\\JuO NATIONAL COUNCIL ON WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT GHANA Annual Report 1975/76 %)îotbé NATIONAL COUNCIL ON WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT P.O. BOX M.53 ACCRA î ffcV. TO Reçu Cote contents txempl. ^ En rée £ B Tage Introduction 3 4 Acknowledgement ... Functions and Aim... 5 6 Organizational Structure . Activities of the Council . 7 Targets 11 13 Activities in the Regions . Research Programmes 20 Council's Recommendations 22. Scholarships 24 Appendices 26 (3rdfromN.C.W.D.inauguraltheceremony.right),at INAUGURATION—AprilStateHeadAcheampong,ChairmanK.I.GeneralPicture1975:S.M.C.;theofshowsand (2ndleft)fromJusticeAnnieMrsFlorenceDrN.C.W.D.ChairmanJiagge,ChairmanDolphyne,Vicetheofand introduction The National Council on Women and Development was established by the NRCD 322 on the 20th of February 1975. The Council was formally inaugurated on the 21st of April 1975 by the Head of State and Chairman of the NRC His Excellency Gen. I. K. Acheampong. In December 1974, the Head of State in a radio and television programme announced the Ghana Government's decision : (a) To participate in the celebration of the International Women's Year, 1975 and (b) To establish the necessary government machinery to assure the full inte¬ gration of women in national development. The need to a establish Government machinery for the advancement of women has since the 1960's been recognised and indeed consistently supported in resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and of the Economic and Social Council. U.N. Reso¬ lution (961 F XXXVD) for instance "Calls the attention of Member States of the U.N. to the value of appointing narional commissions on the Status of Women, composed of leading men and women with experience in government service, education, employment, community development and other aspects of public life, to develop plans and make recommendations for improving the position of women in their respective countries". In addition to these resolutions, various U.N. Conferences and Seminars have also supported the call to establish National Commissions on the Status of Women. At the Rabat Conference in 1971 on Education, Vocational Training and Work Opportunities for Girls and Women in African countries, it was recommended that the functions of such National Commissions should include: (<) The examination and evaluation of the present contribution of women to the various sectors of development in the light of National need, and priorities. (;;) The study of specific areas where women's participation should be initiated and/or strengthened. (Hi) The development and promotion of action programmes to integrate women in all sectors of national development. (iv) Assisting governments in formulating requests for international technical assistance available through the United Nations System of organisations. (v) Working in partnership with government authorities at all levels and in close co-operation with non-governmental agencies, especially women's organisations. The programme for International Women's Year as approved by the Economic and Social Council Resolution of 1974 recommended among other things that such National Commissions should have the mandate "to review and recommend measures and priorities to ensure equality between men and women and the full integration of women in all sectors of National life". Ghana in 1974 co-sponsored the U.N. resolution calling on members stages, to establish, if they have not already done so, as a priority measure for International Women's Year, appropriate Government machinery to accelerate the integration of women in development and elimination of discrimination against women on grounds of sex. The Government of Ghana, convinced that such a body is necessary if women are to enjoy equal economic, social, political and cultural rights de facto with men, established the National Council on Women and Development. Composition of Council The Council, the first of its kind in Ghana, is composed of fifteen women and five men, selected on a country-wide basis to serve in their personal capacities. There are also ten Principal Secretaries representing the following Ministries: Education; Health; Labour, Social Welfare and Co-operatives; Finance; Economic Planning; Foreign Affairs; Agriculture; Information; Establishment Secretariat; and the Attorney General's De¬ partment. '3 ucknowledgement The National Council on Women and Development is grateful to the various agencies which helped it during the past year. Special mention should be made of USAID for showing interest in the Council's activities and for providing funds for most ofthe Council's research work. The Council is grateful to the USSR Women's Committee for the offer of two scholarships to Ghanaian women and for various gifts which are highly appreciated. Mention must also be made of the ECA for sending Dr M. Carr to do a survey and write a report on appropriate intermediate technology. Her report was instructive. The Council is again grateful to USAID for making the services of Dr W. F. Steel available to the Coun¬ cil. He assisted the