The Gender Inequality Saga. Achieving a Sustainable Solution for Global Transformation through the Alternative Women Empowerment Strategy

Tesis Doctoral / Disertación , 2022 , 105 Páginas , Calificación: 3.96

Sociología - Individuo, grupos, sociedad

It is extremely difficult to be a woman our world today. Women around the world are facing the dilemma of who they really are and why they exist. Mainly because of how they are generally ill-treated by men coupled with the fact that we are at a critical turning point in world history where humanity is facing the deepest health, economic, and social crisis of our generation and the situation is worsening.

Gender inequality for centuries appears to be the bone of contention between the male and female human species and it is always the female who suffers the greatest level of injustice. Even the seemingly most empowered women seem to have some form of squabble with the male gender. Women have been misunderstood, devalued, disrespected and unappreciated by men and this has left women with a very incorrect perception about themselves and their situation.

For generations, various advocates have been trying to end this inequality saga by cutting off the branches of the problems without uprooting the tree from the roots completely. What this means is that once the branchless tree remains watered by the same traditional, cultural and social waves, the branches quickly grow again to bear much bitter and diverse fruits of inequality and woman devaluation. It is time for the tree of gender inequality that constantly produces bitter fruits for women to be uprooted and the right tree that will permanently yield gender friendly and appreciative fruits to be planted.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Presentation of Issue
Scope of study
Background Information
What is gender and gender equality and gender inequality?
History of the Fight to attain Gender Equality
Context of Subject
Global review
Ghana Review
Purpose of Study

CHAPTER 2: THE RESEARCH FOCUS
Research Questions
Description of the Specific Research
Importance of this research
Determining the Root Causes of Gender Inequality
Definition of the Terms
Theoretical Framework

CHAPTER 3: REVIEW OF OTHER WORK DONE
Gender Mainstreaming: The Main Global Methodology / Strategy
Other Findings and Conclusions

CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODS
Research Hypothesis
Research Strategy and Techniques, Data Sources, Method of Data Collection
Secondary Data sourced from ‘A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF WOMEN AND GIRLS EMPOWERMENT’ – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Secondary Data as analyzed by World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Reports.
Ghana’s rankings per the Global Gender Index
Method of Data Analysis
PRESENTATION OF THEMES DERIVED FROM THE INTERVIEW RESPONSES
OPIONION POLLS FROM QUESTIONNAIRE
GENERAL SUMMARY OF OPINION POLLS FROM QUESTIONNAIRE & DEMOGRAPHICS
DERIVED THEMES FROM QUESTIONNAIRE – OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS
Verification of Ethical Considerations
Challenges encountered in conducting research.

CHAPTER 5: RESULTS OF RESEARCH ANALYSIS
Interpretation of Results
Explanation of Results
Questions about alternative approaches
Strength and weaknesses of Statistical analysis.

CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION
– Discussions and Summary
Education is Good but not Enough!
Religion has neither been very helpful
Foundation for the human race is the male man!
The need for women empowerment as a pre-requisite to gender equality
Going back into time – The Beginning
The Bible – Religious Book or Legal Constitution!
God, the Creator of all things.
Views from one of the world’s Great World thinkers – Stephen Hawking!
God’s Original Idea – The Truth Revealed
The True Damage – Root cause of Gender Inequality and Misogyny

CHAPTER 7: RECOMMENDATIONS
Preamble
Recommendations given for others to consider
Team up to move up
My message to women and the men who love them.
Recommendations given for nations to consider and for future research
God’s Original Plan / Template / Reference for Society
Violating the Original Reference (Ancient Landmarks)
Rediscovering the True North!
Perfect illustration of The Holy Spirit as our True North
The Power of True North

THE ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

My Final Words

References (Bibliography)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Completing this Thesis is indeed a dream come true. All glory to God!

I appreciate all the women (young and old) out there who will be delivered, empowered and transformed by the discussions and recommendations in this work. You kept me going and gave me a reason to finish this work anytime you came to mind.

Thank you my dear husband, Prophet Jones Kwadzodei Korsinah, for discovering, reminding and empowering me to pursue this doctorate degree because of my calling. You have been a major inspiration and continually provoke me to become all I was created to become. You are indeed a man who believes in gender equality and the need to practically empower women to be more and do more. Thank you for your love, sacrifice and patience. I love and appreciate you dearly.

My next acknowledgement goes to my children, Paula, Josiah and Juanita. For understanding me when I get caught up in my work and cannot provide all the attention you deserve. I love you all dearly.

Thanks to Mme. Beauty Korsinah, my mother-in-law. You’re always there to pray for me, encourage and fill in for me in my absence from home.

Thanks again to Ebenezer K. Bosomprah, Research Assistant at the Centre for Gender Studies at the University of Ghana. Your support and encouragement in this regard is much appreciated.

