We Are Not Enemies ― Charlotte Osei Tells Women

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight but a dazzling one from one woman to another is one that must be feared.

The notion for a very long time has been that women have an intense and sinister underbelly rudeness for each other.

The battle waged beneath the surface is so merciless that it has affected almost every aspect of life especially politics.

But Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Madam Charlotte Osei, at the wake of the International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration has called for an end to this gut-wrenching believe in order to combat the challenges that face them.

According to her, if women are to make any significant progress in democracy, they should be ready to embrace each other’s differences.

Madam Osei made this call while hosting Joy FM’s flagship programme, Super Morning Show, to mark this year’s IWD.

Anchoring the discussion on the theme; “Press to Progress”, she said, “we are pressing for progress… its 2018 and the message is clear, we need to support our women, back them with campaign financing, support them and give them the confidence to run for office because that is the only way our issues would change.”

Men Hurt Women More

Madam Osei added that the notion that women hurt women more than men do not only overemphasise the harm women inflict on one another, but also downplays the harm men inflict upon women.

“…it is not a woman thing but a human thing. We are going to have good people and we are going to have bad people. There are men who are really mean to other people and won’t let you advance. It is just a call for us to be better people,” she said.

The Deputy General Secretary of opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Koku Anyidoho has also made a case of the expulsion of the ‘diabolical’ notion.

Playing politics with the rather sensitive issue, he called on women in the political terrain to respect each other’s political affiliation.

“When a fellow woman is insulting the femininity of another woman and questioning the way she gets a job appointment or accusing her of using her body to get a job, is just not right.

“Today you have got your job, did you also use your buttocks to get the job? How would you also explain your appointment today. So, let’s be patient with each other,” he said.

“On a day like this, let us pray that the likes of Otiko Djaba and Ursula Owusu Akuffo would resolve that, in spite of politics, they would not be insulting their fellow women just like that,” Anyidoho added.

He made this remark on Accra Based Kasapa FM, on Thursday.

Press To Progress Against Cultural Taboos

Meanwhile, Broadcast Journalist, Nana Aba Anamoah has advocated a fight against taboos that restrained women from accomplishing great feats.

It had emerged that school girls in communities around River Ofin in the Ashanti Region were prevented from crossing the river when they menstruating.

The broadcast journalist referred to the restrain as unacceptable and heart-breaking.

“The least we can do is to make it easier for them to go to school. But we are being told that some river god is not in the mood for you because you are menstruating so you cannot cross the river.

Miss Anamoah therefore called of the Ministry of Education and the Gender ministry to ensure that these girls enjoy their rights to education.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]