted.

According to her, “New data from UN Women suggests that the pandemic could wipe out 25 years of increasing gender equality. Employment and education opportunities could be lost, and women may suffer from poorer mental and physical health in the long-term because of the consequences of the pandemic.”

“This picture makes it critical that, at this particular point in time, we take stock of our international human rights obligations, identify gaps that contribute to inequalities for women and girls and forge new ways of bridging them. This requires collaborative efforts at all levels and by all actors. And it will continue to be necessary to do so for a long time, given other trends we observe around the world that threaten women’s rights,” she explained.

“Canada recognizes the critical role that non-state actors – WROs, CSOs, NGOs – play in helping to ensure that we protect the progress that has beeabouttion to women’s rights and gender equality.

"This is why through the Women’s Voice and Leadership Program, Canada is supporting local and regional women’s organizations and networks working to promote women’s rights and advance women’s empowerment and gender equality in developing countries. This is done by supporting their activities, building their institutional capacity, and promoting network and alliance-building as women’s rights and feminist organizations are critical agents of change,” the Ag. High Commissioner noted.

“Canada is pleased to support WILDAF, who is organizing this national consultation, as Ghana prepares for the state review of the CEDAW next year. It is a testament to the important work you do as non-state actors.”

Relevance of forum

The National Programs Coordinator of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) Ghana, Lawyer Melody Darkey whose outfit facilitated the session said the objective is to identify, discuss and share new information to be included in the 2022 Shadow report.

According to her, the objectives of the PROTECT! Anti-Sexual Violence School-Based Clubs are to: “enhance social and emotional skills such as communication and problem solving, conflict management and emotional intelligence, equip PROTECT! Club members with key concepts including gender, sexual violence and sexual, violence services and train

She said “Club members on soft skills that they need to help prevent and combat sexual violence. Create awareness on Institutional and Legal Framework Services for addressing sexual violence, response systems and key collaborators.”

Participants

The over 50 participants including Civil Society Organizations, NGOs, Human Rights activists, gender ministry, lawyers among others were taken through the overview of the CEDAW treaty, provisions in the new lands act among others

The event was also attended by Nana Dugbakuwor Dugba the 2nd Paramount queen mother of Great Ningo, Nana Korlekuor Adjado the 3rd Paramount Queen mother for Yilo-Krobo and Nana Abena Gyamfua the 2nd Paramount Queen mother of Assin Atandansu traditional area among others.



About the PROTECT! Project

PROTECT! is a two-year WiLDAF Ghana Anti-Sexual Violence project funded by AWDF. It aims to contribute to the reduction and prevention of sexual violence against girls and young women.

The project will promote positive norms, healthy relationships, engage community structures to create safe environments for girls and young women coupled with the provision of complimentary legal services for adolescent girls, boys and young women to address sexual violence against them.

PROTECT! Anti-Sexual Violence School-Based Clubs is in three districts – Ledzokuku, Ga West and Ekumfi in Greater Accra and Central regions respectively. To support the delivery of project activities, WiLDAF Ghana is inaugurating the PROTECT! in LEKMA

Purpose of PROTECT!

It is also to “Promote Positive Norms, Teach Life Skills, Create Safe Environments to Safeguard Girls and Young Women from Sexual Violence.”