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Ghana.

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1.0 BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

Reproductive and sexual rights are intrinsically linked with and indivisible from other human rights and are accepted internationally as a precondition for sustainable development. Participation in the reproductive and sexual decision-making process enables women to participate actively in and enjoy developmental rights related to education and productive labour. The whole process is part of the development continuum which embraces all aspects of the lifespan of women from the womb to the tomb.

This research aims to provide the evidence for African NGOs and CSOs to influence national legal and policy frameworks to provide protection and promote SRHR in Ghana. This research will assess the Government of Ghana's implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and other relevant international and regional instruments.

The findings will provide some guidance to improve the negotiation capacity of young Ghanaian women, with regard to their SRHR by exposing and thereby deconstructing existing customary and religious barriers that undermine autonomy and choice as manifest in sexual coercion and violence.

1.1.1 Demographic Facts about Ghana

Population in 2000 20,212 Population in year 2015 ('000) 29,820 Sex ratio (/100 females) 99.1 Age distribution (%): Age 0-14 43.1 Youth (1 5-24.) 19.9 Age 60 + 4.9 Annual population growth rate (%) 2.7 Total fertility rate (/woman) 4.7 Life expectancy at birth (years) Males 60.3 Females 63.8 Both sexes 62.0 GNP per capita (U.S. dollars, 1998) 390 Thresholds * Births with skilled attendants (%)1/ 44 [greater than or equal to] 60 Contraceptive prevalence rate (%)2/ 20 [greater than or equal to] 55 Proportion of population aged 15-24 living with HIV/AIDS (%)3/ 2.39 [less than or equal to] 10 Adolescent fertility rate (per 1,000 women aged 15-19)4/ 113.1 [less than or equal to] 65 Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births)5/ 66 [less than or equal to] 50 Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births)6/ -- [less than or equal to] 100 Adult female literacy rate (%)7/ 53 [greater than or equal to] 50 Secondary net enrolment ratio (%)8/ -- [greater than or equal to] 100 * UNFPA Document DP/FPA/2000/14 and Approved By the Executive Board in Decision 2000/19. Similar indicators are used to track progress in sexual and reproductive health.

1.1.3 Research Methodology

A literature review to examine background information and documentation on SRHR in Ghana including the implementation of the ICPD preceded qualitative research.

Interviews were conducted with respondents from various institutions which provide services or monitor services for women in various spheres, exploring their scope of involvement in provision of SRHR.

For the qualitative aspects of the research a participatory interview approach guided by a questionnaire was used. The questionnaire gauged the understanding of various sectors of the population of SRHR and their understanding of the exercise of these rights. It sought to assess gender based barriers to negotiation including cultural and religious barriers. Interviewees were selected through purposive sampling. Questionnaires were administered in 6 different regions of the country spanning the various cultural and religious diversities, professions and age groups.

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The towns visited were (from North to South) Tamale in the Northern Region, Kumasi in the Ashanti region, Koforidua and Somanya in the South Eastern regions, Cape Coast in the Central Region, Takoradi in the Western region and Accra (the capital of Ghana) in the Greater Accra Region. The survey targeted both men and women from all social spheres urban and rural and interviews were carried out on a one-to one basis. The resultant information was analyzed and is presented.

2.0 FINDINGS

2.1. Assessing Progress on Implementation of SRHR in Ghana

2.1.1 Institutional Surveys

MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S AFFAIRS (MOWAC)

MOWAC's achievements include the establishment of gender desk officers (GDO's) in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA's) and some districts; affirmative action to achieve parity in girl-child education; sensitization programmes to create health awareness for women on SRHR; family planning and safe motherhood.

As challenges, MOWAC itself identifies socio-cultural constraints, behavioral and attitudinal changes and lack of sex-aggregated data for decision making. In reality, the impact of this Ministry has not been optimal. For instance, the number of women in decision-making is minimal. Women account for less than 10% of people in public office with only two women in Cabinet, 7% of assembly members are women, 16% of women in Council of State and only 19 women (9%) in the 200-member parliament. Few women are represented on public boards and commissions. Gender Officers have not been able to effectively influence policy-making. There are no concrete policy measures put in place to ensure that structural inequalities between women and men are taken into account in promoting the participation in policy decisions4. The mandate of MOWAC is to initiate/formulate policies and promote gender mainstreaming across all sectors that will lead to the achievement of gender equality and empowerment of women, survival, development and growth of children as well as ensuring the protection of the rights of women and children. An honest appraisal of its achievements in six years indicates that its mandate has not been achieved. It has never included the promotion of SRHR within its objectives, concentrating mainly on micro-credit provision to women.

The Government of Ghana has adopted the Affirmative Action Policy Guidelines which include increasing to 40 per cent the representation of women in key positions in public service and in national executive or policy-making institutions. This has not translated into reality and most boards and institutions fall short of these targets.

In Ghana as in many developing countries, a disproportionate share of the burden of poverty is borne by women which undermines their health and well-being. There are twice as many illiterate women as there are men. Women's' education positively affects their participation in the labor force; improves the living standards of the family; increases the use of health care services; reduces child mortality and improves children's nutrition and education. In line with the ICPD Programme of Action and the solemn declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, the government of Ghana has identified three areas under its gender equality, equity and empowerment strategy. These are: the empowerment of women and the enhancement of the status of women in the...

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