The Minister for Women and Children Affairs, Ms Juliana Azumah-Mensah, has advocated the appointment of men as gender desk officers (GDOs) at the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

She explained that gender issues were not about only women but also about men and children and it was time that men became part of the gender advocacy campaign.

Ms Azumah-Mensah was speaking at the formal opening of a two-day capacity building workshop for 40 GDOs of MDAs at Koforidua on Friday.

She explained that the workshop was aimed at enhancing knowledge and skills of the participants in gender concepts, gender mainstreaming, gender responsive budgeting, international conventions and treaties relating to gender equity and women’s empowerment and their roles and responsibilities as GDOs.

Ms Azumah-Mensah said that the workshop also sought to help the participants to analyze and evaluate policies and programmes of their various MDAs.

She said this would ensure that gender equality and equity were given adequate consideration and issues bordering on gender and children were incorporated into all policies and implemented.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Kwasi Akyem Apea-Kubi, in a speech read on his behalf called for collective efforts towards the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and asked women to be bold and seek solutions to their problems.

He said women could play active roles in at levels of governance if the existing structures that excluded women from getting fully involved in national decision making processes were removed.

Dr. Apea-Kubi called on women to fight against all dehumanising and negative cultural practices in society.

During a discussion, it came to light that some Chief Directors at the MDAs did not have adequate information on gender equity and women empowerment.

The participants called on the authorities to organise seminars for senior public servants on gender issues.