Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) has launched a project to enhance inclusive participation in local Governance in Ghana through capacity building for journalists and female political aspirants in the country.
The project seeks to empower about thirty (30) journalists and female aspirants in the impending District Assembly elections in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Northern Regions of the Ghana.
At the launch ceremony in Accra on Thursday, a seasoned researcher and policy analyst, Dr. Esther Ofei Aboagye noted that the media must play a critical role of agenda setting on objective and independent coverage of issues of women election, information sharing and influencing public opinion on women candidature and roles as voters.
Dr. Ofei-Aboagye further reiterated the call on the media to educate and promote citizen’s awareness of issues of local governance and women participation. She asserted that the media must ensure all misconceptions and hindrances that impede the election of women into public offices and positions are broken.
She encouraged journalists to guarantee a level playing field for all persons and not leave any one behind.
“A wild range of and variety of media players must work together to avoid elite capture and leaving people behind. Journalists must leverage opportunities for visibility for those who would be the danger of not being seen or heard,” she noted.
Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission, Alexander Bannerman, called on the Ghanaian media to devote enough airtime and space to educate and encourage more women to take up positions and contest in the upcoming district level election. He cautioned the media not to allow their platforms be used to rundown women that put themselves up for election.
“For our democracy to grow and be sustained we need women at all levels of our political governance structure and it is only the media that will become the voice for them,” he stated.
A representative of the Canadian High Commission – sponsors of the project, explained that Canada is committed to building a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous world with women and girls at the heart of all policies and programs. He said Canada believes that women and girls’ full participation in all aspects of society is a key driver to advancing gender equality, leading to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He affirms the commitment of the High Commission to the projects and other projects that promote an all-round development of women.
Acting Executive Secretary of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Mr. Jeorge Wilson Kingson, in a solidarity message, emphasized the readiness of the Association to use its platforms to promote women contesting in the upcoming District level elections. He advised the media to prioritize gender-sensitive reporting and adopt guidelines and codes of conduct that promote fair and balanced coverage of women candidates.
Some of the female candidates expressed total satisfaction with the project with the believe that it will help break the glass ceiling for women to be their best in the election.
By Derick Botsyoe