Takoradi: The Energy Commission has initiated a process to integrate gender considerations into its operations, aiming to develop a draft Gender Policy and Action Plan. This effort seeks to promote inclusiveness and responsiveness while strengthening relationships with key sector operators on how gender mainstreaming can advance the achievement of various protocols and human development.
According to Ghana News Agency, Professor John Gatsi, the Board Chairman of the Energy Commission, along with board members, convened in Takoradi in the Western Region to review the draft policy. This draft was developed by Dr. Rose Mensah Kutin, the lead consultant, and her team. Prof. Gatsi emphasized that the strategic document would guide the Energy Commission in addressing specific gender issues in alignment with the national gender policy to foster inclusiveness, innovation, and efficiency.
Prof. Gatsi highlighted that gender equality is crucial for development, considering the roles played by various departments under the Commission. Dr. Audrey Smock, the National Director of the National Development Planning Commission, noted that the policy aims to address gaps in effective gender mainstreaming within the sector. She stressed the importance of involving different institutions to shape the policy to meet current needs.
Dr. Smock further stated that implementation arrangements are necessary to maximize the policy's benefits. She acknowledged that the Energy Commission's draft aligns with international and national frameworks for gender development. Dr. Rose Kutin pointed out that ECOWAS protocols on energy promote equal access to energy services and stressed the importance of prioritizing different needs and access for each gender.
Dr. Kutin commended the Energy Commission's decision to develop the policy as a responsive intervention to enhance the annual growth rate for women in the energy sector. She addressed unconscious biases that have marginalized women in fields like Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and called for efforts to ensure a balanced society. Dr. Kutin also emphasized the need for deliberate engagement of women and the integration of their perspectives into national development priorities.
The draft policy review was a collaborative effort by Dr. Kutin and Ms. Catherine Achuliwor, aimed at providing the Commission's Board with the necessary insights for critical analysis and improvement.