Determinant Africa News

Photography Training Workshop Ends

2006-03-28T14:15:00.000-08:00

Photography Training Workshop EndsThe Foundation for Female Photojournalists (FFP) in collaboration with the African Institute of Photojournalism (AIP) has ended a photography training working in Accra.

The workshop sought to build the capacity of women photographers to expand their job opportunities as well as improve on their photographic skills to undertake documentaries on issues concerning women’s development.Some of the topics that were taught in the workshop are Camera Parts and Functions, Film and Paper Developing, Digital Photography, Story Writing and Selling Photographs.

To assess the effectiveness of the workshop, daily monitoring were done that enable the successful evaluation of the workshop. Among the daily photographs the participant made was the documentation of the just ended Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) cleanup exercise.In her closing remarks the coordinator of the workshop Tricia Arthur encourage the participants to create e-mail addresses to enable regular communication between participants and the FFP. The resource persons for the workshop were Mardey Ohui Ofoe, Abel Gavyorlor and Tricia Arthur.The participants will be awarded certificates after presentation of their photo essays. Some of the topics of the photo essays are, Child Abuse, Women and Hair Styles, Old Age among others. The training was funded by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) and Global Fund for Women (GFW).

Ms Angela Dwamena Aboagye Achievements

2006-03-28T13:56:00.000-08:00

Angela Icon of Human Rights Advocacy in Ghana

After ten years of dedication and hard work with the Office of Attorney Generals, working on human rights issues, Ms Angela Dwamena Aboagye honourably resigned
in her quest to fill in the gap in the delivery of human rights services in the country.

The 41 year old African woman married with four children is a women’s leadership and human rights trainer, professional counsellor, public speaker, and gender equality and women’s empowerment advocate.

In the year 2005 Ms Angela Dwamena Aboagye was acknowledge for her outstanding contributions to human rights advocacy in Ghana

Ms Dwamena Aboagye, who is one of the 13 women selected on the continent for the prestigious Women of Substance Awards, has a bachelor of laws (LL.B) degree from the University of Ghana as well as other post graduate degrees from several higher institutions of learning across the world.

She is an alumina of The African Women Leadership Institute, an international program run by Akina Mama wa Africa of UK. Through her work as the Executive Director and Founder of the Ark Foundation, she established the first shelter for abused women and children in Ghana, as well as a crisis, legal and counselling centre for rendering sexual and gender based violence services in different locations in the Greater Accra and Eastern regions of Ghana. It is during these times that she stood out for the weak and voiceless, that she won the admiration of many Ghanaian women and men for her contributions to the development of better human rights conditions in Ghana.

In her effort to change the face of human rights in Ghana, Angela established the Women’s Law and Human Rights Institute, a learning and capacity building Institute for teaching and building skills for young women leaders and advocates in Ghana.

It therefore came as no surprise when in November 2005; Ms Dwamena Aboagye’s name came up as one of the honourees in the maiden prestigious African Women of Substance Awards, when it was lunched at the La Palm Royal Beach, a luxurious five star hotel in Accra.

The award, an initiative of an international philanthropic organisation, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), the first fundraising and grant making organisation on the continent was established to acknowledge excellent examples of women contributing to the development of the Africa, whose efforts go unsung.

The African Women of Substance Awards is the highest honouring body on the continent that truly searches and awards people working to make a difference in the lives of the vulnerable and the poor. The award also seeks to raise the profile of those who do their work out of the limelight and to encourage emerging world leadership.

The maiden annual awards nominees were considered by an international consortium with different experiences and professional backgrounds. Finally 13 women from the continent were awarded the 2005 Prestigious African Women of Substance Awards including the human rights advocacy icon from Ghana, Ms Angela Dwamena Aboagye.

Angela with other human rights organizations are currently working on a comprehensive policy document that includes strategies to provide coordinated services to victims of human rights abuse in Ghana. The move includes government agencies and is expected to reduce the trauma and injustice suffered by victims of human rights abuse in the process of seeking justice.