Thanks to all my wonderful mentees for your prayers and words of encouragement and belief in me. For you, I press on to go farther as a woman on assignment.

A great thanks to my AIU academic dean and senior advisor: Dr. Edward Lambert and Dr. Freddy Frejus. Your guidance, encouragement and support have been immense. You fired me up to do more.

My ultimate and greatest thanks goes my Lord God for calling and empowering me for this assignment to help solve the gender inequality saga. You have by Your Holy Spirit helped by write and complete this work and I am immensely grateful. I know there is more and I am ready for more. I love you dearly.

ABSTRACT

It is extremely difficult to be a woman in our world today. Many women around the world are facing the dilemma of who they really are and why they exist mainly because of how they are generally ill-treated by men coupled with the fact that we are at a critical turning point in world history where humanity is facing the deepest health, economic, and social crisis of our generation, and the situation is worsening.

Woman was created uniquely and primarily to be a helper and to offer support to man in his work as manager and administrator over the earth. Secondly she’s the channel through whom the seed of man is multiplied. She was uniquely designed with calmness and intuition to be a source of inspiration and a companion to man. This situation is so far from reality as it stands.

Gender inequality for centuries appears to be the bone of contention between the male and female human species and it is always the female who suffers the greatest level of injustice. Even the seemingly most empowered women seem to have some form of squabble with the male gender. Women have been misunderstood, devalued, disrespected and unappreciated by men and this has left women with a very incorrect perception about themselves and their situation. Culture and tradition has drawn a pathway for women that has left them generally to be taken as sex toys, baby-making machines, domestic helps and care givers who should always be at the beck and call of their male ‘superiors’.

For generations, various advocates have been trying to end this inequality saga by cutting off the branches of the problems without uprooting the tree from the roots completely. What this means is that once the branchless tree remains watered by the same traditional, cultural and social waves, the branches quickly grow again to bear much bitter and diverse fruits of inequality and woman devaluation. It is time for the tree of gender inequality that constantly produces bitter fruits for women to be uprooted and the right tree that will permanently yield gender friendly and appreciative fruits to be planted.

It is possible to win this battle by applying the right strategies!

CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Presentation of Issue

Gender equality, generally defined as the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender (i.e. male and female), has for many generations only been a dream for many societies and nations at large.

It so happens that men mostly represent (due to the adopted patriarchy systems) in economic participation and decision-making arenas and even in terms of valuing different behaviors, aspirations and needs, women are found at the losing end. Women have been treated and made to feel as less significant in many spheres and their contributions have not often been appreciated.

It is worthy to note that with the rise of feminist movements around the world, many efforts have been made to restore and bring a change in the position and role of women. Despite these progresses, there are still deep inequalities existing between men and women in many societies, regardless of religious, economic or political attempts targeted at reducing and curbing such acts.

It is for this reason that in 2015, the United Nations came up with global Sustainable Development Goals including Gender Equality to be achieved by the year 2030. It is believed that gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. (United Nations, Western Europe, n.d.) The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. (UN Ghana, n.d.)

Though the whole world acknowledges the need for equal rights for all humans, this unfortunately is not the case for women to a large extent. For centuries there has been a war on gender inequality where many women advocacy groups have been seeking that women receive equal rights as men. Surveys have shown how crucial it is for women to be accorded same privileges as men and how socioeconomically viable it is when women are empowered and amplified to play certain roles.

“Gender Equality is The Roadmap We Need to Overcome Our Most Pressing Global Challenges. (Sherwin, 2021)”. I whole heartedly believe this statement and this demands that a sustainable solution is reached at all cost.

Gender equality is a topical and global concern that has been dear to my heart and it saddens me to see how advocates with all their toil and efforts only seem to be making slow progress and sometimes appear to be moving in circles. It really is a strange reality because as many affirm, women’s empowerment is an important goal in achieving sustainable development worldwide. (Huis & Nina, 2017)

The former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan (deceased), in his address to the General Assembly special session, ‘Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-first Century’ on 5 June, said “the future of the planet depends on women.” This is undoubtedly a prophetic declaration that is about to be manifested. He also quoted, “Indeed, study after study has confirmed that there is no development strategy more beneficial to society as a whole -- women and men alike -- than one which involves women as central players.” (United Nations, 2000)

According to a UNDP report, “ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, it’s crucial for sustainable future; it’s proven that empowering women and girls helps economic growth and development.” (UNDP, n.d.)

Scope of study

In this world, this persistent social disease of gender inequality has been making millions of women suffer for centuries. The most common ideology resulting to women discrimination is that men are superior over women in every aspect of life.

