About 40% of the estimated 20.7 Ghanaians live below the poverty line. Seventy percent of the classified poor live in rural areas where there is limited access to basic social services, less developed infrastructure and few opportunities for employment.
The incidence of poverty is said to be highest in the northern part of the country that lies in the savannah zone and is characterized by unreliable rainfall patterns.
Advocates of poverty reduction argue that any attempt to address the problem of poverty in the country would fail unless special allocation of resources is channeled to women, who are mostly into agriculture.
The impact of women in Ghana cannot be underestimated. They form over 52% of the country’s population. Despite gains in some areas, gender inequalities continue to limit women’s ability to participate in and contribute to the growth of the economy.
Several studies have indicated that unless women’s economic security is strengthened, regions, particularly Africa, will not be able to eliminate poverty, achieve gender equality, or realize any genuine progress on the UN’s stated Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
Gender equality indicators like literacy rates are important, but others such as employment segregation, lack of reproductive rights and gender- based violence which represents a violation of women’s rights cannot be overlooked.
These gender gaps, particularly women’s poverty represent significant economic constraints on women’s quality of life and economic productivity.
There is increasing evidence that gender equality impacts positively on growth policies.
It therefore becomes imperative for players such as non-government organizations / civil society to challenge these inequalities by integrating gender-mainstreaming practices in all development pursuits in order to achieve poverty reduction and eliminate gender inequality.
The UN defines gender mainstreaming as the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels.
It is a strategy for making women’s as well as men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men can benefit equally.
The Social Enterprise Development (SEND) Foundation Ghana is one of the few NGOs that focuses much of its resources to address the root causes of gender inequality.
It conducts majority of its programmes in the eastern corridor of the northern region. SEND’s gender mainstreaming approach includes a gender sensitive human resource management and a holistic approach to men’s and women’s empowerment.
SEND has always strived to reach a 60 / 40 women to men ratio in terms of project principals and met this target exactly in 2006 as 60% of its projects beneficiaries were women.
Currently, a total of 1531 women are benefiting from SEND’s micro-finance project known as Rural Commercial Women project (RCW) which has increased the income of about 81% of these women.
Over one hundred RCW peer health promoters have been trained and are educating their groups on HIV/AIDS and modern contraceptives.
Since access to credit and savings for productive activities by the rural poor in the Upper East is limited, SEND has established community based credit unions, of which more than 200 women from such credit and savings associations have been able to move from the micro credit scheme to become share-holders of their respective community cooperative credit unions.
As it celebrates its 10th anniversary it has developed a new strategic plan; 2008 -2012 to enable it to consolidate its strength, effectiveness in overcoming challenges and to remain responsive to emerging opportunities. From this year, it will be operational not only in Ghana but Liberia and Sierra Leone.
“We need to continue to engage in the promotion of pro-poor policies and good governance practices in all sectors,” stated SEND Chief Executive, Mr. Siapha Kamara at a ceremony in Accra to launch activities to mark its anniversary.
He recalled that SEND was challenged to engage in advocacy deeply at the grassroots because existing civil society organisations where doing so largely through the top-down approach.
“SEND was inspired by the need for people at the community level to master the issues to deepen democracy”.
He noted that inequality exists not only among project beneficiaries but is embedded in organizational culture and practices. However, Mr. Kamara said SEND is driven by a strong belief in the potential of people to guide its core values of social equity, participatory decision-making and development and partnership for human development.
He paid homage to partners that have contributed to the success story of his organisation including Christian Aid UK, Canadian Cooperative Association, CORDAID, Netherlands and district assemblies.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Zoomlion contracted to improve sanitation at markets and garages
A project designed to improve the physical environment at garages and markets throughout the country has been launched at Mankesim in Central Region.
Known as the Domestic Trade and Industrial Services Improvement Project (DOTIP), it is expected to provide among others refuse containers, toilet facilities, construction of drainages and roads and lighting system to contribute to the development of an efficiently functioning domestic market for the distribution of products for local consumption and promotion of consumer welfare.
Speaking at the launching ceremony at the Mankesim market, Minister for Trade, Industry and Private Sector Development and Presidential Special Initiative, Papa Owusu Ankomah said 30 markets and 20 garages across the country would be covered under DOTIP before the end of this year under the first phase of the project.
Zoomlion Ghana Limited has been contracted to implement the DOTIP.
“The lives of over 10,000 traders and artisans, and countless consumers and customers will benefit in terms of access to products and services in a more healthy and congenial environment. Over 1,000 persons are expected to be employed directly during the course of the project implementation.”
He noted that about 90% of revenue is generated from the activities of artisans and traders which contribute to the development of the country’s economy, thus the DOTIP to provide and improve sanitation to enable them operate in a congenial environment.
“The trade ministry is through this project complementing the efforts of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment and Municipal and District Assemblies to ensure that markets and garages in the country are clean”.
He said the second phase of the project would provide training and technical assistance programmes to artisans and traders to expand access to finance. Particularly from government funded schemes for micro and small enterprises.
Papa Ankomah explained that food traders and distributors will especially be targeted for assistance to ensure that they can cost-effectively source, transport and delivery supplies efficiently.
“We also intend to extend the project to cover traders of foodstuffs such as processed fish, game, bread, kenkey, etc., particularly those operating along rural highways.”
He announced that plans were underway to give a facelift to the Mankesim and Kotokoraba markets through the construction of storey buildings.
Representatives of traders and garages associations welcomed the project while they hoped it would be a reality to improve their operations.
They appealed to the project initiators to provide the various markets adequate security.
The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah, recounted that the Mankesim market was noted for its vibrant trading activities but lost it because it was not developed.
He said DOTIP is therefore part of government’s efforts to bring rapid but lasting relief to markets and garages in the country to boost revenue generation.
Known as the Domestic Trade and Industrial Services Improvement Project (DOTIP), it is expected to provide among others refuse containers, toilet facilities, construction of drainages and roads and lighting system to contribute to the development of an efficiently functioning domestic market for the distribution of products for local consumption and promotion of consumer welfare.
