against Women

Thirty-sixth session

Summary record of the 741st meeting (Chamber B)

Held at Headquarters, New York, on Wednesday, 9 August 2006, at 10 a.m.

Chairperson:Ms. Belmihoub-Zerdani (Vice-Chairperson)

Contents

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Combined third, fourth and fifth periodic report of Ghana

In the absence of Ms. Manalo, Ms. Belmihoub-Zerdani, Vice-Chairperson, took the Chair.

The meeting was called to order at 10.05 a.m.

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Combined third, fourth and fifth periodic report of Ghana ( CEDAW/C/GHA/3-5 ; CEDAW/C/GHA/Q/5 and Add.1)

1. At the invitation of the Chairperson, the members of the delegation of Ghana took places at the Committee table.

2.The Chairperson said that Ms. Coker-Appiah, a member of the Committee who was from Ghana, would not participate in the consideration of the reports in accordance with the Committee’s decision 18/III, which precluded the participation of a member who was a national of the reporting State in any aspect of the consideration of that State’s report. In accordance with the Committee’s decision 35/I on working methods concerning meetings of the Committee meeting in parallel chambers, Ms. Coker-Appiah would participate in chamber A during the current session.

3.Ms. Mahama (Ghana), introducing the State party’s combined third, fourth and fifth periodic report (CEDAW/C/GHA/3-5), said that Ghana had ratified the Convention on 2 February 1986 and had since made progress in raising awareness of gender issues and improving the societal perception of women and girls in relation to development. As head of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC), she asserted that the Government ensured that the Constitution and all new legislation and policies were consistent with the Convention. The Constitution of Ghana committed the country to eliminating gender discrimination and provided a basis for gender equality. The Government pursued institutional, administrative and legal reforms and policies to that end. In the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, based on a review of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy, vulnerability and exclusion were key targets and the gender perspective had been incorporated in the social protection programmes envisaged. Ghana had participated in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, reached the HIPC completion point and used HIPC savings to fund education, training, health, drinking water, sanitation and other projects crucial to child development and empowerment of the vulnerable. HIPC savings had been used in setting up the Women’s Development Fund, a microcredit initiative for women.

4.The establishment of MOWAC in 2001 testified to the political will to address the issues of women’s marginalization, rights and empowerment on a national level. MOWAC initiated gender mainstreaming policies promoting women’s empowerment, children’s development and the protection of the rights of women and children. After a repeal of the laws that had governed the National Council on Women and Development and the Ghana National Commission on Children, these two bodies were currently operating as decentralized departments for women and children under MOWAC, which had been designated central management agency with Cabinet-level authority.

5.MOWAC pursued four main strategies: advocacy, concerted efforts and partnerships, collaboration with other bodies and support for women’s empowerment. Advocacy targeted the Cabinet, the Parliament, policymakers, chiefs and other traditional and religious authorities with a view to the enactment of gender-responsive laws and the adoption of gender-sensitive policies, including measures that had reduced the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate to 2.7 per cent. Broad-based consultations and partnerships with such stakeholders as civil society organizations (CSOs) and NGOs helped to raise awareness of women-related issues and, for instance, achieved sensitization regarding the Domestic Violence Bill and the Human Trafficking Act before and after their adoption. Collaboration with ministries, departments and agencies and metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies for gender-sensitive policy development aimed at improving services for women in the areas of health care and training, especially for girls, and included such activities as the organization of regional and district women durbars to enable directors of key ministries, departments and agencies to explain their policies and to enable MOWAC to assess policy impact; and at formulating, with other stakeholders, the National Gender and Children Policy and a Strategic Implementation Plan to make that policy operational. Lastly, support for women’s economic and political empowerment included the operation of the Government- and donor-funded Women’s Development Fund. The fund helped women in small-scale farming, food-processing and other microenterprises and, having disbursed since its inception in 2002 approximately US$ 10 million, had exerted considerable impact on families. Women’s groups were also supported with post-harvest processing equipment. Awareness-raising efforts at community level had led to the establishment of a Fund for Women’s Participation in Local Government (district assemblies) in view of the September 2006 elections. A training manual had been compiled and women’s capacities built to promote women’s effective participation in public life.

