Gender

Gender Uncertainty in Court – Order made to Police to Verify

An Accra Circuit Court has ordered the police to determine the gender of an accused person to decide whether to place them in a male or female cell. The order came after Christabel Suphiar Sarkodie Tuffour, who faced five counts of defrauding by false pretenses, appeared in court. She allegedly collected a total of €42,889, £8,500, $5,000, and GHC230,000 from 15 individuals, promising to assist them in obtaining visas to Germany and Canada. Tuffour, a radiologist, claimed that she handed the money over to one Ebenezer, but he denied receiving any funds, according to the prosecution. She refused a police inspection to confirm her gender, leading to confusion in court, where she was initially addressed as male. Due to this uncertainty, the court ordered the police to clarify her gender. The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Ramatu Asumah, revealed that the complainants were young individuals seeking to travel abroad for better opportunities. Tuffour, while studying in Europe, had falsely claimed to have worked with the German Immigration Service in Frankfurt. She and her accomplice Ebenezer, who had no experience in travel and tourism, deceived the complainants into believing they could help secure visas. Ebenezer introduced the complainants to Tuffour, further solidifying the illusion of legitimacy. Tuffour provided her bank account details to some of the victims, while others paid her in person during meetings in Osu and at Lancaster Hotel. She also arranged a fake marriage to Kwasi Gyimah at the La Nkwantanang District Court, claiming it would help secure a spousal visa upon her return to Germany. Through these tactics, Tuffour successfully obtained large sums of money from the 15 complainants. After her arrest, she admitted in her caution statement to handing the funds to Ebenezer, although he denied receiving them. GNA  

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AFFIRMATIVE ACTION (GENDER EQUALITY) BILL, 2024