Speaking at the launching ceremony at the Mankesim market, Minister for Trade, Industry and Private Sector Development and Presidential Special Initiative, Papa Owusu Ankomah said 30 markets and 20 garages across the country would be covered under DOTIP before the end of this year under the first phase of the project.
Zoomlion Ghana Limited has been contracted to implement the DOTIP.
“The lives of over 10,000 traders and artisans, and countless consumers and customers will benefit in terms of access to products and services in a more healthy and congenial environment. Over 1,000 persons are expected to be employed directly during the course of the project implementation.”
He noted that about 90% of revenue is generated from the activities of artisans and traders which contribute to the development of the country’s economy, thus the DOTIP to provide and improve sanitation to enable them operate in a congenial environment.
“The trade ministry is through this project complementing the efforts of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment and Municipal and District Assemblies to ensure that markets and garages in the country are clean”.
He said the second phase of the project would provide training and technical assistance programmes to artisans and traders to expand access to finance. Particularly from government funded schemes for micro and small enterprises.
Papa Ankomah explained that food traders and distributors will especially be targeted for assistance to ensure that they can cost-effectively source, transport and delivery supplies efficiently.
“We also intend to extend the project to cover traders of foodstuffs such as processed fish, game, bread, kenkey, etc., particularly those operating along rural highways.”
He announced that plans were underway to give a facelift to the Mankesim and Kotokoraba markets through the construction of storey buildings.
Representatives of traders and garages associations welcomed the project while they hoped it would be a reality to improve their operations.
They appealed to the project initiators to provide the various markets adequate security.
The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah, recounted that the Mankesim market was noted for its vibrant trading activities but lost it because it was not developed.
He said DOTIP is therefore part of government’s efforts to bring rapid but lasting relief to markets and garages in the country to boost revenue generation.
Ghana likely to miss MDG sanitation target
Over 10 million Ghanaians use shared or public latrines due to the absence of household latrines in both rural and urban areas. Majority of Ghanaians are left to spend a lot of time to queue at public latrines or risk the shame of open defecation.
A most recent report on sanitation by the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) of the WHO and UNICEF states that only about 2.2 million people in Ghana have access to decent household toilets.
Data by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) shows that about 80% of all Out Patient Department (OPD) cases such as malaria, diarrhea, cholera and hepatitis are sanitation and water related.
Consequently, Ghana is said to be off-track in terms of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for access to improved toilet facilities.
The Coalition of NGO’s in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has said that government needs to declare sanitation a national emergency and lead efforts at implementing the national sanitation plan as well as commit funding.
According to JMP, if the rate of progress in Ghana should remain as it is now, then the country will achieve just about 15% by 2015. As at 2006, Ghana had achieved only 10% instead of about 30%, which could have translated into 53% by 2015.
The UN declared 2008 International Year of Sanitation as an opportunity for countries with low sanitation coverage to improve. However, the year is almost ending and Ghana is showing no sign of progress.
This was revealed at a press conference in Accra by CONIWAS as a follow up to a communique’ issued at its Mole XIX conference in Koforidua recently.
Mr. Emmanuel Addai, Communication Specialist of the Water and Sanitation Monitoring Platform (WSMP) said that open defecation is prevalent in all ten regions of Ghana but most widespread in the Upper East with about 82% without any form of latrine, Upper West 79% and Northern region with about 73%.
“The most recent report from the Ghana Statistical Service indicates that about 180,000 people representing about 0.8% of the population still use the pan or bucket latrines that has been declared globally as unsafe”.
He regretted that sewerage systems are virtually non-existent in Ghana apart from Tema and some satellite systems in parts of Accra and Kumasi. Therefore, he said that the sludge has to be removed from septic tanks or pits for treatment or disposal elsewhere.
Information from the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment shows that Ghana is able to manage only 30% of solid waste generated daily.
The deficit of 70% accounts for the increasing heap of rubbish found in major cities.
“The sustainable development of our country hinges on improved sanitation. Poor sanitation impacts negatively on human dignity, causes misery, impedes productivity, strains our health system and consigns millions of people into abject poverty,” stated the Vice Chair of CONIWAS, Mrs. Loretta Roberts.
She observed that Ghanaians have a national attitudinal and behaviourial posture toward sanitation due to non-existence of law enforcement, which must be confronted.
She urged the media to put a spotlight on sanitation as a national crisis issue.
A communique’ issued by CONIWAS at its Mole XIX conference in Koforidua urged government to take courageous steps to ban the use of thin plastics and encourage the use of paper bags, baskets and other degradable alternatives.
It said, “Ghana can adopt best practices by other countries such as placing high taxes on plastics to render them unattractive to use, cut down importation and production of plastics, provide free re-useable plastic bags at points of product purchase and recycling.”
A most recent report on sanitation by the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) of the WHO and UNICEF states that only about 2.2 million people in Ghana have access to decent household toilets.
Data by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) shows that about 80% of all Out Patient Department (OPD) cases such as malaria, diarrhea, cholera and hepatitis are sanitation and water related.
Consequently, Ghana is said to be off-track in terms of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for access to improved toilet facilities.
The Coalition of NGO’s in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has said that government needs to declare sanitation a national emergency and lead efforts at implementing the national sanitation plan as well as commit funding.
According to JMP, if the rate of progress in Ghana should remain as it is now, then the country will achieve just about 15% by 2015. As at 2006, Ghana had achieved only 10% instead of about 30%, which could have translated into 53% by 2015.
The UN declared 2008 International Year of Sanitation as an opportunity for countries with low sanitation coverage to improve. However, the year is almost ending and Ghana is showing no sign of progress.
This was revealed at a press conference in Accra by CONIWAS as a follow up to a communique’ issued at its Mole XIX conference in Koforidua recently.
Mr. Emmanuel Addai, Communication Specialist of the Water and Sanitation Monitoring Platform (WSMP) said that open defecation is prevalent in all ten regions of Ghana but most widespread in the Upper East with about 82% without any form of latrine, Upper West 79% and Northern region with about 73%.
