Ghana-28th Session November 2017-Gender equality

Para 48) Women are gradually increasing in number at decision making levels. No law limits the participation of women in the political process. Presidential candidates during the 2020 elections included 3 women. There has been a slight increase of female members of parliament to 40 for the 8th Parliament, inaugurated in January 2021. Out of the 56 Ambassadors Ghana deployed abroad, 24 are women. Para 83) … Steps are being taken to make Universal Health Care (UHC) Package accessible throughout the country by 2030, to improve the quality of care. The Package is expected to be a set of health services that meet the health needs and aspirations of every Ghanaian irrespective of their age, gender and social status. It would also recognize the different health needs of all persons at different stages, and ensure that there is access to curative and preventive services, which take care of common diseases. Para 103) A variety of mechanisms are in place to ensure access and participation of all children, especially girls. The Girls’ Education Unit, established to facilitate and advocate the education of the girl-child, undertakes regular sensitisation and awareness creation programmes to encourage families to send their children to school. Some NGOs are assisting in this effort by providing small grants to families to undertake income generating projects. Para 104) The Government, NGOs and other donors, ensure that education professionals receive gender training and continue to address barriers to girls’ basic education, especially till junior high school. Teachers have also been trained to demonstrate professional competence in gender issues. The government, in partnership with UNICEF and other donor partners, has put in place measures to promote ‘safe schools’ and a gender responsive environment through the availability of tools, resources and training to address inclusion, corporal punishment, school-related gender-based violence and menstrual hygiene management. Para 116) Government has drafted an Affirmative Action (AA) Bill which received Cabinet approval in 2016. It was however, not laid before Parliament that year. As a result of the change of Government in 2017, there has been the need to review the Bill and resubmit to the current Cabinet for consideration and approval. Para 117) Efforts on the promulgation of the AA Bill are steadily taking shape, with a series of activities being carried out to review the Bill. In all, a total of 60 lawmakers, women caucus in Parliament, political parties and other key stakeholders have been engaged. Currently, the AA Bill has been resubmitted to Cabinet for approval. Para 118) The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is in the process of developing guidelines for engaging traditional authorities to address sexual and gender-based violence, harmful cultural practices, such as trokosi and female genital mutilation (FGM), and gender inequality in Ghana. There are roles for religious and traditional leaders regarding reporting on these issues.