6.Other related institutional achievements included the following: establishment of the Girl Child Education Directorate in the Ministry of Education, the Women in Agriculture Development unit in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ghana Health Service maternal and public health units; designation of gender desk officers in all 138 district assemblies and of gender focal persons in ministries, departments and agencies; operation of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), legal aid boards, and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DVVSU) in the Ghana Police Service; and implementation of appropriate legislation, such as the Amended Criminal Code Act of 1998 (No. 554), criminalizing harmful widowhood rites, ritual servitude and female genital mutilation (FGM), the Children’s Act (No. 560), with provisions on the girl child, the Human Trafficking Act (enacted in 2005), the Disability Act (enacted in July 2006), with provisions on disabled women and children, and the Domestic Violence Bill currently before Parliament and expected to be passed in 2006. The Labour Law had been revised to provide for equal training and work opportunities in all areas, including the mining industry, and to criminalize — for the first time — sexual harassment in the workplace. Other measures included the affirmative action policy (1998), the national gender and children’s policy (2004), the early childhood care and development policy (2004), and various other gender policies and strategies.

7.In the health sector, free antenatal and delivery services had been expanded to the entire country. The accelerated child survival development programme, currently referred to as the high-impact rapid delivery programme and considered for adoption as a continent-wide standard, had reduced infant mortality by 50 per cent in the Upper East Region and, in view of its considerable impact on maternal mortality, had contributed to the attainment of Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. The National Health Insurance Scheme provided automatic coverage for persons under 18. Educational programmes currently dealt with the abortion legislation, the prevention of unwanted pregnancy through family planning and the dangers of unsafe abortion. Public awareness-raising initiatives were under way regarding those and other health-related gender issues, such as involving men as partners in reproductive health issues, and safe motherhood practices.

8.In education, the introduction of the capitation grant had encouraged school enrolment and attendance. In 2005/06, enrolment had increased by 16.67 per cent (18.31 per cent for girls and 15.18 per cent for boys). Two-year kindergartens had been introduced as part of basic education. Access courses were organized to help female students to enter teacher training colleges. School rations systems were promoted for all children, particularly in areas known to lag in terms of gender parity; and bicycles were provided for rural girls living far from school.

9.Affirmative action measures included a commitment to ensuring a 30 per cent representation of women in decision-making structures; establishment of a 50 per cent female quota for Government appointees to the district assemblies (30 per cent of assembly membership); designation of gender focal points; free compulsory basic education in combination with incentive schemes aimed at increasing girls’ enrolment and retention rates; and increased enrolment of girls in higher education, including a 40 per cent female enrolment in the University of Ghana.

10.Successful ongoing policies aimed at redressing social, economic or educational imbalances included the national health insurance policy, reproductive health policy, adolescent reproductive health policy, educational reform policy and information and communication technologies policy for accelerated socio-economic development. The Educational Trust Fund financed schools, dormitories and other institutions for girls.

11.Sensitization initiatives, which included community meetings, school visits, talks in churches, mosques and market places, and community radio talk shows, were undertaken to promote girls’ education, women’s empowerment, school enrolment, income-generating activities and participation in functional literacy programmes.

12.Women’s participation in political decision-making, although still inadequate, had improved in the last decade. Ghanaian women were aware of their civic rights and responsibilities. Although they were insufficiently represented in Parliament, district assemblies and public life in general, the national machinery had for years cooperated with NGOs to raise women’s awareness of their political and economic potential through appropriate programmes and projects. A directory of women eligible for appointment to public office was being updated and an advocacy strategy for sensitizing the appointing authorities to affirmative action for women had been developed. The Government was proud of the appointment of 14 deputy ministers and 11 district chief executives (mayors) by the President. Key bodies headed by women included CHRAJ, the National Development Planning Commission, the Government Statistical Service, Immigration, the National Population Council and the Chamber of Mines. In Parliament, the subcommittee on finance and the committee on energy and mines were chaired by women.

13.Ghana had volunteered for a peer review of its governance and socio-economic development by Heads of State and Government of the African Union as part of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The review had identified important constraints in the country, including problems related to gender equity. The Government had responded by preparing a US$ 2.85 billion programme of action, a framework that MOWAC, other ministries, NGOs, CSOs and other development partners could use to enhance the status of women. Moreover, Ghana was expected to have access to funds of the order of US$ 407 million over five years for agriculture, transportation and rural development under the Compact of the Millennium Challenge Account, sponsored by the Government of the United States and explicitly providing for the enhancement of women’s effective participation in the activities funded.

