Ghana Federation of Disability Organization (GFD) over week held a forum for women with disability and gender equality on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.
The forum was geared toward bringing together the media and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to deliberate on the issues affecting women with disability and gender equality with the particular focus on the SDG 5.
The chairperson for the event, who double as Gender Rep Inclusion – Ghana, Madam Mary Amoah Kuffour pointed out that there are pressing issues bothering women with disability and their children that the government has to know and address.
“We know the importance of advocacy. It is very important that we advocate on the right of the disability, especially women with disability and their children,” Madam Koffour narrated.
She recounted that during the discussion there was a question of how the manifestos of the political parties were presented so that persons with disabilities especially the blind can read and understand.
“On the 7th of December Ghana is going to the polls, these are equally members of the society, they need to vote but do they even understand the issues? So this is the forum by bringing the media and Civil Society Organizations together to understand the issues and present them well as they affect us,” Madam Amoah stated.
She said with SDG five Ghana has decided to have a project of leaving no woman behind adding that for this to be achieved the media and Civil Society Organization must keenly get involve.
A Representative from the Gender Department, Evelyn Borlabi stated that the Ministry has a vision to create a harmonious society in which the survival and development of the sexes, children, the vulnerable, the excluded and persons with disability are protected.
“The mission of the Ministry is to contribute to the development of the nation by achieving gender equality and equity. Facilitate the enforcement of the rights of children and promote the integration and protection of the vulnerable, excluded and persons with disability in the development process through appropriate policies and strategies with adequate resources,” she noted.
The National Coordinator for Ghana Civil Society Organization Platform of SDGs, Kwadwo O. Owusu said despite Ghana has made some progress on the issues of gender there are still room for improvement.
“For instances the Affirmation Action Bill, is something that I think whichever government come to power should put a lot of priority on. Once there is a law like that it helps with the lot of advocacy and the advances we want to make from the gender perspective,” he added.
He further stated that there still abuses of women perceive to be witches, rape issues among others that are unacceptable.
Story By: Issac Dzidzoamenu
