Topic: 2024-Gender Equality in Rural Areas
Country: Ghana
Delegate Name: Elena Petros
UN Women
Gender Equality in Rural Areas
Republic of Ghana
Elena Petros
Forest Hills Northern
The issue of gender inequality has remained strong in rural areas worldwide, as they have limited access to education, health services, economic opportunities, and participation in leadership. In the context of Ghana, this problem is particularly evident in rural regions, where, according to the World Bank, women constitute 80% of the agricultural labor force. Notwithstanding their essential contributions, women in rural areas encounter structural impediments including constrained land ownership, inadequate access to financial resources, and marginalization in decision-making processes. These challenges exacerbate poverty, impede economic advancement, and obstruct community progress.
The United Nations has recognized that addressing these inequalities is of utmost urgency, expressed in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5, which targets the empowerment of all women and girls. Programs like the UN Women’s Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative have also demonstrated that the empowerment of women-such as through access to resources and opportunities benefits the whole community. In Ghana, the reduction of such inequalities in rural areas is not only a call for human rights but also part of the core features of national development.
Ghana has recorded significant strides in gender equality, but most of these still need considerable efforts, particularly at the rural level. The country has adopted various policies addressing this, such as the Domestic Violence Act of 2007, and has created a Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection to deal with issues relating to gender discrimination and the protection of the rights of women. Modern farming tools, training in farming, and access to credit are some of the programs under which rural women are empowered through initiatives such as Planting for Food and Jobs. While the gaps in economic participation have been reduced, especially through such initiatives, rural women in Ghana remain at a unique disadvantage because of deep-seated cultural norms, inadequate infrastructure, and systemic inequities. These challenges restrict individuals from pursuing education, seeking healthcare, or making economic decisions for themselves, which in turn supports the cycles of poverty for many families. Ghana has demonstrated its commitment to gender equality by becoming a party to CEDAW. The country has forged partnerships with international organizations such as UNDP and UN Women to address inequalities, particularly in rural areas. However, despite these efforts, some challenges remain insurmountable and require deeper, collective strategies. Ghana recognizes that while progress has been made, the active realization of gender inequality at rural levels will require innovative strategies and continued commitments by various national and international actors.
Ghana addresses this urgent question with a comprehensive approach comprising education, economic development, and infrastructure improvement. Educationally, Ghana would emphasize expanding access to educational opportunities at the rural level by establishing schools in remote districts, giving scholarships to girls from rural areas, and promoting vocational or STEM education to not only counterbalance the gender bias in education but also provide them with relevant skills that can enhance their employability.
Ghana encourages the growth of microfinance initiatives for rural women. With accessible loans and basic financial education, such programs may well help empower women to start their own enterprises, care for their families, and give back to their communities.
Finally, Ghana emphasizes the necessity for better rural infrastructure in health and transportation. Better health facilities will improve maternal health, while good roads will enhance women’s access to markets, schools, and other services.
Ghana advocates for the creation of a UN Women task force tasked with the monitoring and assessment of gender equality initiatives in rural regions globally. This task force would promote the exchange of knowledge among member states, thereby permitting the adaptation and execution of effective initiatives across different settings. Through these collaborative endeavors, Ghana seeks to empower women in rural areas, thereby enabling them to effect positive transformation within their communities and to contribute to both national and international advancement.
Ghana seeks to create a future in which all individuals, regardless of gender, are empowered through investing in rural women to be successful. The Republic of Ghana is committed to the realization of gender equality and invites the international community to join hands with it in addressing these issues for a fairer world for all.
