We female lawyers and female executive having participated in the first national conference of female lawyers and executives by FIDA, Ghana on “women voices beyond the workspace” held on the 12th of October 2011 at the Kama Conference Centre, Accra.
A conference at which an endowment fund was launched to raise the equivalent of $ 1 million over a period of five years to focus on girl child education and women’s legal aid.
Recognizing the prevailing inequalities in the society as a result of low levels of education of women;
Desirous of the need for government to meet its obligations under international human rights instruments and documents like the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (2010-2013) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG);
Recognizing that the Government’s continues to pay lip service in its commitment to women’s empowerment and the gender equality agenda;
Recognizing the challenges women face in enforcing their rights through access to justice and legal aid;
Bearing in mind the need to maintain the gains made in women’s empowerment in Ghana by ensuring the sustained enrollment of girls and legal protection of women’s rights; do hereby call on the President and Government to commit to the following areas of concern;
i) The enactment of an affirmative action law to ensure women’s increased participation in national decision making and access to public goods and services.
ii) The retention of girls in school and not just equity in enrollment.
iii) The creation of enabling spaces and opportunities to ensure and enhance women’s engagement with ICT at all levels noting that technology is not gender neutral and special measures are necessary to avoid creating and reinforcing Ghana’s gender digital divide.
iv) Paying attention to and directing resources to enhance the skills opportunities of agro-business, trade and industry.
v) The need to use ICT to produce geolocation specific and accurate data on the status of women.

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