Without doubt gender inequality exists with us therefore this study is not at all to establish whether or not it exists or reveal its extensiveness or its negative impact on lives globally, especially women. There are hundreds of research exposés relating to and proving the fact that gender disparities remain not just a nightmare for many women but a global concern.

I will be employing Questionnaire, Interviews and Secondary Data Collection methods.

Data will be collected through questionnaires created in Google Forms.

My sample size target is at least 100 which should cover women between the ages of 18 – 50 years. (Focus is only on women because of my objectives)

The time frame for collection should be three weeks maximum.

I will also interview about ten women to help me deeply understand and explore the interviewee’s opinions, experiences and philosophies about the subject matter.

The objectives are to:

- find out how well women know themselves. In other words the true identity. (this is the foundation for a genuine self-esteem. (many women fake having self-esteem)
- find out how well women know the difference between Career and Calling (purpose)
- test the hypothesis that there is a correlation between knowing and living out one’s true identity and calling (purpose) and having true fulfillment and a strong sense of self-worth (self-importance, self-confidence, self-esteem…..) as a person.
- find out their perception about the root cause of gender inequality and the universal contempt for women.

As I mentioned earlier, I will also employ secondary data collection where I will project the findings of other researchers on the impact of gender inequality and bias against women on society and national progress, why the need for a sustainable solution for gender equality is so crucial and the forecast for the coming years.

Two key words to be dissected are identity and purpose. These are pivotal determinants to a real fulfilled and successful life.

Example: The study intends to find out how well women know the dimensions of purpose in terms of career and calling. A career basically puts food on one’s table while the calling is what gives one a deeper meaning to one’s existence.

Background Information

The quest for gender equality and women empowerment has been on for decades.

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population which also means half of its potential. Apart from being a fundamental human right, gender equality is essential to achieve peaceful societies and sustainable development. Several studies have also shown that empowering women leads to productivity and economic growth and sustainable development.

Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go to achieve full equality of rights and opportunities between men and women. (United Nations, 2021). It is therefore very important to find ways of ending the multiple forms of gender related issues and secure equal access to quality education and health, economic resources and participation in political life for both genders. There is the need to achieve equal opportunities in accessing jobs and positions of leadership and decision-making at all levels.

According to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time, and the greatest human rights challenge in our world. (United Nations, 2021)

What is gender and gender equality and gender inequality?

According to the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women, UN Women, gender is refers to the social attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female and the relationships between women and men and girls and boys, as well as the relations between women and those between men. Thus, Gender Equality is generally defined as the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender.

In Ghana, like many other nations operating under the patriarchal system, which refers to a form of social organization in which males dominate females, there is a common concurrence that gender inequality stems primarily from socially molded perceptions, biases, stereotypes and expectations of males and females in terms of being a man or a woman. These perceptions, biases, stereotypes and expectations have largely and unconsciously defined the respective statuses of males and females, determining their roles, opportunities and privileges in society. These Societal rules, roles, expectations and privileges are set and upheld by men and internalized by women through socialization. (IPL, n.d.). To a large extent the saying, “It’s a man’s world” persists in our nation. Men are perceived as those who call the shots and determine who they allow into their space. The woman’s submissive role is sometimes perceived as a menial role, thus when women try to live out their full potential they are seen as disrespectful, proud and someone who tries to rub shoulders with men.

To a large extent men determine who owns what and who uses what in the society, even though it is minimal amongst the enlightened. It is very normal to find a highly educated man who is domineering and doesn’t accord any liberties to the wife. In certain office settings, promotions don’t depend on competency but ability to compromise one’s values and standards to sexually please a boss. Women seem to be the ones who are discriminated against, suffer all forms of violence in terms of abuse and trafficking, suffer from harmful practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, widowhood rites and inheritance, not given access to leadership roles and many more. Worst is, they not having a say in deciding on matters pertaining to their own well-being.

History of the Fight to attain Gender Equality

I will attempt to fish out highlights of historical records relating to this seemingly unending saga. I will relate with feminism because it was born out of the quest for gender equality. Feminism, a belief in the political, economic and cultural equality of women, has roots in the earliest eras of human civilization.

Dating from biblical history, through ancient civil to the fight for women’s suffrage to the several women’s marches over the years and the recent women empowerment movements, the history of feminism is as long as it is fascinating.

The Trailblazers

During the leadership of the ancient Hebrew leader of the Israelites, Moses, the story is told of the five daughters of Zelophehad who defended their rights in the face of the limited right of Israelite women to inherit land at that time. In those days only men were counted in the census and thus had the right to inherit land. Their father had died and having no brother it meant being left without any of their father’s inheritance. (Numbers 27:33 & 27:1-11 of the Constitution – The Bible). The young women appeal this regulation, stating their case in front of the sacred tent of meeting in the presence of Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and indeed the whole community. They argue that their father’s name (lineage) should not be cut off from his clan just because he had no son and that they should be permitted to inherit his land portion in order to avoid this potential injustice to their father’s name and property. Moses consults God (the Supreme Judge), and the proposal of the daughters of Zelophehad was approved and implemented.