“The most recent report from the Ghana Statistical Service indicates that about 180,000 people representing about 0.8% of the population still use the pan or bucket latrines that has been declared globally as unsafe”.
He regretted that sewerage systems are virtually non-existent in Ghana apart from Tema and some satellite systems in parts of Accra and Kumasi. Therefore, he said that the sludge has to be removed from septic tanks or pits for treatment or disposal elsewhere.
Information from the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment shows that Ghana is able to manage only 30% of solid waste generated daily.
The deficit of 70% accounts for the increasing heap of rubbish found in major cities.
“The sustainable development of our country hinges on improved sanitation. Poor sanitation impacts negatively on human dignity, causes misery, impedes productivity, strains our health system and consigns millions of people into abject poverty,” stated the Vice Chair of CONIWAS, Mrs. Loretta Roberts.
She observed that Ghanaians have a national attitudinal and behaviourial posture toward sanitation due to non-existence of law enforcement, which must be confronted.
She urged the media to put a spotlight on sanitation as a national crisis issue.
A communique’ issued by CONIWAS at its Mole XIX conference in Koforidua urged government to take courageous steps to ban the use of thin plastics and encourage the use of paper bags, baskets and other degradable alternatives.
It said, “Ghana can adopt best practices by other countries such as placing high taxes on plastics to render them unattractive to use, cut down importation and production of plastics, provide free re-useable plastic bags at points of product purchase and recycling.”
Monday, May 17, 2010
Female migrants return home to begin life
In Ghana like any developing country, there is internal migration by rural dwellers to urban centres despite its attendant problems.
In the past, males dominated the migration trend flowing from their traditional roles as breadwinners. But as both men and women began sharing economic roles the trend changed.
A research on the sustainable return of migrants to their origin has revealed that most female migrants from northern Ghana return home to marry. Those who return with a lot of valuables are “hot candidates” for marriage, since the more resources they acquire give the men confidence in them.
Also such migrants attract more attention from family and community members on their arrival. The females usually attract higher level of attention than the males. For the men, there is no return funfair since most male return migrants arrive secretly to avoid any scene.
Certainly, those who acquire many assets would like to arrive in the community in broad day light for parents and onlookers to admire and appreciate their efforts.
Stephen O. Kwankye, John k. Anarfi and Cynthia Addoquaye Tagoe conducted the research which focused on return migrants aged 15 and above selected randomly from Tamale Municipal area and West Mamprusi district which are major sending areas.
It states that a higher proportion of the males (40%) than the females (26%) have returned home since 10 years or more.
Dr. Kwankye explained that a higher percentage of males than females migrants were first born sons who returned to take responsibility as family heads due to the patrilineal system of inheritance.
The report said although female migration has important implications for development, it still receives little attention. It involves both the unskilled and semi-skilled from rural to urban areas mainly for economic reasons. Lately independent child migration is increasing.
A situation the researchers say could produce two outcomes: permanent residence at destination or temporary or permanent return and re-integration.
“Some migrants may return upon attainment of their objectives and others return when they fail to achieve their objectives or when they cannot cope with the social environment and way of life of the destination area,” states the research.
Relating to age at first migration, 2.3% of males are less than 10 years, 2.7% females are between the ages of 10 to 14 against 15.9% males, and 97.3% of females and 81.8% males between 15 to 17 years.
Increased poverty, deterioration and inadequate social services such as health and education, imbalances in development, distribution of social services and infrastructure have often been cited as determinants of migration.
Others include lack of employment opportunities and employable skills. 70.3% of female return migrants have no education against 35.5% males and 14.5% of females have primary education compared to 15.7% males.
Prof. Anarfi noted that the propensity of return migrants to go back is high because when one attains a certain level of living one wants to maintain it.
“At their origins conditions are different and do not allow them to stay when they return. Those who make it at their migration stations are likely to go back,” he said.
It cannot however be stated categorically that there is sustainable return as many of the migrants can hardly boast of jobs that could guarantee sustainable incomes.
As a result, interventions should catch the migrants at their origin in order to attract others to go back. Even though it may be costly, “longitudinal study could examine the migration trajectories and how they translate into sustainable return and transformation of home communities of child migrants who eventually return,” the study recommended.
The education of women is key to development and peace. The government’s Free Compulsory Universal and Basic Education (FCUBE) in the area of girls’ education focuses on increasing enrollment, reducing drop-out rates, and increasing transition rates from basic to senior secondary school.
It is expected that the education reforms will help address the identifiable challenges to ensure that Ghana achieves the education for all goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
The MDG number two is to achieve Universal Primary Education, while the number three is to promote gender equality and empower women.
Education is a human right and it is the only way of breaking the cycle of poverty.
In the past, males dominated the migration trend flowing from their traditional roles as breadwinners. But as both men and women began sharing economic roles the trend changed.
A research on the sustainable return of migrants to their origin has revealed that most female migrants from northern Ghana return home to marry. Those who return with a lot of valuables are “hot candidates” for marriage, since the more resources they acquire give the men confidence in them.
Also such migrants attract more attention from family and community members on their arrival. The females usually attract higher level of attention than the males. For the men, there is no return funfair since most male return migrants arrive secretly to avoid any scene.
Certainly, those who acquire many assets would like to arrive in the community in broad day light for parents and onlookers to admire and appreciate their efforts.
Stephen O. Kwankye, John k. Anarfi and Cynthia Addoquaye Tagoe conducted the research which focused on return migrants aged 15 and above selected randomly from Tamale Municipal area and West Mamprusi district which are major sending areas.
It states that a higher proportion of the males (40%) than the females (26%) have returned home since 10 years or more.
Dr. Kwankye explained that a higher percentage of males than females migrants were first born sons who returned to take responsibility as family heads due to the patrilineal system of inheritance.
The report said although female migration has important implications for development, it still receives little attention. It involves both the unskilled and semi-skilled from rural to urban areas mainly for economic reasons. Lately independent child migration is increasing.
A situation the researchers say could produce two outcomes: permanent residence at destination or temporary or permanent return and re-integration.