Nominees of 2006 International Women’s Day in Ghana

2006-03-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

2006 International Women's Day Nominees of
Women Empowering Women Wall Exhibition

Professor Ewurama Addy
Emelia Arthur
Gifty Afenyi Dadzie
Madam Avril Yeboah Ayin
Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings
Ms. Georgiette Francois
Ms. Angela Dwamena Aboagye
Ms. Sheila M. Premo
Ernestina Hagan
Dr. Rose Mensah Kutin
Rosalin Obeng Ofori
Dorcas Coker Appiah
Nana Yaa Ofori Atta
Dr. Akosua Domako Ampofo
Mrs. Audrey Gadzekpo
Sarah Akrofi
Mrs. Mercy Oduyoye
Rosemary Ardeyfio
Yaa Pepra Amekudzi
Bernice Sam
Mrs. Chris Dadzi
Hon. Hawa Yakubu
Ms. Joyce Aryee
Elizabeth Apaloo
Beatrice Ekua Ansah Eshong
Mrs. Mariam Tackie
Nana Agyemeng Mensah
Hon. Akua Sena Dansoa
Violette Esi Awortwi
Charity Binkah
Grace Omaboe
Hilary Gbedemah
Victoria Nazah Gidiglo
Rudith King
Mrs. Aba Oppong
Marian Jessy
Mrs. Vesta Adu Gyamfi
Mrs. Gifty Enin
Mrs. Rasheedah Amissah
Bisi Adelaye Fayemi
Ekua Bretwum
Dr. Joana Nerquaye Tetteh
Gladys Asthma
Joana Foster
Doris Kafui Addo Agbessinyale
Ajoa Afari Yeboah
Esther Offi Aboagye
Nana Kesewa
The wall exhibition is the first in Ghana and it is organized by the Foundation for Female Photojournalists (FFP) and the African Institute of Photojournalism (AIP).
The documentary was shot in black and white in 2004 by Mardey Ohui Ofoe, Sarah Gyamfua, Wendy Prentice and Ruhiya Issah.
It was sponsored by African Women Development Fund, Barclays Bank, EPP Books Services and National Commission on Women and Development. For details contact 00233-244-658900 or email ffpnet@yahoo.com. The wall exhibition will be open on the 8th of March 2006 in Accra at the Dubois Center at 4:30pm-5:00pm

International Women’s Day Wall Exhibition on Women Empowering Women Opened

2006-03-28T13:42:00.000-08:00

International Women’s Day Wall Exhibition on Women Empowering Women Opened

A wall exhibition under the theme, “Women Empowering Women” as part of the International Women’s Day Celebrations has been opened in Accra at the Du bois center.The exhibition organized by the Foundation for Female Photojournalists (FFP) featured 50 Ghanaian women who are working in diverse ways to empower women.

Opening the exhibition, the Communications Director of Actioniad International Ghana Rita Akoto Coker, said the photo exhibition will inspire young women to achieve greater heights.She commended Ghanaian women for their contributions to the development of Ghana adding that young women from generation to generations will learn from their achievements.

The Director of the FFP, Mardey Ohui Ofoe said the photo exhibition seeks to give visibility to women as well as documenting their achievements. The wall exhibition opened from 8th March - 3rd April 2006, will have visitors from some secondary schools in Accra. The photo documentary took place in 2004 featuring women from seven regions in Ghana.

The photography of the exhibition was done by Sarah Gyamfua, Ruhiya Issah, Wendy Prentice and Mardey Ohui Ofoe.

The maiden exhibition of the documentary was well attended by people from all works of life including representatives of the then Minister for Women and Children Affairs and the American Ambassador to Ghana. Some of the women featured in the wall exhibition are Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi of the African women development fund, Angela Dwamena Aboagye of the Ark Foundation, Rose Mensah Kutin of Abantu for Development, Marain Jessy of FIDA-Kumasi, Nana Agyemang Mensah of the Hunger Project, Gladys Asthma former Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Hillary Gbedemah of legal Aid, Esther Offei Aboagye of Institute of Local Government among others.

The photo documentary was funded by Barclay Bank limited, African Women Development Fund, National Commission on Women and Development, Accra Daily Mail, EPP Books Services among others and the exhibition was support by Global Fund for Women.

French Embassy Funds Real Men Video Documentary

2006-03-28T13:40:00.000-08:00

French Embassy Funds Real Men Video Documentary

Over one million people attended the screening of the Real Men video documentary on gender violence in Ashanti, Northern and Upper East Regions.

The audience made up of students and community members were asked questions on the film and the winners received t-shirts, posters, scarves, 2006 calendars as well as copies of the film.
The documentary featured about eighty stakeholders in the country from diverse professional background such as medical doctors, teachers, chiefs and queen mothers, counselors, business owners, police officers, judges, community leaders and members, nurses, assembly members, human rights activist, lawyers, religious leaders, victims, perpetrators among others.

