The 2020 International Women’s Day theme, set by the United Nations is, “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”, It also marks the 25th anniversary (silver jubilee) of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most progressive roadmap for the empowerment of women and girls, everywhere. This year, the Generation Equality campaign aims at bringing together people of every gender, age, ethnicity, race, religion and country, to drive actions that will create the gender-equal world we all deserve.

The year 2020 represents another opportunity to mobilize global action to achieve gender equality and human rights of all women and girls. As such ADP joins efforts to propose simple and practical solution to reduce gender gaps in political participation and inclusion at the local level through planning and budgeting.

Support Women in Political Participation

1. You can volunteer your time or money to spread the word with minimal effort by following, liking and sharing women’s candidate social media pages and post, making calls or sending texts in support of your preferred woman candidate in the December 2020 general elections.
2.  If you’re ready for a bigger commitment, join her political campaign full-time, or launch your own campaign if you are a woman, exhibit boldness and make your intentions known to attract support.
3. Spread the word about strong women candidates.
4. Register to vote in the upcoming voter registration exercise. Then, on the day of elections vote for the strong and visionary woman.
5. Scout for young girls from schools, groom them and build their capacities to grow up to leadership positions

Operationalize Gender Responsive Planning and Budgeting at District Level

1. Participate during community problems needs identification and prioritization.
2. Notify authorities of the gender manifestations of community problems.
3. Follow up at public hearings of MTDP to ensure gender issues are mainstreamed in the development plans.
4. Attend town hall meetings and ensure gender issues have been implemented. If not raise the issue again using mainstream media and social media channels.

There is a saying that that goes like this “IF YOU THINK YOU ARE TOO SMALL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THEN YOU HAVE NOT SPENT A NIGHT WITH A MOSQUITO”. This call to actions points, 9 in all looks small but has the potential to improve the gender situation in the country. No matter where you are or what you do you. Don’t underestimate the little you can do you help bridge the gender gap.

As the UN put it… small actions can have big impacts in making this vision a reality. Become part of the movement……….Just pick 1 action of your choice in the to-do-list and do.

(SIGNED)

Solomon Okai

Programs and Research