“Some migrants may return upon attainment of their objectives and others return when they fail to achieve their objectives or when they cannot cope with the social environment and way of life of the destination area,” states the research.
Relating to age at first migration, 2.3% of males are less than 10 years, 2.7% females are between the ages of 10 to 14 against 15.9% males, and 97.3% of females and 81.8% males between 15 to 17 years.
Increased poverty, deterioration and inadequate social services such as health and education, imbalances in development, distribution of social services and infrastructure have often been cited as determinants of migration.
Others include lack of employment opportunities and employable skills. 70.3% of female return migrants have no education against 35.5% males and 14.5% of females have primary education compared to 15.7% males.
Prof. Anarfi noted that the propensity of return migrants to go back is high because when one attains a certain level of living one wants to maintain it.
“At their origins conditions are different and do not allow them to stay when they return. Those who make it at their migration stations are likely to go back,” he said.
It cannot however be stated categorically that there is sustainable return as many of the migrants can hardly boast of jobs that could guarantee sustainable incomes.
As a result, interventions should catch the migrants at their origin in order to attract others to go back. Even though it may be costly, “longitudinal study could examine the migration trajectories and how they translate into sustainable return and transformation of home communities of child migrants who eventually return,” the study recommended.
The education of women is key to development and peace. The government’s Free Compulsory Universal and Basic Education (FCUBE) in the area of girls’ education focuses on increasing enrollment, reducing drop-out rates, and increasing transition rates from basic to senior secondary school.
It is expected that the education reforms will help address the identifiable challenges to ensure that Ghana achieves the education for all goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
The MDG number two is to achieve Universal Primary Education, while the number three is to promote gender equality and empower women.
Education is a human right and it is the only way of breaking the cycle of poverty.
The practice of Trokosi growing stronger after years of advocacy
Natives of communities where Trokosi is practiced still find it difficult to accept the act as a human rights violation. To them, it is a quick way of dispensing and maintaining social justice as an adjunct to the formal judicial system.
A research on Trokosi practice in Ghana and sponsored by Australian Aid Agency (AusAID) revealed that the concept of Trokosi has not changed within the practicing communities, ten years after the enactment of laws by parliament to abolish the practice.
Trokosi, a traditional practice involves young girls taken to shrines as slaves in compensation for offenses allegedly committed, or debts incurred, by a member of the girl’s family, or as payment for favours sought from the shrine.
The word Trokosi comes from the Ewe word “tro”, meaning deity or fetish, and “kosi”, meaning female slave. Trokosi literally means “wife of the gods” in the local Ewe language.
The research was conducted in seven districts namely Dangme East and West, North and South Tongu, Ketu, Keta and Akatsi districts.
A National Dissemination Workshop in Accra on the Study of Trokosi Practice in Ghana explored the current status of Trokosi. “We all need to be concerned about this practice,” said Mr. Vincent Von Vorjorgbe, Research Associate and Lecturer at the University of Ghana. Females tend to bear the burden of major human rights violations he added.
Mercy, a liberated Trokosi shared her story of living and working in the shrine through the help of a translator. At eight years old, she said her family told her she would have to go to a place where she would no longer see them anymore.
After briefly running away to the bush out of confusion and fear, Mercy returned to her home where her parents escorted her to the shrine. As her parents left, she cried but the priest scolded her and said, “We don’t cry here, we don’t weep.”
And thus Mercy began her life as a Trokosi where she woke at down and cleaned the shrine and worked on the farm. She was fed with only grinded pepper and any staple she could get.
When she was between 12 and 13 years old, the priest began to have an affair with her and impregnated her. She had four children while at the shrine. On several occasions when she tried to escape, she was unsuccessful, in part because when she returned home they returned her to the shrine.
Mercy continued living at the shrine and taking care of her children year after year until she was liberated. Now, she lives with her children who are attending school. “The Trokosi system is not good,” she said. “My generation and the generation before mine missed out in education.”
What was the crime that caused her confinement in the shrine? Her grandma stole an ear ring from another Trokosi who then reported the crime to two different shrines. For reparation, each of the shrines demanded a girl. Mercy’s aunt and sister were taken to the shrines but after her aunt died, Mercy was forced to replace her.
The President of the National House of Chiefs, Odeneho Gyapong Ababio commended Mercy for her braveness and emphasized the constitutional mandate to outlaw all cultural practices, including Trokosi, female genital mutilation and widowhood rites that cause harm.
In 1997, an International Needs Ghana (ING) study discovered 5,000 Trokosis , mostly women and children. Another study by anthropologist G. K. Nukunya suggested the number was over 9,000.
In 2003, ING took action with support groups against the practice of Trokosi and successfully liberated about 3,500 people. But researcher, Mr. Sosthenos Kufogbe said that the practice of Trokosi persists even today.
Mr. Kufogbe undertook a study of the current status of Trokosi in order to estimate the current number. “The number is the most elusive part of this issue. At a single shrine, one priest will report only two girls, another will report 30 and a third will say 15,” he explained.
He said Trokosis are also found outside the shrine, making estimations of their number near impossible without community assistance.
Mr. Kufogbe estimated that the number subjects directly under the practice is about 278, with 53.9 percent living in the Ketu District where most shrines are still active. The estimated number is a sharp decrease from the thousands estimated before the implementation of the Criminal Amendment Code.
But, Mr. Kufogbe warned that the number may not capture an accurate total and he explained that his data indicates no reported prosecutions for the human rights violations of keeping Trokosis.
And, he added, the practice may be on the rise since 2003 because of an increase in underground operations and reluctance on the part of law enforcement to get involved.
He recommended that on-going advocacy programmes and civic education should be targeted at all players involved and accelerated to ensure total elimination of those aspects of Trokosi practice that continue to violate the fundamental human rights of the vulnerable in the practicing communities.
A research on Trokosi practice in Ghana and sponsored by Australian Aid Agency (AusAID) revealed that the concept of Trokosi has not changed within the practicing communities, ten years after the enactment of laws by parliament to abolish the practice.
Trokosi, a traditional practice involves young girls taken to shrines as slaves in compensation for offenses allegedly committed, or debts incurred, by a member of the girl’s family, or as payment for favours sought from the shrine.