14.Implementation of the Convention was hampered by financial, human and material resource constraints and by structural limitations. The ensuing challenges included inadequate resources for MOWAC, gender focal points in ministries, departments and agencies, and other social protection bodies; low representation of women in political and decision-making structures; inadequate law and policy implementation; insufficient gender-disaggregated data and benchmarks for gender equality and mainstreaming; inadequate coordination mechanisms; inadequate resources for law, policy and programme evaluation research; and social and cultural barriers to women’s advancement on the family, community and national levels. On the other hand, the Government’s commitment to progressively achieving full implementation of the Convention had drawn support in the form of multidonor budgetary contributions, collaborative efforts in key sectors and development partnerships. The donor community had responded positively. For instance, in 2006, the African Development Bank had completed an appraisal expected to provide access to a US$ 9 million grant for meeting challenges in key sectors. In addition to NGOs and CSOs, development partners further included the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Danish International Development Agency and the Canadian International Development Agency.

Articles 1 to 6

15.Ms. Patten noted that the definition of discrimination in chapter 17 (3) of the Constitution of Ghana failed to address both direct and indirect discrimination and therefore was not in complete conformity with the definition of discrimination in article 1 of the Convention. She asked whether there had been cases before the Supreme Court that had tested the scope of chapter 17 (3). She also asked when the Optional Protocol to the Convention would be ratified and what was delaying that ratification, since Parliament had passed in December 2002 a resolution authorizing it. Moreover, since the Convention was not binding on courts unless its provisions were expressly incorporated into the domestic legislation, and since neither chapter 17 of the Constitution nor any law provided for sanctions or remedies in cases of gender-based discrimination, she would like to know whether any revision or enactment of relevant provisions was expected. Furthermore, she enquired as to any time frame for the harmonization of domestic law with the Convention and said she would welcome information on the findings of the research commissioned to identify Convention provisions that had not yet been incorporated.

16.Observing that chapter 33 (5) of the Constitution could be interpreted to allow the courts to apply international treaties, including the Convention, and that judges might not use this possibility out of ignorance, she asked what effective measures were taken by the Government to provide the legal profession with appropriate training, including on the general recommendations. She would welcome information regarding any Government action taken to raise awareness of the Convention, including CHRAJ activities and translation into the country’s languages. Lastly, stressing the importance of gender-disaggregated statistical data, she asked about plans to correct the lack of such information and suggested that the Government should seek relevant technical assistance.

17.Mr. Flinterman said he would welcome information regarding the National House of Chiefs, authorized under the Constitution to evaluate traditional customs and usages with a view to eliminating those that were outmoded or socially harmful. After enquiring as to the ratification of the Optional Protocol, he stressed the importance of awareness of the Convention among the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, since under a dualist system the provisions of the Convention could be invoked in courts of law and therefore domestic laws should be interpreted as much as possible in conformity with Ghana’s international obligations. Accordingly, he would welcome information on any sensitization programmes developed for the civil servants in question.

18.Ms. Manalo, speaking as a member of the Committee and referring to the three different types of marriage possible in Ghana (statutory, customary-law and religious-law marriage), expressed concern over polygamous unions under customary and religious law. Since such marriages were disadvantageous to women, she asked whether the Government had any plans for reforming those laws.

19.Ms. Popescu, referring to article 5 of the Convention, said that, in view of the persisting and harmful customary practices mentioned in the report, she would welcome information on the institutional means used at the regional and local levels to reach rural women in remote areas. She also asked for more information regarding: cooperation between MOWAC and NGOs, CSOs and CHRAJ in that area; the treatment of victims; and efforts to end the persecution of so-called witches and to deal with the five camps in which reportedly almost 2,000 such persons were confined along with some of their dependants, mostly girls, without any protection.

20.Ms. Appiah (Ghana) said that, under appropriate provisions in the Constitution, Parliament was expected to enact legislation on the property rights of spouses without reference to the type of marriage. Proposals to that effect were under consideration. Training provided to judicial officers at the Judicial Training Institute covered legislation related to human rights and included the discussion of gender issues. A bill on FGM currently before Parliament, which was expected to be enacted in 2006, dealt also with ritual enslavement, using language similar to that in the Criminal Code. Lastly, regarding the definition of discrimination in the Constitution, the provisions of chapter 5 should be considered in their totality. An existing omnibus provision regarding the protection of the human rights of the individual could be used to protect women.

