GHANA: Women in power – trickle down?
IRIN Africa
ACCRA, 25 February 2009 (IRIN) - The arrival of women at top positions in
Ghana's government and security forces has highlighted the question of whether
such milestones will translate into concrete benefits in women’s lives.
For many, the greatest boost not only for women but for all Ghanaians would come
from empowering women economically.
For the first time women hold the posts of speaker, police inspector general and
attorney general. Nearly two months after President John Evans Atta Mills came
to power, promising a strong presence of women in government, Ghanaians IRIN
spoke with are guardedly optimistic.
Hajara Usif, who sells tomatoes in the capital Accra, said she is pleased with
the new government’s attention to women. “But it must reflect in my life too –
and very soon.”
Usif and women like her might get a hand from Akua Sena Dansua, the new minister
for women and children’s affairs and one of eight female ministers, who told
IRIN a top priority will be ......More