The word Trokosi comes from the Ewe word “tro”, meaning deity or fetish, and “kosi”, meaning female slave. Trokosi literally means “wife of the gods” in the local Ewe language.
The research was conducted in seven districts namely Dangme East and West, North and South Tongu, Ketu, Keta and Akatsi districts.
A National Dissemination Workshop in Accra on the Study of Trokosi Practice in Ghana explored the current status of Trokosi. “We all need to be concerned about this practice,” said Mr. Vincent Von Vorjorgbe, Research Associate and Lecturer at the University of Ghana. Females tend to bear the burden of major human rights violations he added.
Mercy, a liberated Trokosi shared her story of living and working in the shrine through the help of a translator. At eight years old, she said her family told her she would have to go to a place where she would no longer see them anymore.
After briefly running away to the bush out of confusion and fear, Mercy returned to her home where her parents escorted her to the shrine. As her parents left, she cried but the priest scolded her and said, “We don’t cry here, we don’t weep.”
And thus Mercy began her life as a Trokosi where she woke at down and cleaned the shrine and worked on the farm. She was fed with only grinded pepper and any staple she could get.
When she was between 12 and 13 years old, the priest began to have an affair with her and impregnated her. She had four children while at the shrine. On several occasions when she tried to escape, she was unsuccessful, in part because when she returned home they returned her to the shrine.
Mercy continued living at the shrine and taking care of her children year after year until she was liberated. Now, she lives with her children who are attending school. “The Trokosi system is not good,” she said. “My generation and the generation before mine missed out in education.”
What was the crime that caused her confinement in the shrine? Her grandma stole an ear ring from another Trokosi who then reported the crime to two different shrines. For reparation, each of the shrines demanded a girl. Mercy’s aunt and sister were taken to the shrines but after her aunt died, Mercy was forced to replace her.
The President of the National House of Chiefs, Odeneho Gyapong Ababio commended Mercy for her braveness and emphasized the constitutional mandate to outlaw all cultural practices, including Trokosi, female genital mutilation and widowhood rites that cause harm.
In 1997, an International Needs Ghana (ING) study discovered 5,000 Trokosis , mostly women and children. Another study by anthropologist G. K. Nukunya suggested the number was over 9,000.
In 2003, ING took action with support groups against the practice of Trokosi and successfully liberated about 3,500 people. But researcher, Mr. Sosthenos Kufogbe said that the practice of Trokosi persists even today.
Mr. Kufogbe undertook a study of the current status of Trokosi in order to estimate the current number. “The number is the most elusive part of this issue. At a single shrine, one priest will report only two girls, another will report 30 and a third will say 15,” he explained.
He said Trokosis are also found outside the shrine, making estimations of their number near impossible without community assistance.
Mr. Kufogbe estimated that the number subjects directly under the practice is about 278, with 53.9 percent living in the Ketu District where most shrines are still active. The estimated number is a sharp decrease from the thousands estimated before the implementation of the Criminal Amendment Code.
But, Mr. Kufogbe warned that the number may not capture an accurate total and he explained that his data indicates no reported prosecutions for the human rights violations of keeping Trokosis.
And, he added, the practice may be on the rise since 2003 because of an increase in underground operations and reluctance on the part of law enforcement to get involved.
He recommended that on-going advocacy programmes and civic education should be targeted at all players involved and accelerated to ensure total elimination of those aspects of Trokosi practice that continue to violate the fundamental human rights of the vulnerable in the practicing communities.
Ghana eager to reduce maternal deaths
One of the goals of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is improving safe motherhood. MDG number five aims at reducing maternal mortality by 75 percent by the year 2015.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines maternal death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to, or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.
Globally, an estimated 60 million pregnant women annually experience a life threatening complication which may result in their death or the death of the newborn baby or leave them with a permanent disability.
Studies show that 99 percent of all maternal deaths take place in the 49 poorest countries of the world, 34 of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Ghana ranks 143 of the countries with high maternal mortality with the ratio at 214 per 100,000 live births.
In 2003, the Ghana government introduced a free delivery policy aimed at reducing maternal deaths in the country. A study by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) revealed that the delivery fee exemption policy had a positive effect on the extreme poor while some rich people also benefited.
"The mean share of out -of- pocket delivery payment in total household income declined from 13.18 % for poor households in the first quintile to 21.51 % in the rich households in the fifth quintile," the findings of the research said.
The report therefore recommended that in implementing such programmes in future, the government should come out with a clear definition of who the poor are since this will help target them with maximum impact.
Now, the Ghana government directed that all pregnant women should access maternal health services free of charge as a means to address Ghana's challenge to attain MDG 5.
This means all women of child bearing age can now have free health care antenatal, post natal and during delivery, including all emergencies arising out from delivery. Also, the baby will enjoy free health care on the motherâ's registration for up to three months.
The initiative is being implemented through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Majority of Ghanaians have expressed concern about the effect of such policies on reducing population.
But the Chief Executive Officer of NHIS, Mr. Ras Boateng disabused such claims, saying that they are aimed at removing Ghana's name from the league of countries with high maternal mortality.
Despite claims that Ghana's maternal mortality rate is stable, Dr. Patrick K. Aboagye, Programme Manager of the Family Health Division of the Ghana Health Service, disclosed that the number rose from 954 in 2006 to 996 last year.
He said that out of the 996 maternal mortality deaths in 2007, 148 (representing 15.5%) were adolescents. Since these statistics are captured only in the health facilities, there is the belief that the real situation on the ground could be worse since some of these deaths in remote areas are not reported.
About 80% of all maternal deaths occur around the time of delivery or immediately after.
In Africa, one in 16 women stand the risk of dying from pregnancy in their lifetime compared to one in 2,800 women in the developed world. In Ghana it is one in 35 women.
Causes of maternal deaths in Ghana include bleeding (17%), hypertension (19%), anaemia (12%), unsafe abortion (11%), infections (10%), obstructed labour (7%) and other causes (24%).
