She said women should not be seen as their own enemies instead they help each other break all barriers to take up leadership roles. She was speaking at a symposium held as part of the International Women’s Day and organized by the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) in partnership with Christian Aid.

Dubbed “Press for progress- the role of Christian Women,” the event is observed annually by CCG, from a faith perspective, to promote Women in Governance (WIG) activities. She called on Christian women to defy all odds and get to the top to influence decision making, which affected the society they were part of.

Christian women have a voice and they can contribute effectively to decisions concerning their well-being, thus, they needed to set the agenda and influence the world rather than the other way round.

Also a Minister of the Gospel, Dr Dwamena Aboagye said, God created man and woman equally, for mutuality and respect until they sinned and man took dominion over her but said that Jesus Christ reversed the situation and it was time Christian women made it a reality.

There is a specifically gifted purpose given to women by God, they are not only to play their traditional roles but also stand against discrimination, inequality, corruption, among others as God Himself is the biggest advocate of marginalization and injustice, she said.

She noted that most women had failed to stand for justice by taking leadership positions not because they were incapable but they think they were not there yet. They should obey calls to justice and mercy and be courageous such as Phoebe, Mary Magdalene and Lydia in the Bible.

Reverend Dr Bridget Ben-Naimah, a Minster of the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church, cautioned the women that their quest for leadership positions should not be done at the expense of playing their traditional roles.

She said, in as much as they pressed for progress, force should not be applied adding that it would defeat the woman’s role.“We should be sturdy but strategic so that the hurdles, obstacles and stereotypes would be taken away or we would remain the same, where the women would be made to run errands, among other menial roles but not at the top.

Mrs Cecilia Senoo, Founder and the Executive Director of the Hope for Future Generation, called on the women to break the chain of stereotyping by changing the mindset of their male children in their upbringing.

Mr Ernest Okyere, Country Manager for Christian Aid, an NGO, in launching a newsletter titled “The Church’s Gender Agenda,” pleaded with parents to desist from looking down on their girl children.