By Doreen Ampofo
The First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo has launched the #WeAreEqual campaign to raise awareness on gender equality. The campaign brings together African First Ladies, partners, and allies to advance gender equality and close the gender gap across the continent. Led by the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), the campaign is hinged on four pillars, Health, Education, Women’s Economic Empowerment and Gender-Based violence.
In June this year, the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) launched a one-year unifying campaign during its 20th anniversary celebration to fight for gender equality. The launch by the First Lady was to announce Ghana’s specific strategies to achieve maximum impact. She is seeking to work with the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Education, Health, the Ghana AIDS Commission, the media, UN agencies and NGO’s in gender. Speaking at the brief ceremony to launch the campaign, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo called on policymakers to activate implementation of existing policies within the ministries and agencies.
“The fight for gender equality is an age-old one. Sadly it is a fight that has not been won. Even though the global gender gap has been narrowing, we need a lot more urgency and action to make a very significant impact. When women and girls, representing about half of our society, have equal access to health, education and skills and are free from gender-based violence, they can contribute their quota to the development of our nation”, she said.
Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo urged social media influencers to use their platforms to promote gender equity in health, economic empowerment and livelihoods, education, decision making and development.
“To all influencers, your voices go far. Use your platforms to promote gender equity in health, economic empowerment and livelihoods, education, and decision-making. Our expectation is that this campaign will achieve intensified awareness, effective stakeholder engagement, stronger policy commitments and increased media attention on closing the gender gap”, she added.
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu, while commending the first lady for the initiative said Ghana is already taking significant steps to close the inequality gap.
She added that her ministry has already taken advantage of the Free Education policy to tackle the menace since most girls can go to school under this program.
“I want to take this opportunity to appreciate the good works done by the First Lady to also ensure women and children are the topmost priority. My ministry has already started the implementation of this all important gender equity call. With the help of the free SHS policy, most girls are now enrolled in schools”, she said.
For his part, the Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation pledged GBC’s support to disseminate the #WeAreEqual message to hard-to-reach communities in the country.
“Everyday we broadcast in 27 Ghanaian languages across the country on a network of 18 FM stations. The truth about what we are discussing has to do with attitudes. Attitudes that have been formed over the years through a patriarchal system. We need to reach out in a language that the people understand. Deep in rural Ghana, the issues of gender mainstreaming are difficult to sell. We have the capacity to translate these conversations into these languages and that is what we bring on board”
Present at the launch were the Minister of Education Dr Yaw Osei Adurwum, Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Director General of GBC, Professor Amin Alhassan, Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, Presidential Advisor on Gender, Dania Haruna as well as Deputy Country representative of UNFPA, Dr. Emmily Naphambo.
