Women in the Upper East region and Ghana as a whole, have been urged to avail themselves up for leadership positions.
A youth-focused Non-Governmental Organization operating in the Upper East region, Youth Harvest Foundation-Ghana, while acknowledging the role of successive governments in bridging gender disparity in the country, underscored the need for stakeholders to give equal opportunities for women in decision making.
“At the community level, what we have observed is that women are not given equal opportunities to go in for leadership positions just because people think that some duties are for men. We need to understand that with the little support we will give to a woman, she will be able to excel just like the men.”
Assistant Project Officer with YHFG, Millicent Ayaaba who made this clarion call in commemoration of International Women’s Day alluded to the fact that “whereas some women are confident enough to stand in for leadership positions, others lack self-confidence”.
The IWD is celebrated annually on March 8th to showcase the historic journey women around the world have taken to better their lives.
The Youth Harvest Foundation-Ghana observed the day at Zanlerigu, a predominantly farming community in the Nabdam district of the Upper East region. The NGO organized capacity-building training for over 30 women and adolescent girls in the area on their rights and the roles they can play in shaping society.
The Assistant Project Officer at YHFG indicated that through the ‘Pogmenka project’ which is funded by Plan International through the Global Affairs Canada, her outfit was able to support women in the Bongo and Nabdam districts to venture into economic empowerment initiatives, as well as providing them with education on adolescent and sexual reproductive health.
The Girls Education Officer for the Nabdam district, Elizabeth Atinga regretted that women who are considered the most vulnerable in society, have had their rights trampled by a section of the society. She urged the women to report to the appropriate quarters for redress when their rights are infringed.
“As a rural area, when a woman’s husband is late, she goes through a lot. Some are often denied the right to own the property of their late husbands. That is why they need to seek support from our chiefs, opinion leaders, CHRAJ, DOVVSU, Social Welfare, Legal Aid Board, etc”.
Atubiga Sylvia, leader of the Pogmenka group in Zanlerigu community while thanking the Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana and its partners for the knowledge gains, pledged to sensitize the community leaders and the entire populace on the need to protect the rights of women.
The Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana as part its celebration to mark the International Women’s Day also donated sanitary pads to some adolescent girls in the Zanlerigu community.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz
