Fawe Calls for “Gender Responsive” Policies
Saturday, October 31, 2009 2:06Fawe Calls for “Gender Responsive” Policies
Source: The News – Liberian news weekly news published in Monrovia
January 4, 2003
Estella Nelson
Monrovia
African governments have been urged to enact gender responsive policies as a comprehensive approach to attaining socio-economic and political development both at the national and continental levels.
The Forum for African Women Educationalist (FAWE) Program Officer Madam Mariama Sarr-Ceesay, told reporters in Monrovia at the weekend that the campaign for gender balance must not be seen as an attempt by women to over take the role of men, but rather, a step to create a conducive, and better society where everyone can make their own contributions.
Madam Ceesay who was visiting from FAWE’s Kenya offices, pointed out that in addition to discrimination against women, education policies of African Governments most often neglect addressing, effectively, the issue of gender.
She asserted that unless the gender gap was narrowed, ” societies would have problems”.
The FAWE Executive Officer then named the sources of cultural and traditional practices that tend to retrogress most societies in Africa.
Such practices, she said, was the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which affects the health of women, and sets back development.
She said while the cultural heritage of Africans can not be brushed aside, African cultural practices must move in the direction of development.
Madam Ceesay further mentioned that the Education For All (EFA) campaign was very significant to achieving gender equality, and emphasized that African Governments make, and enforce policies to address the educational needs of all.
Madam Ceesay was in the Country to assess the situation, and the challenges FAWE-Liberia faces.
Her visit was also to develop work and monitoring plans for FAWE-Liberia and EFA activities in the Country.
While in the Country, Madam Ceesay met behind closed doors with the Ministers of Education Evelyn Kandakai and Gender and Development Musuleng Cooper respectively.