In his classic Republic, Plato, the ancient Greek Philosopher advocated that women possess “natural capacities” equal to men for governing and defending ancient Greece. He also argues for giving qualified persons full opportunity for guardian training regardless of whether they are male or female. It is argued though that Plato was not a gender equal advocate per se, but are made in the service of his ultimate aim, which is to arrange hierarchy, social power, and control, so that ‘the best’ rules over the worst, with reason, according to nature.

In the 18th Century, ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman’, by Mary Wollstonecraft, was written in 1791 and published in 1792. This was more of a trailblazing work of literature which still resonates in feminism and human rights movements of today. It argued for women’s rights to be on the same balance as men’s. Hitherto, there had been literature, mostly championed by men, which argued for the reform of female education, but those were primarily to prepare women to play their roles better as a man’s companion. Wollstonecraft challenged this stance saying, “I attribute [these problems] to a false system of education, gathered from the books written on this subject by men, who, considering females rather as women than human creatures, have been more anxious to make them alluring mistresses than affectionate wives and rational mothers … the civilized women of this present century, with a few exceptions, are only anxious to inspire love, when they ought to cherish a nobler ambition, and by their abilities and virtues exact respect.” She goes on to say, revolutionarily, that “I shall first consider women in the grand light of human creatures, who, in common with men, are placed on this earth to unfold their faculties”. (British Library, n.d.). Indeed the woman is much more than a tool for men’s pleasure.

In the 19th century, 1869 precisely, John Stuart Mill , philosopher and political economist published an essay titled “Subjection of Women”. In this he argued in favour of legal and social equality between men and women mentioning that “the legal subordination of one sex to the other is wrong in itself, and now one of the chief hindrances to human improvement.” In making reference to ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Women’, Mill insists that until society treats men and women equally, it will be impossible to know the natural abilities of women, or whether there are inherent differences between the sexes. (British Library, n.d.)

Winning the Right to Vote

The right to vote is a fundamental right as it involves the capacity to contribute to the election of the government that will represent your views. Given the power vested in government to make decisions that affect the daily lives of citizens it is important that those affected (of voting age) can have a say in who makes those decisions. Amazingly for centuries women were not given the right to partake in this activity. This sparked the campaign for women’s suffrage the 1820’s and lingered on for decades in a fight to win the right to vote for women in the United States. It took activists and reformers nearly 100 years (amidst the civil war) to win that right, and the campaign was not easy: Disagreements over strategy threatened to cripple the movement more than once. But on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was finally ratified, enfranchising all American women and declaring for the first time that they, like men, deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. (History, 2021).

Also around the 1820’s and 30’s all sorts of reform groups sprung up across the United States; religious movements, moral-reform societies, anti-slavery organizations and women played a prominent roles in many of them. It was believed that women were beginning to protest what historians have called the “Cult of True Womanhood”: that is, the idea that the only “true” woman was a pious, submissive wife and mother concerned exclusively with home and family. (History, 2021)

The United Nations and their Unflinching Interest in Women Empowerment

UN’s support for the rights of women began in 1945 with the Organization's founding Charter which was poised in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.” Then the Economic and Social Council established its Commission on the Status of Women in 1946, as the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women.

Women and Human Rights

The landmark Declaration, adopted by the General Assembly in 1948, reaffirmed that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. As the international feminist movement began to gain momentum during the 1970s, the General Assembly declared 1975 as the International Women’s Year and organized the first World Conference on Women, in Mexico City. In 1979, the General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which is often described as an International Bill of Rights for Women. In its 30 articles, the Convention explicitly defines discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. The Convention targeted culture and tradition as influential forces shaping gender roles and family relations, and it was the first human rights treaty to affirm the reproductive rights of women. Five years after the Mexico City conference, a Second World Conference on Women was held in Copenhagen in 1980. The resulting Programme of Action called for stronger national measures to ensure women's ownership and control of property, as well as improvements in women's rights with respect to inheritance, child custody and loss of nationality.

Birth of Global Feminism - Summary (United Nations, Global, n.d.)

In 1985, the Third World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, was held in Nairobi. It was convened at a time when the movement for gender equality had finally gained true global recognition, and 15,000 representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) participated in a parallel NGO Forum. (United Nations, Global, n.d.). This was described by many as “the birth of global feminism”. Realizing that the goals of the Mexico City Conference had not been adequately met, the 157 participating governments adopted the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies to the Year 2000. The document broke new ground by declaring all issues to be women’s issues.

