Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, the Minister of Energy, has said the issue of mainstreaming gender in public decision-making and participation, especially in matters that affect Women, was increasingly gaining attention the world over.
In an address read for him at a validation workshop of Gender Audit of the Ministry of Energy and energy sector institutions at East Legon, Dr
Oteng-Adjei said as a demonstration of Ghana's commitment to gender mainstreaming, seminars and workshops had been organised on as Gender
Budgeting.
He said it was not surprising that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning demonstrated in the budget government's support for the training of Gender Desk officers in Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Dr Oteng-Adjei said in recognition of the impact of energy use on the socio-economic life of Women, his ministry had factored gender concerns in the design and implementation of energy policies and projects.
As a result, he said, the on-going rural electrification programme, under the Sectors' Medium Term Development Strategy, was being scaled up to increase access to the national electricity grid from the current level of around 67 per cent to 80 per cent by 2015.
He said the Ministry was pursuing the Rural Kerosene Improvement Programme and the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Promotion Programme to reduce the
burden and health hazards of women using firewood and charcoal.
Dr Oteng-Adjei lauded the Gender Audit Team for an excellent work done and assured the Gender and Energy Network of the Ministry's support for its programmes and activities.
Mrs Nozipho Wright, Regional Network Co-ordinator of ENERGIA Africa, said formed in 2,000, ENERGIA Africa aimed at building capacity of development to mainstream gender concerns into energy access projects and policies.
Looking at the linkages between Gender and Energy, she said as major users and managers of household energy fuels, women did not have enough time to engage in more productive activities -income generating activities, agricultural production and education.
Mrs Wright called for women participation in the formulation of energy policies that reflected their energy demands.
She stated that a World Bank Report of 2001 indicated that Women of all developing countries spent between 2 and 9 hours daily collecting fuel
and fodder, as well as performing cooking chores.
She, therefore, urged governments in the developing world, to provide incentives to promote alternative and modern sources of energy that would be beneficial to poor women on the continent.
Mrs Sabina Anokye Mensa, National Focal Person of Gender and Energy Network, said it was currently active in 13 African Nations including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana, Uganda and Senegal.
The others are Mali, Zambia, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.