Ghana: Media urged to be circumspect in reporting on women in public office

Gloria Ofori Boadu, member, Governing Council of the National African Peer Review Mechanism, has called on the media to be circumspect when reporting on issues concerning women in public office.

 

According to her, the media continue to chastise women in public office as if they are virtually doing nothing even though women elected or appointed into public office work even harder than their male counterparts.

 

"Women Public Officials particularly those appointed to perceived male-reserved portfolio, tend to be treated with hostility and fierce agitations by some of their party members or better still the media," said Ms Ofori Boadu.

 

She raised the concern in a presentation she made on the African Peer Review Mechanism at the 2010 Gender forum, which was organized recently by the Ghana Research and Advocacy Programme (G-Rap) in Accra.

 

She recalled that in recent times and the past certain media have taken on female ministers of state specifically Hon. Zita Okaikoi, Minister of Tourism, and Hon. Betty Mould Iddrisu, Minister for Justice and Attorney General, subjecting them to all forms of castigations.

 

"All these agitations have one major objective, and that is to get the women out as one private newspaper wrote and rather return a man to occupy the job thereby returning to the status-quo and maintaining the network of strong-boy's undisturbed," Ms Ofori Boadu asserted.

 

She used the opportunity to call all women irrespective of their political affiliations to support the few in public office so that the perception that men can do better than women in political and senior level offices will be a thing of the past.

 

Ms Ofori Boadu also advised women to offer themselves for elected offices. Further, educated women in the society should relate and get closer to the less educated in order to bridge the gap between the literate and illiterate.

 

In a related development, findings of a research conducted by the Child Research and Resource Centre (CRRECENT) in certain Senior High Schools in northern and southern Ghana suggest that girls in single sex schools tend to do better than their colleagues in the mixed schools.

 

In her presentation, Susan Sabaa of CRRECENT said 52% of girls and 70% of boys in mixed schools say they are able to ask questions and make contributions in class without any inhibition while 48% of girls and 30% of boys are not always able to stand and make contributions in class.

 

However, girls in SHS in the north and south registered 100% free atmosphere to participate fully in the classroom (asking and answering questions and contributing views, etc).

 

"The mixed school system mirrors society (men and women) so girls in mixed schools are always waiting for the boys to show capabilities...while the girls lag behind as socialised to do or be."

 

The findings also gave reasons for girls not choosing girls' schools. 54% of girls up north preferred the leadership of boys. The reasons, according to them, are that boys are bold and courageous, strong enough to discipline both boys and girls, can deal well with stubborn boys, are harsh and can discipline without forgiving, can control and manage well, men's views are respected, and children fear them.

 

- March 22, 2010 by Alberta Dudome

……………..

 

Source: www.ghanaweb.com/public_agenda/article.php (accessed on 23.03.10)