The participants at the intercultural dialogue has applauded the organisers for their effort towards creating such platform for intellectual discourse on contemporary challenges of gender in our time hinged on age long negative traditional practices that we have refused to do away with.
It was a huge success ,the response was immense, contributions at the dialogue came from different facets of the society, traditional leaders, Queen Mothers, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, A Medical doctor ,Broadcast journalists, activists , leaders of civic groups, member of parliament, Women wing leaders of the major political parties, Gender and culture ministries, diplomatic missions ,students, members of international development agencies and girls from rural communities in Accra contributed to the dialogue, concerns for the Urban and the rural woman was raised, Health, Security, Social welfare and roles of the African woman in helping to undermine herself in the society led the dialogue.
Gender equity as a cultural norm is achievable we believe that communicating to women on their rights and sensitizing them on how to demand for it and resist socio-cultural subjugation will help enforce their demand for change on how they are treated ,identifying their challenges and the practices that undermines their freedom and position in the society and unifying their demand for its alteration will help accelerate change in the society and help untangle our traditions from patriarchy.
Elites and gender experts also came to the conclusion that patriarchy as a social concern can be a thing of the past if.
1. Mothers will take great concern in not instilling superiority mentality in their male children over their female ones while raising them, it's important that mothers intently watch the impression they subconsciously instill into their especially during their developmental stage, as adults are whole composition of their entire experience ,and as humans our first memories helps in shaping our personality, so there is great need for revamping the grooming pattern in parenthood by raising boys that will see their sisters as their co- equals rather than subordinates. when differentiate house chores in certain patterns for our male and female children we are unconsciously enforcing gender stereotypes a male child need to learn how to sweep, clean and cook as well as the female child.
2. Bridging the gap between gender inequality can be achieved from legislation process via enacting laws to support gender equity in the society, on gender based violence a more protective and proactive response units should be created for cases as rape and domestic violence in order to encourage women to speak up when they are abused.
3.Update of religious and cultural laws. it's also important for religious leaders to shape up their teachings in a way that will encourage fair treatment from the sexes to each other, religious texts are predominantly considered sacred and are hardly updated thereby forcing most of us to still adhere to instructions and philosophies that are no longer relevant in our times, preachers and socio-religious institution leaders need to be informed on the need to balance their teachings in a way to propel the society positively in all ramifications.
The fact still remains that gender discrimination in Africa is deeply rooted in the ethnic traditions, cultural practices, supported by archaic laws in ancient religious texts that has formed the socio-religious belief of many in the recent times, regardless of the multi-cultural facets of African communities, a lot of customs and traditional practices endorses economic and social acts that under-develop the African woman and girl child ,and African women compliance to some of these acts themselves are making it tough for the trend to change.
The African Women Intercultural Dialogue was put together by All Africa Media Network, endorsed by UNESCO