Speaking at a GHS monthly health meeting in Accra on reducing maternal death and improving maternal health, Dr. Aboagye stressed that pregnancy is a high risk activity and should be properly managed.
He cautioned that if no interventions are made to curb maternal and infant death by 2015, 12,000 women could be lost, 1,000,000 will suffer from disabilities and 200,000 infants will die.
On the use of maternal health services by pregnant women, he said 92% antenatal care visits (at least one) are made, 40% of post natal care attendance and 49% deliveries by skilled attendants.
Dr. Aboagye said the loss of productivity due to maternal deaths will be $12 million (¢ 108 billion) by 2015. "The death of a woman and a mother is a tragic loss to the family, community and nation as a whole," he lamented.
He was concerned that because many women lack information and adequate knowledge about danger signals during pregnancy and labour, they delay to seek care.
Again, he noted that certain cultural or traditional practices and poverty restrict women from seeking health care. "Others delay in accessing health care due to distant health facilities, poor roads and communication network and inadequate skilled attendants."
He deduced that the higher the proportion of deliveries attended by skilled attendants in a country, the lower the country's maternal mortality. Consequently, Dr. Aboagye said efforts must be made to improve skilled attendance during delivery, improve access to high quality delivery services and improve access to family planning services.
"Pregnant women must prepare adequately towards delivery because pregnancy is high risk. They should not assume that automatically all will be well but must prepare for emergencies."
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines maternal death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to, or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.
Globally, an estimated 60 million pregnant women annually experience a life threatening complication which may result in their death or the death of the newborn baby or leave them with a permanent disability.
Studies show that 99 percent of all maternal deaths take place in the 49 poorest countries of the world, 34 of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Ghana ranks 143 of the countries with high maternal mortality with the ratio at 214 per 100,000 live births.
In 2003, the Ghana government introduced a free delivery policy aimed at reducing maternal deaths in the country. A study by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) revealed that the delivery fee exemption policy had a positive effect on the extreme poor while some rich people also benefited.
"The mean share of out -of- pocket delivery payment in total household income declined from 13.18 % for poor households in the first quintile to 21.51 % in the rich households in the fifth quintile," the findings of the research said.
The report therefore recommended that in implementing such programmes in future, the government should come out with a clear definition of who the poor are since this will help target them with maximum impact.
Now, the Ghana government directed that all pregnant women should access maternal health services free of charge as a means to address Ghana's challenge to attain MDG 5.
This means all women of child bearing age can now have free health care antenatal, post natal and during delivery, including all emergencies arising out from delivery. Also, the baby will enjoy free health care on the motherâ's registration for up to three months.
The initiative is being implemented through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Majority of Ghanaians have expressed concern about the effect of such policies on reducing population.
But the Chief Executive Officer of NHIS, Mr. Ras Boateng disabused such claims, saying that they are aimed at removing Ghana's name from the league of countries with high maternal mortality.
Despite claims that Ghana's maternal mortality rate is stable, Dr. Patrick K. Aboagye, Programme Manager of the Family Health Division of the Ghana Health Service, disclosed that the number rose from 954 in 2006 to 996 last year.
He said that out of the 996 maternal mortality deaths in 2007, 148 (representing 15.5%) were adolescents. Since these statistics are captured only in the health facilities, there is the belief that the real situation on the ground could be worse since some of these deaths in remote areas are not reported.
About 80% of all maternal deaths occur around the time of delivery or immediately after.
In Africa, one in 16 women stand the risk of dying from pregnancy in their lifetime compared to one in 2,800 women in the developed world. In Ghana it is one in 35 women.
Causes of maternal deaths in Ghana include bleeding (17%), hypertension (19%), anaemia (12%), unsafe abortion (11%), infections (10%), obstructed labour (7%) and other causes (24%).
Speaking at a GHS monthly health meeting in Accra on reducing maternal death and improving maternal health, Dr. Aboagye stressed that pregnancy is a high risk activity and should be properly managed.
He cautioned that if no interventions are made to curb maternal and infant death by 2015, 12,000 women could be lost, 1,000,000 will suffer from disabilities and 200,000 infants will die.
On the use of maternal health services by pregnant women, he said 92% antenatal care visits (at least one) are made, 40% of post natal care attendance and 49% deliveries by skilled attendants.
Dr. Aboagye said the loss of productivity due to maternal deaths will be $12 million (¢ 108 billion) by 2015. "The death of a woman and a mother is a tragic loss to the family, community and nation as a whole," he lamented.
He was concerned that because many women lack information and adequate knowledge about danger signals during pregnancy and labour, they delay to seek care.
Again, he noted that certain cultural or traditional practices and poverty restrict women from seeking health care. "Others delay in accessing health care due to distant health facilities, poor roads and communication network and inadequate skilled attendants."
He deduced that the higher the proportion of deliveries attended by skilled attendants in a country, the lower the country's maternal mortality. Consequently, Dr. Aboagye said efforts must be made to improve skilled attendance during delivery, improve access to high quality delivery services and improve access to family planning services.
"Pregnant women must prepare adequately towards delivery because pregnancy is high risk. They should not assume that automatically all will be well but must prepare for emergencies."
Aid effectiveness conference scheduled for Ghana
Ghana will be the host of the third High level Forum on aid effectiveness (HLF3). Slated for September 2 to 4 2008, the HLF3 will review and assess progress in the implementation of the Paris Declaration (PD) on aid effectiveness and to agree on a new agenda for action.
The PD was endorsed in March 2005 at the second high level forum in Paris with the objective of enhancing better delivery and management of aid in order to improve aid effectiveness.
Referred to as the new regime of international aid and defined as a partnership between members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), donors and recipient developing countries, the PD lays out global commitment organized around five key principles of effective aid.
They are namely ownership, alignment, harmonization, managing for results and mutual accountability.
Ghana is considered a highly aid-dependant country with the most significant being the Multi Donor Budget Support (MDBS) system.
Speaking at a press briefing to launch the HLF 3 in Accra, Minister of Finance Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu said that Ghana as a host country is privileged to send its own strong signals about the importance of aid effectiveness.