The one-hour video documentary seeks to give clarity to the dynamics of gender violence, its causes, effects, the difficulties of victims seeking justice, the gaps in the service providing system, the pain and the cost victims bear, the negative effects of gender violence on the development of Ghana, and finally ends with advice and the way forward to bring the gender violence menace down.
The documentary, which is produced in Ga, Twi, English and Dagbani, also seeks to demand from viewers the quest to build a society that gives equal rights to all people. Viewers decision to share the information in the Real Men film will go a long way to reduce the alarming rate of gender –based violence in the country.

The documentary further provided information on the dangers of gender violence on victims, perpetrators, and the Ghanaian society as a whole. The film also provides information for victims to seek help. The Real Men video documentary provides the individual with an opportunity to learn and understand the challenges and to know the state of gender violence as exist in Ghana.

The documentary is an advocacy initiative targeted to the public about violence that happens in the homes, offices, churches and other safe place of women. It challenges the government and other policy makers to face the reality of the gender violence in Ghana by providing the needed legal and social frame to reduce the menace. This, the documentary suggested could be done by building capacities of institutions mandated to handle such cases as well as tapping from the rich experiences of non governmental organization in the country. Adding that the passage of the domestic violence bill in its entirety is crucial to addressing gender violence holistically.

The FFP worked with the Ark Foundation (GH), Network for Women’s Right (NETRIGHT), Abantu for Development, Center for Development of People (CEDEP), Actionaid Ghana, Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment (WISE), Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Theater for Development Bureau Africa (TDBA), Center for Grassroots Development (CGD) Audience Awareness Artistic Group, Gender and Human Rights Documentation Center, Ghana Domestic Violence Bill Coalition, Insight Newspaper, African Institute of Photojournalism(AIP), Accra Daily Mail, West Africa Dispute Resolution, Women in Broadcasting(WIB), and many other communities and individuals.

The French Embassy in Ghana funded the video documentary with institutional support from the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). The film which featured scenes of gender violence was produced by Ruhiya Issah, Patricia Arthur and directed by Mardey Ohui Ofoe. The research is by Sarah Gyamfua and Chris Dazie. Quaranchie Adama- Tettey developed the concept. The film will be shown in Greater Accra Region and on national television.

Control Market Women on HIV/AIDS

2006-03-28T13:33:00.000-08:00

Bubiashie Control Market Women ends training on HIV/AIDS Transmission

30 market women in Bubiashie Control Market have participated in a theatre for development project on HIV/AIDS in Accra.
The project dubbed, “Don’t be afraid be informed” took the market women through theatre for development modules aimed at raising their awareness on HIV/AIDS.
The project organised by Theatre for Development Bureau - Africa taught the participants, the different ways of HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention.

The women through facilitation by Anthony Wallace, a Canadian volunteer in Ghana, gained knowledge on HIV/AIDS and applied the knowledge to stage a drama for the their neighbours.
The Programs Director of Theatre for Development Bureau Africa, Samuel Attah Boateng said the women developed and rehearsed the play for a month with diligence and commitment, adding that it has increase their knowledge on HIV/AIDS.

Mr Boateng said, the women are expected to share the knowledge with their clients at the market.The Director Samuel Attah Boateng indicated that the involvement of people in problem identification and solution is far more participatory and thus effective. Adding that, “this part of our activities is very crucial to our aims and objectives because it is the first step of involving the people in the process of change and finding of solutions”.

The spokesperson of the Bubiashie Control Market Women, Ms Rebecca Bruce expressed her appreciation for their involvement in the project and congratulated the women for the knowledge gained.
Theater For Development Bureau –Africa {TFDBA} is a non governmental, not for profit organization that seeks to use theatre to empower communities and individuals to be agents of change and transformation. To realize a people that are conscious of the problem and see themselves as the solution. The Bureau seek to unveil the potential embedded in communities and individuals in order to promote self reliance and socio-economic independence as well as prepare the grounds for development projects within communities. In this direction partner organizations and groups are given technical and skills assistance and exposed to facilitation as well as research techniques.
The “Don’t be afraid be informed” project was funded by Theater for Development Bureau –Africa with support from the Foundation for Female Photojournalists (FFP)