CHAPTER NINIE
Date - 14/Sep/2016
Gender Profiling/Analysis
The setting of the district depicts a clear distinction between men and women in their day to day activities. Relations between men and women are devoid of mutuality. There is a display of a clear superiority in the relationship between man and women.
.Existing Relations between Men and Women in the Various Sectors
Women in the District are relegated to subordinate positions in terms of decision making, education, leadership roles, resource ownership and control. Below is a spelt out of this relation in the various sectors.
2. Culturally
Culturally, ownership of Capital Assets are owned by men. Women are supposed to enjoy in the utilisation of those assets but cannot owe them. Female children do not share in the inheritance of their parents. Ownership of land is the reserve of men. A woman’s access to land directly depends on the willingness of a male relation to lease it to her for use.
Culturally, leadership is supposed to be exercise by men and women are supposed to be followers. Chiefs and their subjects are mostly men with a representative from the women group.
However, with Gender Sensitization Programmes in the region, there is now a Queen Mother in the Chieftaincy system. This notwithstanding, the queen mother only exercises her powers over only women.
9.1.3. Politically and Administratively
In the area of politics, very few women in the district are involved in the local government. Currently, statistics shows that out of the 38 Assembly members, 32 are men and only 6 are women. Out of these six (6) women, four (4) are appointed by the government and only two (2) elected.
None of these women chair any of the statutory sub-committee in the District Assembly. The District Assembly however has a sub-committee for women and children. This is the assembly own initiative to ensure women and children issues are properly managed. However, it can be boasted that, the Presiding Member of the General Assembly is a woman.
With respect to administrative positions, there are very few women occupying low ranking positions as cleaners, receptionist, typist and a few occupying senior staff positions in the District Assembly.
At the Area/Town Council and Unit Committee Levels, the situation is not different. All the four (4) Administrative secretaries recruited for the four (4) Town/ Area Councils are men.
Relations between men and women in this sector is characterised by these observations;
- Their insignificant number in the assembly making them handicap.
- They do not contribute effectively during assembly meetings for various reasons;
- They are not confident
- Low awareness of certain provisions and facts as well as their rights.
- They are intimidated by their male counterparts.
9.1.4. Economically
Economically, poverty is very pronounced in the District but women are the most affected. They are the poorest of the poor. This is as a result of their inability to own property that can be used to make economic gains. The labour market in the district is not also favourable for women. More often than not, women are given the less earn jobs and even if they do equal work with men, they earn less due to the cultural setting. Thus there still exist a superior-inferior relation between men and women in the economic setting in the district.
9.5. Reasons for the Difference in Gender
Socially, leadership is the preserve of men and this has been the norm of the society. This has been accepted by both men and women and that’s the difference is a normal occurrence. Politics is mostly competition for power.
One enters a competition with the possibility of losing or winning. Resources are invested into a competition though its results cannot be predicted. This therefore makes politics a risky venture. Women in nature and in their orientation are not risk takers and as such shy away from politics. Men are known and accepted to be risk takers and as such are mostly in the front lines of politics.
It is a societal accepted norm that women should be in the kitchen and handle domestic issues. Men are accepted to do the white collar jobs and jobs that has higher economic returns. This has therefore created the clear difference in gender in the District.
Culturally, women are to be seen and not heard. They should be servants to their male counterparts. Women do not own land, houses and other large properties which could serve as collateral to support them in their ventures. Men have ownership of these properties and even perceive women as part of their property.
Historically, the concept has been that men are the decision makers and women should be in the background. There are very few educated women in the District due to the negative attitude towards Girls education.
These reasons have all contributed to the clear difference that exists in gender in the district.
9.6. Effects of this Difference in Gender on Women
Under listed are the effects that has been observed as a result of the clear difference in gender
- High illiteracy among Women
- Few women in leadership positions
- High poverty among women
- Under representation of women in key decision making bodies such as the assembly and to represent in parliament
- Enormous workload on women
- Violence against women
- Inadequate self-esteem for women (inferiority complex)
- Early marriages High HIV/AIDS infection among Women
- High School Drop-out among girls
- Rural-Urban migration of the girl child
- Streets
9.7. Gender Priorities and Concerns
The above mentioned situation has called for the need to prioritise issues affecting women and how best they can be solved to speedily harness their development. Among these programmes which are reflective in the District Assembly Actions Plans are;
- Organising sensitization/business management workshops for women group
- Organizing leadership training programs for women groups/women traditional leaders
- Financial support to women's groups Sensitization on Girl-Child Education
- Awareness creation on the need to be Gender Sensitive in all district-wide activities.