Gender
A ‘bow’ for Ghanaian women at Christmas
Christmas is a festive season celebrated by most Christians worldwide to commemorate the birth of their saviour Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem in Roman- controlled Judea. The birth of Jesus Christ is described in the biblical gospels of Matthew and Luke, but there is no definitive historical evidence for the exact date
The gospels and historical sources do not provide a date for Jesus’ birth, but most scholars believe it was between six and four Before Christ (BC).
His parents Joseph, a carpenter was legally Jesus’ father, but Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived through the Holy Spirit
The commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ known as Christmas is celebrated on December 25, but there is no evidence that Jesus was born on that date. Church leaders may have chosen that date to coincide with a Roman festival.
As the season draws closer across the globe, various activities are planned by churches, organisations and families.
In Ghana, Christmas celebrations tend to start around the December 20, lasting till the New Year with lots of activities which go on during the festive period, with the main focus being on people travelling around the country to visit family and friends.
It is celebrated with a variety of traditions, including church services, gift-giving, preparing, sharing and eating of traditional food like fufu with chicken or goat soup, rice and stew or jollof rice.
Church services are held late into the night, featuring dancing, drumming, choir singing, and sometimes a nativity play with people attending in traditional clothing, and then exchange gifts.
In Ghana, during the festive celebrations in homes are mostly spearheaded by women regardless of what they already do on any given day.
Women add extra chores such as buying and wrapping presents, planning and preparing meals in large quantities, attending parties, stuffing food stuffs, decorating the house and ensuring everyone and everything was intact.
Women, both young and old become the pivot around which every home revolves around during festive periods especially Christmas.
All of this time-consuming, behind-the-scenes activities can make the season especially uptight, particularly for women. They do most of the chores at home with the mindset of this is a “me” job, “I am a better multi-tasker,” “so I will just do it.” “If I do not do it, no one will” and so forth. This they do to ensure everyone is ok during the festive season and beyond.
An American Sociological Review found that women reported doing more “cognitive labour” at home than their spouses did – anticipating, identifying options, making decisions and monitoring progress.
Throughout the year, women have demonstrated remarkable dedication and perseverance, effortlessly juggling their responsibilities at home and in their various workplaces. Their ability to balance these dual roles has earned them admiration and appreciation from all.
At home, women have taken on numerous roles: caregivers, nurturers, educators, and managers. They have ensured the well-being and happiness of their families, often putting others’ needs before their own.
In the workplace, women have made significant contributions across various industries, exceling in fields such as business, healthcare, education, technology, journalism and more. Their hard work, expertise, and leadership have earned them recognition and respect.
Despite facing numerous challenges, including gender biases and societal expectations, women have continued to thrive and make a positive impact in their communities. Their resilience, adaptability, and determination have inspired countless others.
As we celebrate the holiday season, let us take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the tireless efforts of women everywhere. Their selflessness, compassion, and dedication to their families and communities are truly deserving of our recognition and gratitude.
As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, let us also honor the women who have made a positive impact in our lives throughout the year and give them a “bow” of respect, gratitude, and admiration.
The role of women in Ghanaian society is multifaceted and invaluable. They are the backbone of our families, providing love, support, and nurturing to their children and loved ones.
They are also pillars of our communities, contributing to economic development, education, healthcare, and social welfare.
This Christmas, there is the need to honor the Ghanaian woman for her unwavering dedication, resilience, and compassion and celebrate her strength, her perseverance, and her selflessness.
As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is important to remember the role of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who embodied the values of love, kindness, and selflessness and draw inspiration from her example and recognise the invaluable contributions of Ghanaian women to our society.
To all Ghanaian women, The Spectator salutes you this Christmas season. May your love, kindness, compassion, and selflessness continue to inspire us all.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Gender equality should not be left to women alone, but requires the active participation of men and other stakeholders, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has said.
She said gender equality was a national development issue and not a matter concerning only women, stressing that both men and women had important roles to play in creating an inclusive society.
Dr Lartey said this last Thursday in Accra at a capacity workshop on the implementation of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024.
The workshop was aimed at helping journalists understand the provisions of the Act, strengthen their capacity to communicate gender equity issues and promote accurate, balance reporting on the implementation of the Act.
Ghana could not achieve meaningful development if one section of society was excluded from participating fully in leadership, decision-making and other areas of national development.
“It is not about a group of people. It is not about one of the sexes. It is about the nation. It is about the country,” she said.
She called for stronger commitment to translating the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), into practical action to improve women’s participation in leadership and decision-making.
She said the passage of the law should not be considered the end of the process, but rather the beginning of deliberate efforts to ensure that its objectives were achieved.
Dr Lartey said increasing the number of women in leadership was important, but their participation must also have a meaningful impact on national development.
“We want it to count,” she stressed, calling for practical initiatives that would move the affirmative action agenda from policy to implementation.
The Executive Director of Women, Media and Change (WOMEC), Dr Charity Binka, also urged the media to play a critical role in ensuring the effective implementation of the Act.
She said Ghana had taken an important step by passing the law after 13 years of efforts, but the real test was its implementation.
According to Dr Binka, the Act requires 30 per cent representation of women in leadership and decision-making by 2026, rising to 50 per cent by 2030.
She urged the media to inform the public about the law, monitor institutions’ compliance and challenge stereotypes that undermine women’s leadership.
Dr Binka urged journalists to ensure institutions were complying with requirements, including Gender Equity Policies, Compliance Certificates and annual reports.
She said affirmative action was not about replacing merit with gender, but addressing structural barriers that had historically limited qualified women’s opportunities to participate and lead.
She called for stronger collaboration among government, civil society, traditional and religious leaders, the private sector, the media and other stakeholders to turn the law into measurable results for women and girls.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
The United Nations has warned, that Gender equality is “woefully off track.”
At the current rate of progress, gender equality would take 171 years to achieve, the UN’s Gender Snapshot report said.
The number of countries with a woman as head of state or government has increased from 2020 to 2026. “Yet six in seven countries are still led by men.
Women’s representation in national cabinets declined to 22.4 per cent in 2026, after peaking at 23.3 per cent in 2024,” the report said. “The decline is a warning sign that gains cannot be taken for granted, and that progress towards equal political power remains fragile.”
Funding for gender equality has fallen to its lowest level since 2021, the report found. At the same time, 42 per cent of UN agencies reported that their efforts to promote gender equality had been weakened, as a result of budget cuts.
Millions of women also continued to endure some extremely severe forms of violence and discrimination across the globe, the UN said. Nearly one in five girls is married before the age of 18, and nearly one in three women globally have survived partner or sexual violence in their lifetime.
In the past year, 316 million women experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, the report said.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Li Junhua, said the statistics were not inevitable. “It is the result of choices, made visible through data. Investing in gender equality, institutions, and the statistical systems that hold them to account is not a cost. It is the fastest route back to the 2030 Agenda’s promise of equal power for all.”-GNA
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
