Calls for monument to celebrate women's contributions

Accra, March 8, GNA - A coalition of three women's groups has called for a monument to be erected to honour women for their contributions to the development of the country.

A statement issued in Accra on Thursday urged the country to seize the golden opportunity that 50th anniversary provided to begin to make a real difference in the lives of ordinary women.

The groups noted that women, who were forgotten heroines, had made sacrifices and immense contributions to the founding of Ghana and the 50-year journey to build an independent country and an equal and just society.

"We note that the 50th anniversary celebrations, while recollecting the roles of key figures and various social groups in our pre- and post-independence struggles, have not adequately recognised or honoured the contributions of women," the coalition made up of Network for Women's Right, the National Coalition on Domestic Violence Legislation and Coalition of the Women's Manifesto said. "A monument to women would be in order and we urge the government and people of Ghana to take up this proposal," it said in the statement issued to mark Ghana's golden jubilee and the International Women's Year.

"Even more importantly, the contributions of women should become recognised as a central part of our history rather than a footnote," it added.

The coalition said they had cause to celebrate the passage of the Domestic Violence Bill into law adding that although this was not the only panacea to the 93destructive and deadly grip of domestic violence", it represented a preliminary step to end impunity for domestic violence and offer protection to all victims. The groups praised women and children who shared their stories of violence, abuse and survival for the drafting of the law, those who fought to see the draft legislation to become law and parliament for passing it into law.

"We call upon the President to act in the same spirit and to sign the law into effect without further delay."

The coalition noted that the socio-economic contest within which the law was passed posed challenges for implementation. "In today's Ghana, women are in the majority in the survivalist sections of the informal economy and regularly experience livelihood insecurities and state harassment.

"Women continue to do the bulk of housework and related functions without adequate social support in the form of child support, day care centres and labour saving devices.

"Women continue to suffer from harmful and discriminatory social practices, which are justified in the name of culture=85." The coalition said the current economic dispensation of competing for scarce resources raised fundamental questions about the implementation of any gender law or policy, including the Domestic Violence Law.