The Fourth World Conference on Women, which went a step further than the Nairobi Conference was held in Beijing in 1995. The Beijing Platform for Action asserted women’s rights as human rights and committed to specific actions to ensure respect for those rights.

Then also came Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The CSW is instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The United Nations General Assembly in 2010, unanimously voted to create a single UN body tasked with accelerating progress in achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment: The new UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women or UN Women.

The United Nations is now focusing its global development work on the recently-developed 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Women have a critical role to play in all of the SDGs, with many targets specifically recognizing women’s equality and empowerment as both the objective, and as part of the solution. Goal 5, to "Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls" is known as the stand-alone gender goal, because it is dedicated to achieving these ends.

The UN system continues to give particular attention to the issue of violence against women. The 1993 General Assembly Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women contained “a clear and comprehensive definition of violence against women [and] a clear statement of the rights to be applied to ensure the elimination of violence against women in all its forms”. It represented “a commitment by States in respect of their responsibilities, and a commitment by the international community at large to the elimination of violence against women”.

The United Nations observes certain days devoted to champion and raise the awareness of different aspects of the struggle for gender equality and women empowerment globally. International Women’s Day which is observed annually on 8th March, is a day, observed by many countries around the world, when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. There is also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25th November. On 6th February, the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation is observed; 11th February is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science; 19th June is the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, 23rd June is International Widows' Day, 11th October is the International Day of the Girl Child and on 15th October the International Day of Rural Women is observed.

Context of Subject

Global review

The year 2020 marked 25 years of implementing the Beijing Platform for Action – believed to be the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing women’s rights produced by the closing Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in September 1995. That event gathered thousands of people, mostly women activist, coming from around the globe, but they had a single purpose in mind: Gender Equality and the Empowerment of all Women, everywhere.

After 25 years of activism, the then Chief of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who was celebrated as a champion of gender equality (UN Women, 2021), made this distressing remark in her message for International Women’s Day celebration, in March 2020. “We don’t have an equal world at the moment and women are angry and concerned about the future”, she said. “They are radically impatient for change. It's an impatience that runs deep, and it has been brewing for years”. (United Nations, 2020). After 25 years! This statement also comes after she has been the Chief of UN Women after 7years!! She underscored that girls are disappointed with “the stewardship of our planet, the unabated violence directed against them and the slow pace of change in fulcrum issues like education”. (United Nations, 2020).

This image was removed due to copyright reasons.

See the amazing achievements of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka spelled out in the info graphic. (UN Women, 2021) How could all these achievements have led to her statement above? What is the missing link that is nullifying all the great strides in the realization of Gender Equality and Women empowerment?

The question is who are the real stewards of our planet? Why are they not concerned about the well-being of the inhabitants of the planet? Are they ignorant about the right action to take? Why does positive change happen at an awfully slow pace? What is the ultimate agenda of the stewards?

Ghana Review

Now coming to Ghana specifically, I would say, its commitment to gender equality spans over decades as demonstrated by an affirmative action Act in 1960 paving the way for 10 women into the first national assembly as Ghana become a republic. This nation has signed and ratified various international and regional treatises and frameworks aimed at increasing the role of women in national development, most of which have been championed fearlessly by Ghanaian women activists. Yes, there has been visible improvements but the condition for the majority of women have not experienced real liberation. Real fulfilment is so far-fetched amongst the large majority.

UN Women Ghana continues to provide support to the Government of Ghana through many governmental institutions to incorporate gender concerns in national development processes. It also provides support to the private sector and on gender responsive issues and works with the UNCT on women’s empowerment and promoting gender equality. The UNCT, in other words United Nations Country Teams, made up of UN entities in a nation, ensures interagency coordination and decision-making at the country level. (UN Sustainable Development Group, 2022). Their goal is to plan and work together to ensure the delivery of tangible results in support of the development agenda of the host Government.

With these powerful collaborations, by now Ghana should be well advanced in the achievement of gender equality. So what are the missing ingredients? Some of the ongoing collaborative programs in the country include supporting the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. In this regard, they are actually reviewing the National Gender Policy, Promoting an Affirmative Action Bill, Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) and Institutional Restructuring of certain policies. But again my question is, how is this going to be any different from the Beijing Platform for Action enacted about 27 years ago? We seem to be engaging in so much passionate activity without positive or the anticipated results.

There are also trainings for the participation of West Africa Women’s Organizations in the CSW (Commission on the Status of Women); Talks on Women's Property and Inheritance Rights under the context of HIV/AIDS; Programs to enhance the leadership skills of adolescent girls and young women in Nkwanta North and South Districts; Promoting Women’s Economic Empowerment through work with women smallholder farmers to adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and reduce Post Harvest Losses and also Women and Governance. Good initiatives but are these the right initiatives?

