The African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Ghana Chapter has called for collaborative efforts among women in leadership in pushing the women agenda forward.
This call was made during a AWLN Breakfast meeting held recently at Airport View Hotel in Accra which had distinguished personalities from academia, business professionals among others. Also present at the meeting is the Presidential Advisor at the Office of President, Dr. Angela Asante-Essah.
The event also witnessed a presentation by Ms. Juliet Amoah on AWLN’s agenda and priorities for Gender equality and women empowerment in Ghana.
Addressing the gathering, Chair of the Network in Ghana, Dr. Charity Binka stated that for women to be successful in all sectors such meetings are needed to push the agenda.
“This meeting is the first in the series of a meeting we want to have to create a common platform for women leaders. Women as individuals and as heads of NGOs networks among others. They are doing so many things but they are doing it in their own little corners and we wish to bring all of them together.
“AWLN is not a NGO but rather a movement across Africa so we want to move all these women together for us to have a discussion on who is doing what. And how can we partner to push the women agenda forward,” he stated.
She further stated that: “28 years after Beijing why are we still talking about the same things, we think that there is something which is not going on right or we are not doing right. So if we all come together those in the financial sector, those in the NGOs and working on political parties, those who are doing social mobilization and all that we need to have a talk.”
According to her, as women in leadership they need to identify the gaps and holistically work towards it.
“Where are the gaps, we can’t talk about political participation without economic empowerment so the banks come in. Now fortunate for us as a country many of the banks have set up gender divisions and units that are focusing on how they can help women do better. In the area of economic empowerment.
“Absa, Ecobank, Stand Chat are all doing something. We need to network with them so that we can together push the gender agenda. So the narrative will change. Even at the District Assemble level women participation is so low. Even lower than what we even see at the National Level. Then we are in big trouble if we want to continue in this manner then in the next hundred years we cannot achieve anything,” Dr. Binka stated.
She continued: “So we (AWLN) want to change the narrative, change the conversation so that all the stakeholders can come together, that is why you can see people from the Gender Ministry, from the private sector, from the financial institutions and other areas of endeavor for us to have a conversation.”
On her part the special guest, Justice Olivia Anku Tsede indicated that the source of the barriers should be key in dealing with challenges confronting women.
“Some of these are entrenched in the social system, our perception. Some of these are coming from us women and not men, the men are part of it I agree but most of the time is about us.
“So I think that we also need to deal with ourselves as women so that we can also encourage our girls. Sometimes when we all need to go and do something for our mother we say ‘oh you stay home and cook’. Why should I stay home and cook?
“So I think that it starts with us and how we bring our girls up, how we bring our boys also up for them to see that this is not for girls and this not for boys. We can all do something.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
