HUNGER PROJECT HOLDS REVIEW FORUM AT K'DUA (PAGE 22, SEPT 28, 2010)

A CONSTITUTION review forum to seek the views of women in the New Juaben Municipality on the Constitution ended in Koforidua at the weekend.
The forum, which was also to educate women on political issues with a view to encourage them to actively participate in politics, was also attended by a handful of men.
It was organised by The Hunger Project, a non-governmental organisation under the umbrella of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF), Gender Centre and the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA).
Topics discussed included general overview of the 1992 Constitution, especially the provisions on women and gender equality.
Addressing the participants, the Country Director of The Hunger Project, Dr Naana Agyeman-Mensah said her outfit decided to undertake the initiative because most women had not shown interest in politics.
Aside from that, she said women had been marginalised in society due to discriminatory practices that had negatively affected their education, health, financial resources and social recognition.
Dr Agyemang-Mensah added that such negative practices must be stopped to enable women to take their rightful place in society.
The Hunger Project, she said, would therefore continue with its crusade to address the anomaly.
A Koforidua-based legal practitioner and also on the Legal Aid Board, Mr Martin T. Amoyaw, who was the resource person, took the participants through the 1992 Constitution.
He said since the Constitution guaranteed the fundamental rights of all citizens, nothing should be done to impede the progress of women.
During discussions, it was suggested that appointments such as ambassadorial positions must not be based on political affiliation but competence, while there should be provisions in the Constitution to debar the media, especially the private radio stations, from broadcasting false information that had the tendency of creating chaos and mayhem.
The powers of traditional rulers some of whom, according to the participants, acted arbitrarily by outlawing people from their areas, they stressed, must be restrained.