Support women in achieving gender equality - Deputy Transport Minister urges men
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, has called for deliberate actions from both men and women to ensure the achievement of gender equality, stressing that “achieving gender equality is not the responsibility of women alone”.
The Deputy Minister said the two sexes must work together to challenge stereotypes, promote respect, and build inclusive societies, as the nation sought to achieve gender equality with the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Act.
Ms Affo-Toffey was speaking at the commemoration of International Women’s Day organised by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra last Wednesday.
Ms Affo-Toffey indicated that Ghanaian women continue to play indispensable roles in families, communities, institutions, and industries, but despite the progress, many women and girls still face barriers that limit their full participation in national development.
The Deputy Minister added that the nation must confront and challenge cultural norms that undermine the dignity, safety, and rights of women and girls; adding that, “practices that deny girls access to education, limit women’s participation in decision-making, or perpetuate gender stereotypes must be addressed through awareness, dialogue, and collective action”.
Challenges
The Acting Director of Women, Youth, Peace and Security Institute (WYPSI) at the KAIPTC, Horname Noagbesenu, asserted that women’s contribution to the nation’s development has often been clouded by persistent challenges.
“Gender-based violence, including emerging forms such as technology and drug-facilitated violence, continues to threaten the safety and dignity of women and girls.”
“Economic inequalities, limited access to leadership opportunities, and the marginalisation of young women and persons with disabilities still constrain our collective development”.
These realities, she said, should remind the nation that gender equality was not a privilege, but a right and investment in social cohesion and sustainable peace.
Ms Noagbesenu encouraged men to support gender equality, stating that it does not represent a loss but a gain for families, institutions and the nation.
She also urged young women and girls to speak out as their voices, leadership and dreams matter. He added that, gender or societal expectations should never limit their future.
