Gender activist and member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team, Shamima Muslim, has highlighted widespread misconceptions about gender equality in Ghana.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile, Madam Muslim emphasised that equality is about providing equal opportunities and removing barriers, rather than women overtaking men in positions of power.
“Ghana has ratified many conventions around the issues of gender equality, but we are so consumed with names and framing that we think equality…
“There is a misconception about the meaning of equality that makes people quite sensitive to the use of it,” she expressed.
She pointed out that these misunderstandings contribute to resistance against gender equality initiatives.
She therefore clarified that equality is about ensuring everyone has the same opportunities and eliminating obstacles that hinder participation.
“If we understood that equality at its base is about equality of opportunities and removing barriers to participation, we wouldn’t think that it is women coming to lord it over men or women wanting to take over their positions,” she explained.
Her statement comes after the passage of the Affirmative Action Gender Equity bill on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
Madam Muslim believes that the implementation of the Act after it becomes a law and its accompanying instruments will bridge the gender gap.
She believes that such legal frameworks are essential for fostering true gender equality in Ghana.
The purpose of the Act is to effectively address social, cultural, economic, and political gender imbalances in the country, stemming from historical discrimination against women and persistent patriarchal socio-cultural systems and norms.
The Act seeks to ensure gender equity in both the public and private sectors.