Empower women on climate change for sustainable devt – WILDAF

Women in  Law and  Development in  Africa  (WiLDAF)  Ghana,  has called for continued effort to empower women and girls to have a voice and be equal players in decision-making related to climate change and sustainability.

According to WILDAF-Ghana, women and girls empowerment on climate change and sustainability was essential for sustainable development and gender equality. 

“Without gender equality today,  a  sustainable future,  and an equal future remains beyond our reach,” the programme coordinator for WILDAF Ghana, Ms Gloria Kankam said.

She disclosed this during a sensitiation campaign to raise awareness on climate change adaptation and mitigation for women at Ekumfi in the Central Region.

The campaign which formed part of the commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) was organised in partnership with Crossroad International.

Under the theme: “Gender Equality  Today for a  Sustainable Tomorrow,” the campaign seeks to recognised the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all.

Ms Kankam said women were increasingly being recognised as more vulnerable to climate  change impacts than men,  as they constituted the majority of the world’s poor,  and were more dependent on  the natural resources which climate change threatened the most. 

“At the same time,  women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers for  climate adaptation and mitigation,” she added.

She said gender  equality  in  all  its  forms  remained  an “odd”  subject in Ghana adding that, “traditional  values,  cultural  norms,  structural  and  socialising  processes  and  barriers have bestowed a low status on the Ghanaian woman and girl child.”

She said,  Ghana could break the  bias by empowering women and girls in communities,  workplace  and schools to move into decision-making towards  achieving climate justice.

The queen mother of Ekumfi Traditional Council, Nana Benyiwa VI, called for the removal of all forms of biases and discrimination against women to create a conducive environment for the next generation.

She advised women to take up the task to educate their children to fill in the gap and encourage school children to take their studies seriously and avoid teenage pregnancy.

The District Chief Executive of Ekumfi, Mr Ebenezer Monney, said the introduction of the Free Senior High School Policy by the government had increased girls’ enrollment and had, therefore, enhanced equality in education.

He called on parents to take opportunity of the policy and enrol their ward to bridge the gender gap.

Mr Monney also advised women not to be enemies of themselves, but help each other to attain a greater height for sustainable development.

FROM VIVIAN ARTHUR, EKUMFI