The NCCE with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has shown its commitment to develop Gender Policy to guide the Commission’s work throughout the country.
Chairman of NCCE, Ms. Josephine Nkrumah, underscored the need for the Commission to mainstream gender in its operations, which is a basis for the development the Gender Policy.
Although the Commission’s Research and Gender and Equality Department, lacks a structural document on Gender, Ms. Nkrumah observed that the meeting was opportune since it would afford participants the time to deliberate on the finding of the gender audit.
She expressed strong conviction that the development of the policy would inure to promoting equity and equality in the Commission’s work, which would lead to a national discourse on promoting gender equity and equality and lead to the country’s effort toward the SDG 5.
Mr. Eward Ampratwum, UNDP representative intimated that, the key priority of the UNDP’s Project cycle is to ensure efficient and effective impact in the lives of people. He expressed the hope that an effective gender policy development would benefit of the Commission.
The Consultant leading the development of the Gender Policy and Action Plan for the NCCE, Mrs. Joana Adzoa Opare, stated that gender policy is about addressing imbalance among the genders, which transcends everything we do as a people.
Presenting a summary of issues from the Gender Audit on NCCE, she commended the Commission for drafting a draft gender strategy but identified the gaps including exclusion of the production of gender statistics, budgeting and reporting as well as a Monitoring and Evaluation framework.
She recommended that the NCCE should spearhead the education, advocacy, and promotion of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment and ensure that the Commission practices gender-sensitive actions.
She also suggested the mainstreaming of gender actions into the Commission’s work at all levels as well as the creation of internal platforms where gender issues can freely and fairly be discussed.
In a submission, Ms. Kathleen Addy, Deputy Chairperson in charge of Finance and Administration, noted that the commitment of the Commission in developing Gender Policy is to offer equal opportunity for both genders and create a fairer playing field for all to rise.
She said “we need the policy because we need to reset the values,” adding that the workplace is a good place to start and enforce the policy.
The Director of Research, Gender and Equality, Dr. Henrietta Asante Sarpong, said the development of the Gender Policy was in line with the Commission’s mandate and enjoined participants to contribute to the discussion.
The participants who worked in groups after the presentation made useful contributions to improve on the Gender Policy.
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