NETRIGHT educates gender activists on 'feminism'

Accra, Aug. 11, GNA–The Network for Women's Rights, Ghana (NETRIGHT), a coalition of pro-women empowerment NGOs, on Thursday organized a forum for women activists committed to gender equality to deliberate on a concrete meaning of “feminism” and also how it could be translated in their works.

The forum, which was under the theme, “Exploring the Multiple Forms of Feminism and its Implications for Constructing a Ghanaian Feminism Identity”, was attended by gender activists from NGOs, the academia, labour movements, market women and persons with disability, among others.

Speaking at the forum, Dr Akua Britwum, Convener of NETRIGHT, noted with concern the negative tag given to the word “feminist” due to the negative portrayal and its purported Western origins and ideas.

“Discomfort with the use of the term 'feminism' has arisen due to the superficial insights of its history, traditions and transformative potentials,” she said.

Dr Britwum said the forum was in response to the call on African women to start formal discussions at the national, regional and international levels on what constituted the guiding principle of feminist ideas.

“It will also be used to explore the changing discourses of gender equality and its implications for the transformative agenda of feminists.

Participants shared personal opinions and experiences on how to empower women and factors militating against their empowerment.

Some of the participants were Mr Akoto Ampaw, a lawyer and a human rights activist and Professor Akosua Ampofo from the Institute of African studies, University of Ghana.

GNA