Ayiem (W/R), Dec 23, GNA - Mrs. Augustina Akosua Akumanyi, the Deputy Chairperson of the National Commission For Civic Education (NCCE) in-charge of Programmes, on Saturday said it was the responsibility of men to support and to create the right environment for women's empowerment to become a reality.

She was speaking at a forum on good governance under the theme "Women Empowerment" organised by the NCCE at Ayiem in the Mpohor Wassa East District.

Mrs Akumanyi said, "Until Ghanaian men start to believe that there is a problem with gender balance and thus address the imbalance our country's good governance will always be lopsided".

She said gender balancing should not be treated as a joke but implemented in all spheres of life.

Mrs. Akumanyi said, "In the churches women should be allowed to become reverend ministers, there should be more women in responsible positions and all workplaces should make conscious effort to have a fair representation of women as well as different tribes in the work force". She said the society has not given support for women to move up in society mainly due to the power struggle with men.

Mrs. Akumanyi said women are not asking to take over from men but rather are calling their attention to the inequalities in the system. She said there are serious issues concerning women that could only be articulated properly by women and this underlies the importance of women's involvement in the decision-making process.

Mrs. Akumanyi said all governments have plans for poverty alleviation but in most communities, women are poorer despite all the hard work. She said poverty makes them vulnerable and sometimes completely left out in important decisions although they would be affected in the end. "Many people say women are our own enemies because we do not support each other. This is true to some extent but we do not need to re-invent the wheel as many countries have managed to move their women to the top".