The former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur made this observation during Ghana’s 60th Anniversary. “We need to focus on the most important single intervention that will ensure 50:50 representation of women by 2030, and guarantee equitable representation of women at all levels of government. That intervention is the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill in Ghana.” (Lithur, 2017) According to her, Ghana took an important step in the path of gender equality when the Affirmative Action Bill was approved in 2016, years of hard work and advocacy. But truth is are we likely to reach an equilibrium?

Per her observation in 2017, in terms of ensuring gender equality Ghana was on the right path. A comprehensive legal and policy framework to protect rights of women had been enacted to ensure a smooth sail; including Domestic Violence Act, Human Trafficking Act, Labour Act, Children’s Act, Property Rights of Spouses Bill, Intestate Succession Bill, Affirmative Action Bill, Gender Policy, Child and Family Welfare Policy, Justice for Children Policy, Social Protection Bill, etc. Gender mainstreaming was being pursued vigorously with gender officers in each district assembly with gender budgeting is being implemented. National programs were not only gender sensitive, but disability friendly, incorporating the needs of the most vulnerable in our society. (Lithur, 2017).

These are undoubtedly amazing achievements but how well are they being translated from mere paper work to the practical application in the lives of individuals?

Purpose of Study

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the foundational truth about the causes of gender inequality. In spite of the plethora of knowledge and tangible evidence available pertaining to the advantages of a gender equal world, why does it seem to be nearly unachievable?

There is a hidden and/or ignored truth that humanity needs to embrace in order to achieve the gender equal world we have all been dying to see.

The study is to establish the missing ingredients of knowing and understanding one’s true identity and purpose as the main elements to achieving women’s empowerment which will translate into a gender equal world.

This study is to ensure that the efforts of our predecessors are not in vain. Many Ghanaian women activists over the years, have defied the odds to lead exemplarily under difficult circumstances. They have prevailed against frequent socio-cultural, traditional, religious and economic barriers just to ensure their fellow women and generations after them are treated fairly and with much dignity. Some have been insulted and maligned for being women leaders. Others have been disgraced, and called names simply because they were women serving their nation. Some have suffered broken homes, and broken marriages and isolation all because they were ready to be convicted for their convictions. Our gallant women leaders have bequeathed a strong legacy to us and we must not let their efforts be in vain.

CHAPTER 2: THE RESEARCH FOCUS

Statement of the Issue to be Specifically Researched

Gender inequality issues in our world today are so complex and interconnected. These issues are deeply entrenched in our societal, religious and economic fiber and it will take the right know-how and the adoption of a consistent, relentless and dedicated approach to reverse it. Many believe that we can arrive at a solution only if women are enabled or empowered to enjoy and bring out the best of their potentials, rather than condemn them to suffer the worst the world has to offer. That means, above all, that women must be educated, financially empowered and amplified so they can effectively play their role in the transformation of the global economy.

Today only about 22 percent of all parliamentarians and about 17 percent of all ministers globally are women. On the company boards and at peace negotiation tables, the gap is no different. This reality is unfortunately a sad one. There’s a plethora of evidence showing how countries, companies and peace agreements fare better when women are involved.

Dr. Alaa Murabit, a medical doctor and UN High-Level Commissioner on Health Employment & Economic Growth, in an interview with the President/CEO of Women Deliver on exploring the importance of gender equality and the challenges girls and women face in the political and decision-making arena, intimated how Karen Mason, former Director of Gender and Development at the World Bank, disclosed that gender equality in full capacity and the equal access to resources will accelerate economic growth and propel women out of poverty. She also added that the McKinsey Global Institute reported that advancing women’s equality could contribute $28 trillion at full potential. (Murabit, n.d.). This is huge! Unfortunately, despite the tremendously promising prospects of advancing women’s leadership in the public and private sector, patriarchy continues to be firmly rooted in our societal consciousness. What hinders men from seeing this truth? From time immemorial, men have been the main mediators on issues that directly affect women and even those issues that solely affect women.

Dr. Jemimah Njuki, the Director for Africa International Food Policy and a gender activist, in a just recent online conference on Re-imagining solutions to gender inequality (Njuki, 2021) , made this sad remark. “What has struck me and continues to strike me is that the conversations that we were having 20years ago when I joined the agricultural sector to work on issues relating to gender and farming systems, seems to be the same conversations we are still having today.” She went on to add that it wasn’t because no progress had been made in terms of gender equality and women empowerment related issues “because there are things we know now that we didn’t know then.” She said enough tools required to fight the norms, contexts, policies and institutional barriers that continue to reinforce gender inequality have been gained over the years “yet the conversations remain fundamentally the same.” “We are still talking about lack of access to resources to women as producers, lack of finance for women as entrepreneurs. We are still talking about norms that continue to hinder women from living meaningful dignified lives.” Why do we seem to be moving in circles without a sustainable solution? Her conclusions were that “we need to re-imagine the things we do and do them differently if we need to arrive at solutions and make progress.”

