Summit calls for equal opportunities for women and men
The first ever Ghana Women’s Summit has been held in Accra, with a call for equal opportunities for both women and men towards holistic national development.
Advertisement
“The truth is, until the government leads the process to establish pragmatic measures and strengthen the institutions that will address the inequality gaps between men and women, we are going nowhere as a nation,” Mrs Gifty Afenyi Dadzie, the National Prayer Director of AGLOW International, Ghana, who gave the keynote address at the summit, stated.
The summit, which forms part of activities marking this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) which falls on March 8, every year, was to celebrate the achievements and successes of women in various fields of work in the country.
It was attended by over 1,000 women and men, including women’s groups, market women, traditional leaders and queenmothers, professional women associations and individuals.
According to Mrs Afenyi-Dadzie, the fact that inequalities existed, in spite of national and international commitments, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), called for the government to reverse its strategy to create equal opportunities for men and women.
“Even though women have experienced significant changes with respect to their socio-economic and cultural development, there are still inequalities in opportunities and access between them and men,” she emphasised.
Government’s commitment
A member of the Council of State, Dr Rabiatu Ammah, said the government was committed to ensuring an all-inclusive society where the disadvantaged had a stake in the developmental process and progress.
Dr Ammah, who represented President John Dramani Mahama, said, “Ghana’s history will not be complete without the significant contributions women have made.”
Other Trending Stories
She said it was in the light of ensuring holistic national development that the government was in the process of honouring its obligation of tripling the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP).
Tribute to women
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, in her welcome address, paid glowing tribute to the numerous women pacesetters who had, over the years, blazed the trail in their fields of endeavour.
She called for the need to continue and sustain efforts at promoting gender equality and ensure that women became an integral part of national development and were free from gender-based violence, harmful traditional practices, among other social vices.
To ensure that women continued to be empowered, Nana Oye said, the government would continue to create an enabling environment by honouring its national commitments and international obligations towards women.
The national theme for this year’s IWD is “Equality For Women is Progress For All Through Total Inclusion”.
Writer's Email: rebecca.quaicoe-duho@ graphic.com.gh