Source: allghananews.com
Ms Christiana Amarchey, Brong Ahafo Regional Programme Manager of Actionaid Ghana, on Thursday called on political, traditional and opinion leaders to endeavour to advance the political rights of women in leadership.
This she said would help eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in the country.
She was addressing the opening session of the Fourth Girls Annual Leadership Conference at Odumase near Sunyani.
She asked political parties to use affirmative action to enable more women to contest for Parliamentary seats during Election 2012.
The conference, organised by Actionaid Ghana, an NGO which fights against injustice and poverty in the society, was attended by 70 Primary and Junior High School (JHS) girls drawn from Asutifi and Tain Districts of the Region.
It is aimed at empowering girls to aspire for leadership positions and encourage them to be in school to reach the highest educational level.
Ms Amarchey observed that women participation in politics in the country was disheartening because women were in the majority but only 20 women were Members of Parliament.
She said the Region had only two women District Chief Executives (DCE) without a Parliamentarian, adding that, at the district level elections in 2012, 49 women in the Region won, whilst 28 per cent of women were appointed to District and Municipal Assemblies, despite the directive that at least 40 per cent of women be appointed.
Ms Amarchey noted that monetisation of electoral campaigns, negative perception about women and discrimination against women as well as traditional believes had been some of the hindrances of women not venturing into leadership positions.
She said the situation had been an affront to the rights of women and should not be continued so that it would increase women’s drive in the participation in politics and activities in public.
“Equal sharing of responsibilities between men and women in the home will enhance women’s participation in government and decision making processes, which is vital to development, “she added.
Ms Amarchey pointed out that Action aid was working hard to reverse the trend and ensure that the face of leadership changed from that of men to both sexes, adding that, a total of 469 girls had been part of such similar programmes at the national and district levels.
She said the girls would be exposed to ideals that would challenge them to work hard to reach their highest potentials.
They would be taken through topics such as leadership, career development, and adolescent reproduction health, violence against girls, assertiveness and management of peer pressure by women achievers who are dedicated to monitoring the younger generation to serve as role models to girls.
Ms Amarchey urged women to believe in themselves as equal partners with their counterparts and offer themselves for various leadership positions, participate in governance and decision making process.
Madam Malonin Asibi, Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the Department of Women, Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs said the nation was proud of the youth because they were the greatest assets and future leaders.
She urged the girls to remain focused in fighting for their visions and must not allow poverty to be an obstacle, to prevent them from achieving their goals in life.
Madam Asibi said poverty was not a barrier to achieving higher education and entreated them to study hard to become useful citizens in future for the nation.