African Women Lawyers Association

Membership

FUTURE TRAINING PLANS

AWLA has the following projects lined up for the coming year:

1 Further training of the Police on Children's Rights
2 Training to the NCOs on Juvenile Justice
3 Sexual Harassment
4 Constitutionalism
5 Trafficking in Women

1 POLICE TRAINING ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

With assistance from DANIDA, AWLA has undertaken a comprehensive national programme to form the second phase of the training to the Police. The components of this training are:

a) Training more crime officers, prosecutors and magistrates
b) Organization of an Intra-Agency Consultative Forum for the Police, the Attorney General's Department, the Judiciary and the Social Welfare Department to deliberate on effective handling of domestic violence issues
c) 'Trainer of trainers' programmes for the Police to reinforce our previous training and to make domestic violence training an integral part of the Police Service's own training syllabus
d) Gender sensitization in all regions on issues affecting women and children
e) Compilation of a manual containing all laws relating to Domestic Violence
f) A policy framework for the Women and Juvenile Unit of the Police.
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2 UNICEF PROJECTS

With funding and logistical support from UNICEF, AWLA has begun the training of Non- Commissioned Officers (NCOs) of the Police on Juvenile Justice and Children's rights. The initial 'Trainer of trainers' programme has been carried out for A.W.L.A members and a training manual has been developed for the Police. The main difference between this project and the training referred to under past projects is that this is targeted at junior police officers.
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3 SEXUAL HARASSMENT

This is a pervasive problem across the Globe and with more women in the formal workplace, it is believed that the phenomenon is assuming alarming proportions. Most of these cases currently go unreported due to pressure not to embarrass the offenders who are often 'respectable' men in society, or to the perception that there is no suitable place to lodge such a complaint, or a misplaced sense of shame on the part of the victim.

There is however a dearth of empirical data and statistics of the prevalence of the problem in Ghana. It is against this backdrop that AWLA will conduct a survey on the incidence/prevalence of sexual harassment. The outcome of that research would inform legal advocacy to effectively protect victims and punish perpetrators.
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4 CONSTITUTIONALISM

Although the Constitution is the most important legal instrument in most countries, over the past 50 years constitutional rule has been interrupted by frequent military interventions in the sub-region. Currently, and thanks largely to pressure for the international community, many countries are being compelled to practise democracy. Countries in the sub-region have reached different levels in their pursuit of constitutionalism and it is important to ensure that each Constitution gives preeminence to the rule of law and addresses the rights of women.

AWLA ntends to hold a round table conference with female lawyers from as many African countries as possible to study the respective Constitutions and to brainstorm on the role of women in promoting constitutional rule in Africa. It is expected that this conference will lay a solid foundation upon which to build the culture of constitutionalism.
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5 TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN

AWLA's final project for 2002 is concerned with trafficking in women and girls. There is evidence that many young girls are recruited ostensibly to serve as domestic servants or house helps in neighboring African countries, but often end up compelled to engage in forced prostitution. To set some scope to the current situation, we plan to engage in extensive research which would investigate the causes, nature, seriousness and consequences of trafficking in women. This would pave the way for effective measures to prevent and redress this menace.
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