Community Radio and Women Empowerment
1. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours but yet earn only 10 percent of the world’s income. They constitute two-thirds of the world’s population but own less than 1 percent of the world’s property and make up two-thirds of the estimated 876 million adults worldwide who cannot read or write (UNDP, 2008). Kamara (2012) is of the opinion that rural women make up 43% of the agricultural labour force worldwide.
According to the Austrian Development Cooperation (2010), more than half a billion women in developing countries have no reasonable income, no health care and no security. It added that women have limited opportunities owing to isolation, exclusion from decision-making processes, low mobility, overwork and violence (UNHDI, 2000).
In a 2007 report of CARE International on Women Empowerment, the organisation noted that, of the 1.3 billion people who live in absolute poverty around the globe, 70 percent are women. It asserts that, for these women, poverty doesn’t just mean scarcity and want. It means rights denied, opportunities curtailed and voices silenced (CARE, 2007).
Cummings (2006) maintain that rural women face discrimination in accessing assets and resources and are more likely to be involved in unpaid family-related work or in low-paid work. They are also at higher risk of being subjected to violence, with far less access to redress for the human rights violations they suffer.
In Ghana, women constitute the chunk of the nation’s population (54%) and also account for the largest part of the country’s economic effort but unfortunately are less privileged relative to their male counterparts in terms of equal opportunities to occupy decision making positions (The Women’s Manifesto for Ghana, 2004). Lumadi (2012) indicated that empowering rural women not only improves their lives, but also boosts their economic situation, encouraging entrepreneurship in both rural areas and across the country.
Women in Northern
Women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours but yet earn only 10 percent of the world’s income. They constitute two-thirds of the world’s population but own less than 1 percent of the world’s property and make up two-thirds of the estimated 876 million adults worldwide who cannot read or write (UNDP, 2008). Kamara (2012) is of the opinion that rural women make up 43% of the agricultural labour force worldwide.
According to the Austrian Development Cooperation (2010), more than half a billion women in developing countries have no reasonable income, no health care and no security. It added that women have limited opportunities owing to isolation, exclusion from decision-making processes, low mobility, overwork and violence (UNHDI, 2000).
In a 2007 report of CARE International on Women Empowerment, the organisation noted that, of the 1.3 billion people who live in absolute poverty around the globe, 70 percent are women. It asserts that, for these women, poverty doesn’t just mean scarcity and want. It means rights denied, opportunities curtailed and voices silenced (CARE, 2007).
Cummings (2006) maintain that rural women face discrimination in accessing assets and resources and are more likely to be involved in unpaid family-related work or in low-paid work. They are also at higher risk of being subjected to violence, with far less access to redress for the human rights violations they suffer.
In Ghana, women constitute the chunk of the nation’s population (54%) and also account for the largest part of the country’s economic effort but unfortunately are less privileged relative to their male counterparts in terms of equal opportunities to occupy decision making positions (The Women’s Manifesto for Ghana, 2004). Lumadi (2012) indicated that empowering rural women not only improves their lives, but also boosts their economic situation, encouraging entrepreneurship in both rural areas and across the country.
Women in Northern
References: Apusigah, A. A. and TUDRIDEP. 2007. Research on Women’s Poor Participation in the Agricultural Extension Activities of TUDRIDEP. Unpublished Report Submitted to TUDRIDEP, Tumu, Ghana. Cummings E. (2006). Determinants of primary school enrolment in Mozambique: Estimating the differential impacts of household labour demand on male and female children. School of Economics and Political Science. Dramani, H. (2003). Poverty alleviation among women in northern Ghana. Tamale, Downtown Printing Press. Kamara M.V. (2012). Empowering Women to end hunger and poverty. Monrovia. United Nations Radio. Kwapong, O. (2009). Male support for gender equality. Accra, Ghana University Press Lennie, J Lumadi, W.M. (2012). Empowering the voiceless rural women: A daunting task in African society. Kamla-Raj, 10(2): 123-130. Rolls, S. and Narayan, D. (2008). Empowering communities, informing policy: the potential of community radio. Suva, Quality Print. Wierenga S. (1994). Women interest and empowerment, gender planning reconsidered in development and change. The Netherlands, Women’s Manifesto Coalition (WMC)