Women urged to stop backbiting colleagues in leadership
Madam Nubyl Kakraa Vanlare, Adentan Municipal Chief Executive, on Thursday appealed to women to show more support to their fellow women who aspire into leadership positions.
She said this would ensure that more women were maintained at the helm of affairs and fight for the cause of women to articulate the challenges that women in the society faced.
Addressing a forum organised for women in leadership positions within the Adentan Municipality, Madam Vanlare described as unfortunate instances where women failed to support their fellow women who aspire to leadership positions.
“In some instances, women who aspire to be at the top receive opposition from their fellow women who would stop at nothing to bring them down,” she added.
The forum dubbed: “Women in Leadership” Project and organised by the Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre (GSHRDC), an non-governmental organisation, brought together women assembly members, religious and social club leaders who were women.
She advised women not only to concentrate on political leadership, but also aspire to leadership positions in all areas of life.
“Seeking for positions in other sectors would rather equip you effectively to aspire for political positions as you would by then be well equipped,” she noted.
Madam Dorcas Coker-Appiah, Executive Director, GSHRDC, cited inadequate financial support, illiteracy, outmoded cultural practices as some of the challenges militating against women’s ability to occupy leadership positions.
“Also the widely held notion that politics is for men and the fact that it is associated with corruption, intimidation, violence and others are some of the reasons that push women away from politics,” she said.
The “Women in Leadership” Project is aimed at strengthening women’s participation and representation in local level governance as well as preparing them for national activities.
“We have received funding from the Dutch Government to implement a four year (2012-2016) project on women’s participation in public decision making processes,” Madam Coker-Appiah announced.
He said the project would be implemented in three districts, Atwima Mponua District in the Ashanti Region, Wenchi Municipality in the Brong Ahafo Region and Adentan Municipality in Accra.
Madam Coker-Appiah said the three areas were selected because their district or municipal chief executives are women.
Madam Coker-Appiah mentioned capacity building programmes for aspirants to Parliament and district assemblies, mentoring programmes for women in tertiary and SHS, media engagements for prospective candidates as some of the means by which the project would be implemented.
Source: GNA