MCWA POISED TO SUPPORT WOMEN'S INITIATIVES
By Bismark Bebli

August 8, 2003 – (Ghanaian Chronicle - Accra) THE MINISTER for Women and Children's Affairs, Mrs. Gladys Asmah, has said her ministry is poised to morally and practically support initiatives of women to help lift them from the doldrums of poverty and deprivation.

She said her ministry would not relax in helping women, as the ministry exists for empowerment and development of women and children.

Addressing a closing ceremony of Enterprise Creation Workshop organized by Business and Professional Women (BPW) Ghana, in collaboration with World Bank in partnership with Charities Aid Foundation West Africa on Wednesday, the minister said with certain factors that afflict and impede the empowerment and development of women, her ministry is focusing on means to ensure that women have income yielding work to do.

"We would ensure that they could in partnership with their men take care of their families because it is then that the issue of their rights could be addressed with their meaningful involvement and participation," she stated.

The minister expressed her concern about the situation with the typical traditional and cultural arrangements that have been less than favorable and conducive for the development of women's potential and capacity to contribute towards societal development.

According to her, there are many practices that militated against their empowerment, mentioning consciousness and unconsciousness as some of the factors that are responsible for low status of women in society.

Mrs. Asmah named violence and other abuses, including battery, rape and defilement, female genital mutilation and Trokosi among others as other mitigating factors.

She contended that the fewer the executives in both public and private of the economy and its social and political institutions, politics and governance, the worse the situation becomes.

With regard to population, the minister said she appreciated the enormity of challenge that the nation faces in ensuring adequate food supply to the rapid growing population.

According to her, population growth rate is about 3% and is being predominantly caused by the very young school leavers as many of them who completed the JSS at about 16 or 17 years are unable to further their education.

The national president of BPW, Mrs. Mawusi Nudekor Awity, called on the government especially Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs to provide them with the needed assistance to promote and develop the small-scale industry where the majority of women are found.

She said in recent times the women's role in the performance and development of the private sector has gained prominence and recognition, adding that the indispensable role of women in the sector of national development has been given currency, according women more socio-
economic equity.

Mrs. Awity however noted that constraints faced in access to resources like credit, information and education compared to their male counterparts are fading away.

The president lamented over the low level and lack of entrepreneurial skills, which were the result of impediments to women in participation in economic development.

The workshop, which was meant to create networking among women entrepreneurs and place them in the fulcrum of Ghana's private sector development, saw 18 women equipped with entrepreneurial skills, which would lead them into viable business skills.

Mrs. Awity urged the participants to establish and manage their businesses, regardless of the challenges, and to create self-employment for their children and the communities in which they would operate.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200308080736.html