"We hope the conference will push the issue of aid effectiveness to a level where we the partner countries exercise effective leadership over our development policies and strategies and the donors in turn base their overall support in partner countries,national development strategies, institutions and procedures."
He stated a chunk of the aid Ghana receives has gone into education citing the upgrading of thirty-nine senior high schools. He recalled that government and its development partners recognizing the need for aid effectiveness signed a memorandum to begin the implementation of the MDBS framework.
Now in its fifth year of implementation, he described the process as mutually fulfilling for government and development.
"We have largely overcome the challenges of frequent individual missions and bilateral consultations, huge negotiations cost of aid, inconsistency of projects with government priorities and operation of parallel systems and the unpredictability of funds."
According to Mr. Baah-Wiredu, the HLF 3 like other international events hosted by Ghana this year is an important signifier that the world has recognized the countryâ's political and economic stability.
He said as part of preparations towards ensuring a successful conference, government has set up a national planning committee, made up of representatives from various MDAs and civil society groups.
At the international level, there is a steering committee which has representatives from Ghana and three other developing countries, some developed countries, international financial institutions, the UN and OECD.
Ministers from over 100 countries, heads of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, donor organizations, and civil society organizations from around the world will gather in Accra for the HLF3.
The Accra HLF will comprise of three complementary segments ; market place of knowledge and ideas, roundtable meetings to provide participants the opportunity for in-depth technical discussions to facilitate and support work on aid effectiveness and a ministerial level meeting that will culminate in the endorsement of a ministerial statement to be known as the Accra Agenda for Action.
In a Ghana, a series of activities to engage the citizenry, CSOs and politicians on how aid can best support the countryâ's development agenda are underway.
The PD was endorsed in March 2005 at the second high level forum in Paris with the objective of enhancing better delivery and management of aid in order to improve aid effectiveness.
Referred to as the new regime of international aid and defined as a partnership between members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), donors and recipient developing countries, the PD lays out global commitment organized around five key principles of effective aid.
They are namely ownership, alignment, harmonization, managing for results and mutual accountability.
Ghana is considered a highly aid-dependant country with the most significant being the Multi Donor Budget Support (MDBS) system.
Speaking at a press briefing to launch the HLF 3 in Accra, Minister of Finance Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu said that Ghana as a host country is privileged to send its own strong signals about the importance of aid effectiveness.
"We hope the conference will push the issue of aid effectiveness to a level where we the partner countries exercise effective leadership over our development policies and strategies and the donors in turn base their overall support in partner countries,national development strategies, institutions and procedures."
He stated a chunk of the aid Ghana receives has gone into education citing the upgrading of thirty-nine senior high schools. He recalled that government and its development partners recognizing the need for aid effectiveness signed a memorandum to begin the implementation of the MDBS framework.
Now in its fifth year of implementation, he described the process as mutually fulfilling for government and development.
"We have largely overcome the challenges of frequent individual missions and bilateral consultations, huge negotiations cost of aid, inconsistency of projects with government priorities and operation of parallel systems and the unpredictability of funds."
According to Mr. Baah-Wiredu, the HLF 3 like other international events hosted by Ghana this year is an important signifier that the world has recognized the countryâ's political and economic stability.
He said as part of preparations towards ensuring a successful conference, government has set up a national planning committee, made up of representatives from various MDAs and civil society groups.
At the international level, there is a steering committee which has representatives from Ghana and three other developing countries, some developed countries, international financial institutions, the UN and OECD.
Ministers from over 100 countries, heads of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, donor organizations, and civil society organizations from around the world will gather in Accra for the HLF3.
The Accra HLF will comprise of three complementary segments ; market place of knowledge and ideas, roundtable meetings to provide participants the opportunity for in-depth technical discussions to facilitate and support work on aid effectiveness and a ministerial level meeting that will culminate in the endorsement of a ministerial statement to be known as the Accra Agenda for Action.
In a Ghana, a series of activities to engage the citizenry, CSOs and politicians on how aid can best support the countryâ's development agenda are underway.
Gender advocates resolve to make new aid regime gender sensitive
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) engaged in gender and womenâ's rights issues are preparing adequately to ensure that their perspectives, experiences and proposals would inform and influence the implementation of the Paris Declaration (PD) on aid effectiveness, during the third High Level Forum (HLF3) to be held in Ghana.
Many gender advocates perceive the PD as a gender blind document and argue that nothing directly and fundamentally addresses the gendered nature of poverty.
Consequently, they are concerned that the declaration is fundamentally flawed since no development can occur without women’s rights being fully respected and guaranteed.
In their opinion, gender equality (GE) needs to be recognized as a key component of poverty and development.
Slated for September 2 to 4 2008, the HLF3 will review and assess progress in the implementation of the PD on aid effectiveness and to agree on a new agenda for action.
The PD was endorsed in March 2005 at the second high level forum in Paris with the objective of enhancing better delivery and management of aid in order to improve aid effectiveness. But gender activists argue that GE is not explicitly stated in the PD beyond the need for harmonization effort on cross-cutting issues such as gender equality.
According to Ms. Kathy Cusack of the Network for Womenâ's Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), the PD marginalizes critical issues for development, including gender equality, human rights and environmental sustainability.
She noted that the new modalities for aid pose significant challenges for GE and women’s empowerment (WE) because there is lack of political will to ensure that GE is one of the main pillars of development.
Rather, she said political will centres on public sector reform, public financial management, private sector development and procurement.
"If gender equality is not a specific national priority it may disappear from the development agenda. In most cases there is also not an adequate participatory process for defining national budget priorities in a way that fully incorporates womenâ's needs and concerns- allocation of monies is seldom transparent."
Some gender advocates also argue that the new aid modalities founded on neo-liberal agenda do not make provisions for affordable and quality public services to the poor through essential services such as health, education, access to potable water and sanitation and energy.
Sadly, these issues directly impact on womenâ's social and economic empowerment. Often times the policies behind some of the modalities push for privatization of basic services such as water and tend to exclude strategies for universal access to basic services that are key to human development and poverty reduction.
