The Programme Coordinator for Gender and Women's Rights, Ms. Rebecca Seidu, has advocated for a strong affirmative action for women to fully participate in political, civic, economic,social, and cultural life at the national, regional, and international levels.
This, when properly done, would bring about balanced development in the country.
Ms. Seidu made the call at a sensitization campaign forum as part of a worldwide celebration of 16 days of activism against gender based violence. It had as its theme "working together to eliminate gender based violence in the society."
It was organized by the Community Self-Reliance Center (CSRC) a Non-Governmental
Organization in partnership with African Initiatives a United Kingdom based organization, Tree Aid as well as Christian Aid, all working to promote women's right in the sub-region.
She said women's empowerment and gender equality are important ingredients in the quest
to reduce poverty, ensure food security and reduce maternal mortality.
Ms. Seidu said gender advocates have been at the forefront in an attempt to democratize power and promote good working relations between men and women in private and public institutions, adding "reports show that women's efforts at exposing gender-based injustices and demanding redress for such phenomena have changed the ways in which we think."
She indicated that women should be able to fully participate in decision-making at all
levels to enhance their understanding of their roles and responsibilities so that they could
effectively contribute to national development, and said there was the need to bring culprits to
book when women's rights are infringed upon or when their needs are ignored.
Ms. Seidu said accountability was essential if the world is to realize women's rights and
gender equality, adding that accountability from the women's rights perspective exist when all
women get explanations from those in power for actions that affect them.
Mr. Mark Akparibo Kebo, Sustainable Livelihood Research Officer (SLRO), said the
overall goal of the celebration was to support women in communities within the three northern
regions of Ghana to have greater control over their own development and livelihoods through
increased understanding of participation in social, economic, and political, decision processes that affect their lives.
Mr. Kebo disclosed that CSRC is operating in six districts in the region and has intervened
in areas such as sustainable livelihood support, women's rights and domestic violence campaign, natural resource management with emphasis on tree growing, and strengthening farmers' knowledge on selected issues.
The Acting Bawku West District Director for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Mr. Thomas Akayeti, disclosed that Bawku West has the highest record of domestic violence related cases in the region, and that out of the 51 cases filed at his office this year, 35 of them were domestic violence related.
A team from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service in Zebilla advised the participants not to hesitate to report domestic violence related cases to the police for appropriate action, and that those cases were special ones that needed professional attention.