Now these conversations above represent many more thousands of such globally. What is being done or what is not being done rightly?

Thus, the statement of the issue to be specifically researched is this. The quest for sustainable gender equality and women empowerment remains elusive in spite of the seemingly remarkable strides of the various advocacy groups and agencies. What has been wrong with the decades of theoretical debates, talks on gender frameworks adoptions, gender mainstreaming and integration and other synergies in this regard? Yes, they have been instrumental in creating and understanding of gender differences and gender gaps and planning, however the main issues still remain without a sustainable solution. It seems the battle has just been dealing with symptoms and not the real problem. We have still not laid hold of the foundational causes of gender inequality and this is the focus of this research: To dig out the root cause or the genesis of the gender inequality saga and develop the sustainable solution that will bring about the foundational shifts that cause the permanent transformation the world has been yearning for.

Research Questions

My research will delve into what might be the root causes of the unending saga of gender inequality. Gender generally refers to socially constructed differences in attributes and opportunities associated with being female or male and to the social interactions and relations between women and men. So my ultimate question is, why are these differences in attributes and opportunities skewed to favor men while disfavoring women, and depressingly so. Why is there no equity?

Is man really more superior to woman? Are we in a man’s world where the woman’s role is only for procreation and domestic helps? Why do most men suppress and abuse women? Why are women still not allowed equal participatory roles in leadership? What did woman do to man to create such a negative image over the generations? Are they good for nothing? Or is it that women are not doing something right? Why don’t we seem to arrive at a permanent solution after all these decades of seeking solutions through various advocacies? Is their approach to this all important quest wrong? What or who is creating the hindrance or being the stumbling block between women and the solution? How do we get to the root cause of this seemingly unending and very frustrating pursuit? Have we exhausted the reading of all scholarly sources or materials that might have the solutions hidden in them?

I believe we can achieve a sustainable solution for global transformation through this alternative women empowerment strategy that seek to get to the root of the matter at all cost.

Description of the Specific Research

The nature of this research requires that we employ the mixed methods approach as it will give a more complete picture of the problem and strengthen the credibility of my solution.

The research seeks to explain why our beliefs and concepts about the causes of gender inequality being fundamentally cultural may not be utterly true. Variables collected from surveys will also be used to test my hypothesis that the knowledge of one’s true purpose and identity leads to the holistic empowerment and fulfillment of any individual; specifically woman.

Importance of this research

This is very important because it is going to provide a sustainable solution to the gender inequality saga that will ultimately lead to a global transformation.

Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right but it’s crucial for sustainable future; it’s proven that empowering women and girls helps economic growth and development (UNDP, Ghana, 2022), thus we must at all cost get the solution that will change the narrative.

In a UN report in 2020, on why the need for the quest for gender equality the author said the following regarding the progress made so far. “International commitments to advance gender equality have brought about improvements in some areas: child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) have declined in recent years, and women’s representation in the political arena is higher than ever before. But the promise of a world in which every woman and girl enjoys full gender equality, and where all legal, social and economic barriers to their empowerment have been removed, remains unfulfilled. In fact, that goal is probably even more distant than before, since women and girls are being hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.” (United Nations, 2020)

For decades the gender mainstreaming strategy has been and remains widely accepted as the most practical means to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women. It moves gender equality and the empowerment of women from the margins to the mainstream of decision-making, integrating gender perspectives into all policies, programs, functions and structures of an institution. (UN Women, 2020). UNDP has made gender equality central to its work and this has registered remarkable progress in the past 20 years. According to research, there are more girls in school now compared to 15 years ago, and most regions have reached gender parity in primary education. (UNDP, Ghana, 2022)

Although, it is easy to secure agreement for gender mainstreaming as an important strategy for promoting gender equality, implementation of this strategy has proven more difficult than its predictions. (UKEssays, 2018). The UNDP report goes on to add that although there are more women than ever in the labor market, there are still large inequalities in some regions, with women systematically denied the same work rights as men. Sexual violence and exploitation, the unequal division of unpaid care and domestic work, and discrimination in public office all remain huge barriers. Climate change and disasters continue to have a disproportionate effect on women and children, as do conflict and migration. (UNDP, Ghana, 2022)

There is therefore the need to review and redefine a lot of the frameworks if we have to get to what will proffer the sustainable solution the world so much needs.

