PROFESSOR NAANA JANE OPOKU – AGYEMAMG – GOOD CHOICE FOR WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT.

PROFESSOR NAANA JANE OPOKU – AGYEMAMG – GOOD CHOICE FOR WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT.

Gender and development approach focuses on the socially constructed basis of differences between men and women and emphasizes the need to challenge them.

One way of giving meaning to it is women empowerment; a ‘bottom-up’ process of transforming gender powerrelations, through individuals or groups, developing awareness of women’s subordination and building their capacity to challenge it recognizing that women’s rights are human rights and that women experience injustices solely because of their gender.

Beijing Platform for Action:
“…governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes”
(cited in DAC, 1998:28)

This is good for any political party like the National Democratic Congress, a social political party to ‘open the door’ for women – gender equality and equity in political outcomes to maintain Professor Naana Jane Opoku – Agyemamg as its running mate into 2024 Presidential election. Professor Naana Jane Opoku – Agyemamg represents the women side of the equation at the ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ approach to political decision – making and gender mainstreaming. Obviously, a mark of women’s representation and participation in decision making would have been given true meaning.

According to Kabeer,(1996:20), not all women are poor, and not all poor people are women, but all women suffer from discrimination. It is also true that women work 67% of the world’s working hours and 2 out of 3 of word’s illiterate people are women whose earnings range from 50 – 85% of men’s earnings.
Globally, women make up just over 10% of representatives in national government.(adapted from Oxfam, 1995:181, and ‘Facts and Figures section) It is however clear, women suffer from discrimination and are often relegated to the back and it affects sustainable development.

The choice of Professor Naana Jane Opoku – Agyemang as running mate will represent the ‘liberal feminists idea’ that removing discrimination in opportunity for women allows them to achieve equal status to men. In effects, we will see progress in women’s status as against male norm. There will be equal opportunities, policies and legislation to tackle the problem through measures to increase women’s participation in public life.

In anticipation, i will boldly on behalf of colleague men, young and old, and on women’s behalf, welcome the announcements of Professor Naana Jane Opoku – Agyemamg as running mate to H.E. John Dramani Mahama into 2024Presidential election.

*Charles Cardinal*
*29/02/24*