Women's Empowerment So Far

April 1, 2005 - (Ghanaian Chronicle - Accra) The Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, has noted that Ghana has made some gains in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action in the area of girls' education, access to reproductive health, micro credit delivery, visibility in the press, participation in politics and representation in key governmental and non- governmental institutions.

She informed that, with these gains, there is more work to be done in the area of women and poverty, women's economic empowerment, girls' education at the basic, secondary and tertiary levels with respect to enrollment retention and quality completion. As well, she pointed out deficiencies in the sector of women's health, including HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence.

She stated that, the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is essential to achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the millennium declaration.

She said, member states have also recognized the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

As well, they endorse the fulfillment of the obligations under the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and promoting the drive towards gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The Minister who disclosed this during a meeting with the press on the 49th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) yesterday, stressed the need to ensure the integration of a gender perspective at the high-level plenary meeting to review the millennium declaration.

She explained that, the ministry would partner with civil society organizations that have, over the years, proved to be strong mediums for growth and development to explore all available opportunities to support efforts at empowering women as full supporters in national development.

She said, on account of the Ministry's concern in the direction of economic empowerment of women, efforts would be made to support them from micro level to macro level to enable them own small and medium scale businesses.

She maintained that the CSW meeting was an opportunity for the ministry to reflect and take stock of efforts both by government and non -governmental organizations (NGOs), directed at gender equality.

The CSW, she said, called upon the UN system, international and regional organizations, all sectors of civil society, the NGOs as well as all women and men to fully commit themselves to intensify their contribution to the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Hajia Mahama maintained the need to ensure that women are given the necessary support to contribute their quota to national development, emphasizing on the UN Secretary-General's address to the CSW that, "studies have proved that there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women."

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200504010236.html