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION (GENDER EQUALITY) BILL, 2024 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section Principles of Gender Equality and Equity 1. Object of the Act 2. Redressing gender imbalance 3. Directive principles 4. International obligations Gender Equality Committee 5. Establishment of Gender Equality Committee 6. Functions of the Committee 7. Tenure of office of members of the Committee 8. Meetings of the Committee 9. Disclosure of interest 10. Establishment of sub-committees 11. Allowances 12. Ministerial directives 13. Secretariat of the Committee 14. Gender Equality Compliance Certificates Role of Independent Constitutional Bodies in Promoting Gender Equality and Equity 15. Independent Constitutional Bodies Affirmative Action and Gender Equality and Equity in Governance Institutions 16. Governance and decision-making in the Public Service 17. Gender equality in the Public Service 18. Gender equality in the Security Services 19. Gender equality in the Judiciary 20. Gender equality in Parliament Gender Responsive Budgeting in Sectors of Government 21. Gender responsive budgeting Political Parties and Gender Equality and Equity 22. Political parties and the representation of women Gender Equity in Trade Unions 23. Trade unions Private Employment 24. Private sector 25. Gender equality report 26. Compliance 27. Incentive for the private sector Miscellaneous Provisions 28. Grievance resolution procedure 29. Co-operation with public and private institutions 30. Data collection 31. Offences 32. Regulations 33. Implementation of Act 34. Interpretation SCHEDULES FIRST SCHEDULE Process for Measuring Progressive Compliance with Targets SECOND SCHEDULE International Conventions THIRD SCHEDULE Specific Functions of Independent Constitutional Bodies in relation to Gender Equality FOURTH SCHEDULE Guidelines and Strategies for Gender Equality in relation to the Public Service FIFTH SCHEDULE Strategies for Gender Equality in relation to the Judiciary SIXTH SCHEDULE Strategies for Gender Equality in relation to Political Parties A BILL ENTITLED AFFIRMATIVE ACTION (GENDER EQUALITY) ACT, 2024 AN ACT to provide for affirmative action for gender equality in the public and private sectors and for related purposes. PASSED by Parliament and assented to by the President: Principles of Gender Equality and Equity Object of the Act 1. (1) The object of this Act is to ensure the achievement of gender equality in the political, social, economic, educational and cultural spheres of the society. (2) The implementation of this Act and the achievement of the targets shall be progressive and subject to evaluation in accordance with the First Schedule. Redressing gender imbalance 2. The Government shall promote policies and programmes to redress the political, social, economic and educational gender imbalance in the public and private sectors. Directive principles 3. (1) The Government shall set progressive targets for the achievement of gender equality (a) in accordance with international conventions and regional agreements to which Ghana is signatory; and (b) for purposes of appointments to positions of authority and decision-making in the Public Service. (2) The Government shall take appropriate measures in the public and private sectors for the full integration of women into all spheres of development. (3) A person may apply to the Minister for exemption from the requirements in this Act, if it is established that a specified gender is a bona fide occupational qualification requirement for the position in question. International obligations 4. International obligations on gender equality and equity as set out in the first column of the Second Schedule are enforceable to the extent that they are applicable to the Republic and consistent with the Constitution. Gender Equality Committee Establishment of Gender Equality Committee 5. (1) There is established by this Act, the Gender Equality Committee consisting of (a) a chairperson who is the Minister or the representative of the Minister; (b) one representative each of (i) the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development not below the rank of a Deputy Director nominated by the Minister responsible for Local Government and Rural Development; (ii) the Office of the Attorney-General not below the rank of Principal State Attorney nominated by the Attorney-General; (iii) the Public Services Commission not below the rank of a Deputy Director nominated by the Chairperson of the Commission; (iv) the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice not below the rank of a Deputy Commissioner nominated by the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice; (v) the National Council for Persons with Disability nominated by the National Council; (vi) the Trades Union Congress nominated by the Secretary General of the Congress; (vii) the Ghana Employers Association nominated by the Association; (viii) a private sector organisation which focuses on gender issues nominated by the Minister; and (ix) civil society organisations nominated by a civil society network which focuses on gender issues; (c) the Director of the Department of Gender as the secretary; (d) one expert in gender issues nominated by the Minister; and (e) one expert in policy, planning, monitoring and evaluation, nominated by the National Development Planning Commission. (2) A person is qualified for appointment as a member of the Committee if that person has at least ten years’ experience in matters relating to any of the following disciplines: (a) law; (b) public administration; (c) economics; (d) gender and social development; (e) human rights; (f) management; or (g) social sciences. (3) Membership of the Committee shall be in accordance with the equality requirement under section 1. (4) Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Minister. Functions of the Committee 6. (1) The Committee shall (a) ensure and monitor compliance with this Act; (b) receive and analyse annual reports on gender equality from organisations and institutions and issue certificates of compliance; (c) receive complaints of non-compliance with this Act and mediate on the complaints; (d) develop a national plan of action to address, monitor and report on the progress of implementation of this Act; (e) liaise with Government agencies and organisations and private institutions to promote affirmative action on gender equality in the country; f) advise the Minister on policy matters and any other matter relevant to the implementation of this Act; (g) receive and investigate complaints about gender discrimination and make appropriate recommendations for redress where gender discrimination is established; (h) provide information to any party in a

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Affirmative Action bill passed into law

Parliament just passed the Affirmative Action bill into law. The Affirmative Action Gender Equity Bill 2024, which has been in and out of Parliament for several years, was finally passed unanimously by the House. The bill is expected to ensure that a critical number of women hold key positions in governance, public life, and decision-making spaces, thereby improving the lives of women in the country. Today, Gender Minister, Darkoa Newmann moved the motion for the passage and the vote in the House. Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin explained that there is still more that needs to be done to ensure true equity among the genders. “Don’t just celebrate and don’t really put in place the vision that we have created for the country. But more importantly, I hope that members will commit themselves to the constitutional reforms. We need to do more there to be able to create this free and just society we are looking for to liberate more of our women to be able to support us to be able to develop mother Ghana,” he said. The law also seeks to encourage efforts towards addressing socio-cultural, political, economic, and educational gender imbalances in private and public sectors, per Clause 4 of Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution. Its objective is to promote the progressive increase and active participation of women in public and active life from a minimum of 30 percent by 2030, under the requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).   myjoyonline.com

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