Women’s Movements in Ghana: A look at the 31st December Women’s Movement

     

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p034s5sg

In Ghana, when the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) took over in 1981, the government aimed to modify the tide in favor of women (Adjei, 1994). The PNDC administration appropriated this developmental framework and used gender politics for its own ends. In this regard, the 31st December Women’s Movement was launched in 1982 in a context of political and social upheaval and gradually became a very large women’s organization with a presence throughout the country.

Ghanaian women account for the largest part of the country’s economic efforts (Prah, 2004). In the early 2000s, approximately 70% of women provided 90% of the agricultural produce and about 50% of the various raw materials for the Agro industry. Evidently, women were also in charge of the domestic responsibilities. Women, particularly in the rural areas, were frequently alone in assuming the responsibility for the family since the men often left to look for jobs in urban and industrial zones. In effect, the gender division of labor and single parenthood had become very common. Thus, more women were faced with the sole responsibility for the family and for the upbringing of the children associated with difficulties is the illiteracy problem which was more common among women. Although, to a significant degree, women constituted the membership of major professions, it was necessary for women to overcome great handicaps from an early age, with less access to formal education than male children. 

Due to these social problems, the movement placed the greatest importance on the mobilization of ordinary women so that they become conscious of their rights as well as of their potential economic and social development of their own communities and country. The high percentage of membership in the movement by Ghanaian women, particularly in the rural areas, showed the enthusiasm and interest aroused by the organization’s programs and activities. However, it also proved the correctness of the positive vision of emancipation of women which characterized the movement.  To advance the cause of women, the movement was particularly careful to avoid any rupture or conflict with any social group. By addressing itself to the community, the women’s organization had made concrete progress when faced with many prejudices concerning them. 

In the year 2000, the 31st December Women’s Movement registered as an NGO claiming membership of 2.5 million members. The organization was involved in a wide range of charitable activities, ranging from day-care centers to health and environment projects. The movement played a big role at the Beijing Conference where it presented the affirmative action documents to the cabinet of the government with the aim of enforcing women’s participation in politics, precisely, 40% of the parliamentary representatives being women. The movement generated revenue to fund its projects through the membership dues, exportation of some of the products of women who had benefited from the organization, and from other international and domestic aid organizations. For its part, the movement had made every effort to translate its objectives into reality by undertaking concrete measures aiming at the economic, social, and cultural emancipation of Ghanaian women. The ostensive purpose of the 31st December Women’s Movement was to encourage women to become involved in the affairs of the Ghanaian state, however, it acted as an apparatus to mobilizing women under the PNDC’s patronage networks to expand its female constituencies. The movement made provision for helping women with seed money to start income-generating businesses which was a positive implication for women’s empowerment.

References

Adjei, M. (1994). Death and pain, Rawlings’ Ghana: The inside story. London: Blackline Publishing. 

Amoah-Boampong, C. (2018). Historicising The Women’s Manifesto for Ghana: A culmination of women’s activism in Ghana. Legon Journal of the Humanities, 29(2), 26-53.

Prah, M. (2004). Chasing Illusions and Realising Visions: Reflections on Ghana’s Feminist Experience. Gender Activism and Studies in Africa. Darkar: Codesria, 3(Gender series), 27–40. 

Winne.com - Report on Ghana - The rising star of west Africa. (n.d.). Winne.Com. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.winne.com/ghana2/to01int.html