Council with its Research Programme. The Technology Consultancy Centre, Kumasi, gave technical advice. To the centre and the numerous lecturers who helped us to programme our research activities and to the Ministries of Labour, Social Welfare and Co-operatives, Foreign Affairs and Agriculture and to the Banking institu¬ tions, the Council is indebted. The Council is particularly grateful to the Regional Commissioners and their staff in the Regional Administrations for their great help since the beginning of the workshops. They offered enthusiastic support in identifying viable ventures in their respective regions. The Council hopes to co-operate more closely in the future with other agencies like ECA, UNICEF, PPAG, IPPF, UNDP, FAO, the Churches, the Local Councils, Women's Organizations and other groups interested in the welfare and advancement of women. The members of the National Council on Women and Development have embraced the vision held out by the United Nations in initiating the idea, and the faith of the Ghana Government in ratifying and setting up the Council. Members' enthusiasm and commit¬ ment to the goal of Ghanaian women developed at par with the men, marching abreast in the exciting venture of Ghana's upliftment, have accounted for the mass of work which the Council has done, and reported in these pages, within one year of its existence. If the Council in the coming years can follow the clear directions that it has established within the one year of its life, and if its members can maintain the tempo of activities, we hope the U.N. and our Government will find justification and fulfilment in the goals they set themselves for the women of the world and of this country. The Council members take modest and just pride in successfully setting up the orga¬ nizational machinery at the National and Regional levels. The Council has established contact with the women and women's organizations in the country. The interest shown by the women in the Council, and their acceptance of the mission of the Council is, certainly, the foundation stone on which to mobilize women's contribution to national development and well-being, and enhancement of the conditions and status of women in Ghana. As the practical, economic projects being promoted by the Council demonstrate, the members of the Council firmly believe that the economic well-being of women, coupled with their equal enlightenment, is the bedrock for women's emancipation and dignity. While emphasizing the economic condition of women at the material time, the Council has also mapped out and is undertaking wide-ranging studies into the nature, the condition and the problems confronting women. On the strength of the findings of the research studies, far-reaching long-term solutions will be found. 4 functions und uim The functions of the Council among other things are: (ï) To advise Government generally on all matters relating to the full inte¬ gration of women in national development at all levels. («) To examine and evaluate the contribution of women in the economic, social and cultural fields, and so to advise Government as to the specific- areas where participation of women may be strengthened or initiated. (iii) To study the effects of customary beliefs, prejudices and practices on advancement of women in the educational, political and economic fields and to report to government from time to time. (iv) To develop plans and proposals for the establishment of large-scale, non-formal education and training for the purpose of raising living stan¬ dards in the rural and urban communities and eradicating illiteracy. (v) To serve as the official national body for co-operating, co-ordinating and liaising with national and international organisations on matters relating to the status of Women. The Aim is to raise the standard of living in Ghana on a broad, national basis by bringing into the productive sector of the economy the unskilled, the majority of whom, unfortunately, are women, and to integrate women in the development process at all levels. 5 organisational structure Immediately after its inauguration, the Council drew up its organisational structure. Seven specialised Committees were set up. These are the Committees on Education, Home, Employment, Women in Society, Legal, Projects and Steering. The latter is composed of the Chairman of each of the above six specialized Committees. The Committees operate at the National Level. At the Regional level there are Regional Advisory Committees. (See Appendix II for composition and functions of the Committees.) 1. The National Secretariat: The National Secretariat is the executive arm of the Council and its Committees. It is headed by the Executive Secretary, appointed by the Government. The Secretariat is divided into six administrative units:— (a) Research 0b) Counselling (c) Information/Public Relations (d) Administration (e) Accounts (/) Technical -(See Appendix 111 for the functions of these units.) 2. Regional Secretariats Each Region has a Secretariat. The staffing of each Regional Secretariat consists of a Secretary, Field Officers and other supporting staff.