Implications are that as of 2006, the Ministry of Health estimated that maternal mortality was 503 deaths per 100,000 live births, with regional variations as high as 600-800 deaths per 100,000 live births.
In 2007 Ghana's net primary enrollment rate was 77.3% for females and 79.8% for males. However, Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2006) states that only 22.3% of females and 25.9% of males complete primary school.
Inadequate infrastructure for water supply impact significantly on womenâ's workload because collection and use of water is primarily a woman’s responsibility.
Ministry of Health's records show that 70% of all diseases reported in out-patient clinics in Ghana are water-related, which adds to the burden of womenâ's household labour.
Again as custodians of family health, women shoulder a huge burden of coping with the lack of basic sanitation services. Only about 40% of urban population has access to some form of adequate household sanitation, 15% still use bucket latrines while 40% rely on public facilities.
The PD, referred to as the new regime of international aid and defined as a partnership between members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), donors and recipient developing countries, lays out global commitment organised around five key principles of effective aid.
They are; ownership, alignment, harmonization, managing for results and mutual accountability.
However, womenâ's rights advocates face challenges in attaining accountability from government because the primary focus for aid effectiveness is on institutional procedures of disbursement and not impacts on the grounds of GE.
Even the Ministry for Women and Children Affairs (MOWAC) as the technical advisor for government on GE and WE suffers from human and financial constraints.
The National Programme Coordinator of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF-Ghana), Mrs. Bernice Sam at a consultative forum on gender and aid effectiveness urged women rights advocates and women in general to take keen interest in issues such as the PD and MDGs since they are about them.
She said women often bear the brunt of negative economic policies so they need to know impact of such policies and not be concerned with the technical language.
"If we do not accelerate efforts to incorporate gender equality, then we risk missing opportunities to channel scaled up aid to address GE and women empowerment".
Ghana is considered a highly aid-dependant country and as she hosts the HLF3 in September this year, CSOs and women are deepening their knowledge on the PD on aid effectiveness so they will be able to argue for the promotion of gender as a core issue if aid effectives is to be achieved.
Ministers from over 100 countries, heads of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, donor organizations, and civil society organizations from around the world will gather in Accra for the HLF3.
Many gender advocates perceive the PD as a gender blind document and argue that nothing directly and fundamentally addresses the gendered nature of poverty.
Consequently, they are concerned that the declaration is fundamentally flawed since no development can occur without women’s rights being fully respected and guaranteed.
In their opinion, gender equality (GE) needs to be recognized as a key component of poverty and development.
Slated for September 2 to 4 2008, the HLF3 will review and assess progress in the implementation of the PD on aid effectiveness and to agree on a new agenda for action.
The PD was endorsed in March 2005 at the second high level forum in Paris with the objective of enhancing better delivery and management of aid in order to improve aid effectiveness. But gender activists argue that GE is not explicitly stated in the PD beyond the need for harmonization effort on cross-cutting issues such as gender equality.
According to Ms. Kathy Cusack of the Network for Womenâ's Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), the PD marginalizes critical issues for development, including gender equality, human rights and environmental sustainability.
She noted that the new modalities for aid pose significant challenges for GE and women’s empowerment (WE) because there is lack of political will to ensure that GE is one of the main pillars of development.
Rather, she said political will centres on public sector reform, public financial management, private sector development and procurement.
"If gender equality is not a specific national priority it may disappear from the development agenda. In most cases there is also not an adequate participatory process for defining national budget priorities in a way that fully incorporates womenâ's needs and concerns- allocation of monies is seldom transparent."
Some gender advocates also argue that the new aid modalities founded on neo-liberal agenda do not make provisions for affordable and quality public services to the poor through essential services such as health, education, access to potable water and sanitation and energy.
Sadly, these issues directly impact on womenâ's social and economic empowerment. Often times the policies behind some of the modalities push for privatization of basic services such as water and tend to exclude strategies for universal access to basic services that are key to human development and poverty reduction.
Implications are that as of 2006, the Ministry of Health estimated that maternal mortality was 503 deaths per 100,000 live births, with regional variations as high as 600-800 deaths per 100,000 live births.
In 2007 Ghana's net primary enrollment rate was 77.3% for females and 79.8% for males. However, Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2006) states that only 22.3% of females and 25.9% of males complete primary school.
Inadequate infrastructure for water supply impact significantly on womenâ's workload because collection and use of water is primarily a woman’s responsibility.
Ministry of Health's records show that 70% of all diseases reported in out-patient clinics in Ghana are water-related, which adds to the burden of womenâ's household labour.
Again as custodians of family health, women shoulder a huge burden of coping with the lack of basic sanitation services. Only about 40% of urban population has access to some form of adequate household sanitation, 15% still use bucket latrines while 40% rely on public facilities.
The PD, referred to as the new regime of international aid and defined as a partnership between members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), donors and recipient developing countries, lays out global commitment organised around five key principles of effective aid.
They are; ownership, alignment, harmonization, managing for results and mutual accountability.
However, womenâ's rights advocates face challenges in attaining accountability from government because the primary focus for aid effectiveness is on institutional procedures of disbursement and not impacts on the grounds of GE.
Even the Ministry for Women and Children Affairs (MOWAC) as the technical advisor for government on GE and WE suffers from human and financial constraints.
The National Programme Coordinator of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF-Ghana), Mrs. Bernice Sam at a consultative forum on gender and aid effectiveness urged women rights advocates and women in general to take keen interest in issues such as the PD and MDGs since they are about them.
She said women often bear the brunt of negative economic policies so they need to know impact of such policies and not be concerned with the technical language.
"If we do not accelerate efforts to incorporate gender equality, then we risk missing opportunities to channel scaled up aid to address GE and women empowerment".
Ghana is considered a highly aid-dependant country and as she hosts the HLF3 in September this year, CSOs and women are deepening their knowledge on the PD on aid effectiveness so they will be able to argue for the promotion of gender as a core issue if aid effectives is to be achieved.
Ministers from over 100 countries, heads of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, donor organizations, and civil society organizations from around the world will gather in Accra for the HLF3.
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