Determining the Root Causes of Gender Inequality

My personal research, both through personal interactions and secondary data have revealed that the real causes of gender inequality has not been tackled yet and that is why we seem to be beating about the bush and moving in circles. What we have been focusing on over the years is plucking the fruits, cutting off the leaves, branches and sometimes part of the trunk of the tree of gender inequality. So what happens is that the tree grows again because the root is still grounded in the same fertile soil; all it needs is some water and sunshine! Some general causes mentioned are:

1. Uneven access to education
2. Lack of employment equality
3. Job segregation
4. Lack of legal protections
5. Lack of bodily autonomy
6. Poor medical care
7. Lack of religious freedom
8. Lack of political representation
9. Racism
10. Societal mindsets and Culture

According to a UNESCO report (UNESCO, 2014) women have been particularly marginalized from cultural life. They face many barriers to access, contribute and participate equally in theatre, cinema, arts, music and heritage, which prevents them from developing their full potential and impedes social and inclusive sustainable development. This still persists in recent time even in our country, Ghana.

Dr. Dede Amanor-Wilks, Director, Communications & External Relations at the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), speaking in an interview with B&FT, said, “The role of African women in cross-border trade has long been recognized. Yet many of these women continue to face abuse and harassment at border posts and these have to be addressed.” (Nettey, 2019). What baffles me is this: why is that women roles are always acknowledged ‘on paper’ but practically nothing seems to be done to liberate them to do more?

So what is that which influences the above causes of gender inequality? There is definitely an unseen influence that will stir up misogyny in the heart of a person or a people.

This is the purpose and agenda of this research: to fish out and what is behind the seeming causes of gender inequality so that it can be dealt with once and for all!

Definition of the Terms

Gender: Socially-constructed roles and responsibilities that societies consider appropriate for men and women

Gender-based violence: Violence against women based on their perceived subordinate status (e.g., physical abuse, sexual assault, psychological abuse, trafficking)

Gender equality: Equal power and opportunities for men and women

Gender gap: Discrepancy between men and women in the areas of health, education, political empowerment, and economic empowerment

Gender parity: Relative access to resources for men and women, often used for education

Maternal health: The health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and during the postpartum period

GEWE: Gender Equality and Women Empowerment

GM: Gender Mainstreaming

MoGCSP: Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection

ACET: African Centre for Economic Transformation

UNDP: United Nations Development Programme

UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNFPA: United Nations Population Fund

UNGA: United Nations General Assembly

CSW: Commission on the Status of Women

CEDAW: Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women

DOVVSU: Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit

FGM: Female Genital Mutilation

FIDA: International Federation of Women Lawyers

MoGCSP: Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection

DV: Domestic Violence

DOVVSU: Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit

Theoretical Framework

The concept of “sustainability” or “sustainable development” seems to play a major role in the research and the objective of our quest, thus it will be the focus in this theoretical framework.

Sustainable development was defined in the Brundtland Commission’s report, ‘Our Common Future’ (1987), as the development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. (Swiss Learning Exchange, 2020)

Sustainability has become a broad policy concept in the global public dialogue now more than ever before because of the current state of our world! As if he was prophesying, the current situation is summed up in W.B. Yeats’ poem, ‘The Second Coming’.

“…Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world…”

Our world today is faced with a plethora of issues/problems that seems to be overwhelming because the solutions to these seem to be very farfetched. Economies are collapsing, nations are shaking, and natural disasters are rampant bringing desolation to millions. Unemployment, foreclosures, threats, gender inequality to poverty, global warming, mental health challenges, homelessness, war on drugs, violence, wars, incarceration, freedom of speech, racial issues, ethical issues, environmental degradation, misogyny, torture, prostitution and more. (Ucmerced Library, 2020). Fear loom everywhere!

In spite of great strides in the advancement of technology and innovative inventions and developments, the achievement of sustainable solutions to the problems seem to continually beat the imagination of many, even ‘scholars’ and ‘thinkers’.

Thus, in 2015, the United Nations summed the issues up into 17 Sustainable Development Goals and has called on many stakeholders to partner and create synergies to ensure their achievement by the year 2030. How feasible is this?

Sustainability consists of three main "dimensions" or "pillars": environmental, economic and social. The original semantic meaning of “sustainability” (a noun) and “to sustain” (a transitive verb) refers to the ability to continue over a long period of time. A closely related and overlapping concept is that of "sustainable development". UNESCO formulated a distinction as follows: "Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal (i.e. a more sustainable world), while sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it." (Wikipedia, n.d.)

All the world is craving for is sustainable solutions for global transformation and this is the import of this thesis.

[...]

• Universidad: ( Atlantic International University )
• Curso: Sociology
• Calificación: 3.96
• Autor: Grace-Tera Korsinah (Autor)
• Año de publicación: 2022
• Páginas: 105
• No. de catálogo: V1323685
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346819093
• ISBN (Libro): 9783346819109
• Idioma: Inglés
• Etiqueta: Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Alternative Strategy