21.Ms. Pobee-Hayford (Ghana) said that the institutional structure used to combat stereotypes and negative traditional perceptions of women was normally three-tiered but as a result of human resource shortages currently operated at only two — the national and regional — levels. Regional gender advisory committees were established, and regional directors convened regular meetings to talk about gender issues and assess policy. Recruitment for the district level would be possible within three years, and in the meantime gender desk officers seconded from other departments helped to fill the gap. MOWAC engaged in ongoing bottom-up cooperation with CSOs within the framework of a monthly forum for women’s groups, community-based organizations, NGOs, field-based organizations and economic groupings of women. The forum was a tool for disseminating Government policy and obtaining feedback. MOWAC also collaborated with CSOs as part of the domestic violence bill consultation and in connection with the Fund for Women’s Participation in Local Government. There was continuous dialogue with other ministries, departments and agencies, such as health-sector, law-enforcement and welfare units, and, on economic issues, with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and all bodies relevant to women’s economic empowerment.

22.Ms. Dennis (Ghana) said that the Department of Women in Agriculture in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had been responsible for women farmers’ issues for the past 30 years and was currently cooperating closely with MOWAC in that area. The department was fully decentralized at the regional and district levels and promoted women’s economic interests and legal rights.

23.Ms. Mahama (Ghana) said that ratification of the Optional Protocol had been delayed as a result of a reshuffling of ministerial responsibilities but the process was under way and was expected to be completed before the submission of Ghana’s next periodic report. With regard to legal reform related to marriage, a preliminary document was currently with the Attorney General and MOWAC with a view to drafting a gender equality bill. Yet she knew of at least one case, which had occurred in the early 1990s, in which a woman married under customary law had been able to divorce her husband. The Gambaga witches’ camp was part of her constituency as a member of Parliament. There existed two more such camps, at Gnaani and Kukuo. But the character of witches’ camps had changed over the years. Kukuo was currently a village and Gnaani a big community where the so-called witches were free and lived with their families. They were also free in the Gambaga camp which, however, was an institution. MOWAC staff visited the camp with a view to its eventual disappearance but the effective solution to the problem was to prepare the ground through better education and sensitizing of the community, including the chiefs, before enacting an appropriate law. Otherwise the persecution of alleged witches could turn into an underground practice.

24.Ms. Tackie (Ghana) said that there was ongoing cooperation between MOWAC, CHRAJ, women’s organizations and other NGOs for the protection of women in the camps and the education or training of their children.

25.Ms. Mahama (Ghana) said that a booklet, currently nearing completion, was being prepared to provide facts and figures on gender issues related to population education, employment, leadership and law enforcement. Technical assistance in the area of statistics was being sought from UNDP in Ghana, the African Development Bank and the ongoing national identification programme.

26.Ms. Patten, referring to article 4 of the Convention, commended Ghana as one of the few countries that had been brave enough to adopt an affirmative action policy and asked what obstacles were faced in its implementation. She pointed out that not all measures favourable to women could be regarded as temporary special measures. For instance, the term did not apply to general conditions established to ensure the enjoyment of civic, political, economic, social or cultural rights by women and girls. She urged MOWAC to interpret article 4 (1) of the Convention in the light of general recommendation 25 and asked whether Ghana had introduced any new legal provisions for the adoption of temporary special measures. Such measures should serve to attain a specific target and be discontinued once that objective had been achieved.

27.Ms. Gabr, referring to article 5 of the Convention, said that, although cooperation with NGOs, the traditional leaders and the media with a view to eliminating stereotypes and harmful customary practices was certainly constructive, such measures as the enactment of laws and the collection of reliable statistics were also necessary. For instance, the number of alleged witches was slightly over one hundred according to the report but almost 2,000 according to some NGOs.

28.Ms. Shin said that she favoured strong action to eliminate all harmful traditional perceptions. Regarding domestic violence, she questioned the usefulness of requiring victims to submit a costly medical certificate to the police, urged the Government to adequately staff DVVSU, and asked whether Ghana was able to house all the female victims of domestic violence in shelters. She enquired whether the Government planned to provide financial support for the NGO operating what was reported to be the country’s sole shelter for such victims or to build more shelters. MOWAC could draw on examples of good practices that would be offered in an in-depth study on violence against women to be submitted to the General Assembly by the Secretary-General in September 2006. Lastly, she would welcome information on all other forms of violence against women, including sexual harassment.

29.Ms. Appiah (Ghana) said that considerable progress had been made with the adoption of the 1992 Constitution, which prohibited all customary practices that dehumanized or were injurious to the physical or mental well-being of a person. Laws had been enacted on ritual enslavement, FGM and human trafficking. There was a text on domestic violence. But dealing with traditional practices within a legal framework was not easy. Education was necessary. Progress had also been made with respect to affirmative action, for instance through the promotion of the gender equality law.

30.Ms. Mahama (Ghana) said that the Government was faced with the task of implementing the provisions of international instruments and tried to do so as transparently as possible. Progress had been made against stereotypes, which were not Ghana’s biggest problem in the area of gender. The main constraints were lack of resources and the resulting incapacity to provide civil servants with adequate training to promote greater gender equity. In that connection, MOWAC was in contact with various bodies, such as UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF. Progress had nevertheless been made, particularly in education, where, for instance, the lowest regional enrolment rate in the country had increased by 20 percentage points in 2006. There was one shelter for domestic violence victims, which was under the aegis of the Department of Social Welfare, and two more were expected to be constructed with the assistance of the African Development Bank. The Domestic Violence Act made provision for shelters that would facilitate funding, and it was thought that the necessary financing would be forthcoming from multidonor sources. She took note of the suggestions made with regard to affirmative action policy and temporary measures.

31.Ms. Pobee-Hayford (Ghana) said that the police needed the medical forms required from victims of domestic abuse as medical evidence, without which prosecution was almost impossible. Treatment was usually free but, depending on the hospital, a small amount might have to be paid for it. MOWAC had taken up the matter with the Ghana Medical Association and hoped that a solution would be found. Training with regard to domestic violence had been provided to 40 staff members in 2005 with the assistance of UNFPA, to 140 staff members in 2006 with the assistance of UNICEF in Ghana and the process would continue. Relevant training had been incorporated into courses for police officers and the curriculum of all basic training institutions. On-the-job training was also provided with the assistance of NGOs and CSOs. DVVSU was being restructured. There were 40 units in total in the country, including at least one unit in every police region. The existing 51 police divisions and 179 police districts should be covered by 2007. There had been a disproportionate concentration of DVVSU staff in Accra and some personnel transfers to other areas were indispensable.

32.Ms. Tackie (Ghana) said that NGOs, particularly one headed by Ms. Appiah, had introduced the good practice of encouraging women who had stood up against domestic violence to provide shelter to other women victims in the community. Through the Fund for Women’s Participation in Local Government and the Educational Trust Fund, MOWAC was actually promoting the cause of women in the areas of, respectively, empowerment and education over and above the targets of the Government’s affirmative policy and temporary measures.

33.Ms. Manalo, speaking as a member of the Committee and referring to her earlier question regarding marriage-related legislation and to the draft equality law, asked whether that law or any other measure envisaged by the Government would go so far as to eliminate or minimize the occurrence of polygamous marriages.

34.Mr. Flinterman asked whether the equality law would include a definition of gender discrimination in line with article 1 of the Convention and would provide for appropriate sanctions in cases where gender discrimination occurred. Stressing the importance of training in making known the content, not only of the Convention and the other international human rights instruments, but also of the general recommendations, and recalling the reference by the delegation to a case in the 1990s, he would welcome information on any recent case law. Lastly, he wished to know whether CHRAJ directly relied on the provisions of the Convention.

35.Ms. Patten said that she would like to know specifically what training was provided for judges and law enforcement staff with respect to the Convention and the general recommendations. She also asked in what way the provisions of chapter 5 of the Constitution made up for the inadequate definition of discrimination. Lastly, she enquired whether Criminal Code section 42 (g), which was in contradiction with article 2 of the Convention, would be repealed once the domestic violence law was enacted.

36.Ms. Mahama (Ghana) said that CHRAJ played a key role inasmuch as women felt comfortable about turning to it with regard to gender discrimination issues, and its rulings had the same status as High Court decisions. CHRAJ staff were trained on human rights issues and the Convention. In fact, in one of the first sexual harassment cases in the country, CHRAJ had vindicated the victim, even though there was no specific law against sexual harassment. The Convention was not part of the curriculum of the judiciary and legal training programme, but a new institution in the University of Ghana, affiliated to the African Studies department, was developing an appropriate curriculum, which, it was hoped, other departments would adopt. The Government was currently looking for ways to have section 42 (g) of the Criminal Code repealed.

37.Ms. Appiah (Ghana) said that the umbrella provision in section 33 (5) of the Constitution stipulated that the rights set out in chapter 5 were not exclusive. Consequently, those rights could be extended to conform with the definition of discrimination in the Convention. There were plans to amend the Constitution, but a referendum was required with regard to provisions that were “entrenched” as opposed to “enshrined”. Where polygamy was concerned, the Government planned to propose amendments to the existing intestate succession law, which was not sufficiently effective with regard to the sharing of property.

38.Ms. Mahama (Ghana) said that the enactment of any legislation on polygamy should be preceded by extensive dialogue and debate.

39.Ms. Pobee-Hayford (Ghana) said that discussion on polygamy had already begun in connection with the domestic violence bill.

Articles 7 to 9

40.Ms. Arocha Dominguez noted that, despite progress, the Government and society of Ghana still faced substantial challenges in terms of women’s participation in political life. She asked what special programmes were being adopted to eliminate some of the causes of that situation, such as inadequate skills, lack of child-minding facilities or negative reactions within the family or the community. The same questions applied to women’s participation in public administration and their membership of political parties.

41.Ms. Popescu asked whether the head of the delegation could share with the Committee some of the insights gained from her experience as a female member of Parliament in Ghana. She enquired whether affirmative action policy had focused enough on the political parties and whether the Government was considering the introduction of quotas to increase the number of women on electoral lists. She would welcome information on the fund-raising methods used for the Fund for Women’s Participation in Local Government, the criteria used for selection of women to be sponsored, and any other measures — financial or otherwise — envisaged by the Government to encourage the participation of women candidates. Lastly, information would be welcome with regard to women’s participation in the Foreign Service, any methods used to encourage such participation and the appointment of women to international posts.

42.Ms. Mahama (Ghana), referring to the role played by the Government in encouraging women’s participation in politics, said that, once the Fund for Women’s Participation in Local Government had been launched, MOWAC had limited itself to a facilitating role, providing some secretarial support but leaving the initiative largely to NGOs. MOWAC interacted with political parties in promoting affirmative action.

43.Important elements in a female parliamentarian’s life were the need for initial encouragement, especially in view of such disincentives as the disruption of family life, publicity and the high cost of standing for office, and the rewarding experience of seeing governmental, non-governmental and international resources channelled to her constituency for roads, schools and health-care facilities. Typically, male parliamentarians focused on the construction and physical aspect of projects, while women tended to pay greater attention to social protection issues.

44.Ms. Pobee-Hayford (Ghana) said that the rationale behind the Fund for Women’s Participation in Local Government was that women themselves should recognize the importance of helping other women to participate in local government decision-making. If about 2,000 contributed approximately $100 each, those funds could be matched by other partners, men, CSOs, the private sector and the development partners. Currently, non-governmental resources accounted for about 50 per cent of the fund. Activities supported by the fund included the training manual referred to earlier and, especially, training in all regions of the country. That training, provided also to CSO partners, covered institutional aspects, public speaking, campaigning methods, lobbying, advocacy and forming women’s coalitions. Sponsorship of individual candidates was non-partisan nor was it subject to any selection criteria. Participation of women in political parties was encouraged through specific measures, such as an inter-party political committee scheduled to meet upon the delegation’s return to Ghana and, on the following day, a round table with the media on that topic.

45.Ms. Patten, referring to article 9 of the Convention, said that she would like information on the implementation of Ghana’s constitutional and Citizenship-Act provisions, under which, if there was any suspicion that a marriage was entered into for the purpose of obtaining citizenship, the applicants were required to establish their good faith. She enquired as to the number of such cases and whether the matter was of a civil or a criminal character. Lastly, she asked whether the Government envisaged action — in the context of aligning domestic legislation with the Convention — to eliminate the provisions of the Constitution and Citizenship Act which established a discriminatory procedure affording different treatment to the foreign spouses of Ghanaian women from that of the foreign spouses of Ghanaian men.

The meeting rose at 1 p.m.